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MADISON, Wis. – The Idaho State women's basketball team grinded out a big victory Tuesday evening with a 42-35 win at Wisconsin in its first win over a Power Five since 2007. The Bengals made huge plays down the stretch and played solid defense to secure their first road win of the season.
"It was a defensive win tonight," said Head Coach
Seton Sobolewski. "That's what we had to do to win a game like this against such a good team and such a prestigious school and program. We had to make the game ugly."
The Bengals were led in scoring by sophomore guard
Grace Kenyon with 10 points, but the win was an all-around team effort as nine of 10 Bengals who saw the floor scored. Senior guard
Freya Newton led the attack on the glass as she corralled 10 of ISU's 40 boards.
"I'm very proud of Freya with 10 boards," Sobolewski said. "She was just flying in there, playing all-out, playing through exhaustion. She's giving us everything."
Idaho State (3-5) limited Wisconsin (3-7) to 35 points, the lowest point posted by the Badgers since posting 41 points in a loss at Rutgers on Jan. 7, 2016. The Bengals forced UW to shoot 25 percent from the floor, its third-lowest shooting effort of the season.
Wisconsin started the game hot, hitting five of its first 10 attempts to lead 13-10 after the first quarter. The Bengals locked down defensively in the second quarter to force the Badgers to shoot just 21.4 percent for eight points. ISU chipped away at Wisconsin's lead and tied the game 14-all following a layup from Kenyon at the 6:17 mark.
Nearly three minutes passed without a basket from either team, but a three from Newton gave ISU its first lead of the night, 17-14. Wisconsin finished the quarter on a 7-2 to claim the 21-19 advantage at the break.
The Bengals hit a bit of a scoring drought to start the second half as they missed their first six shots. Wisconsin meanwhile hit a jumper and converted 3-of-4 free throws to extend its lead to seven, 26-19 with 7:06 left in the third. Two free throws from freshman forward
Sai Tapasa brought ISU within five, while a big trey from freshman guard
Bianca Thacker and a layup from sophomore guard
Saylair Grandon cut the lead to one, 26-27 with 2:54 remaining. The Badgers converted at the free throw line to keep the Bengals at bay and held a one-point lead, 28-29, heading into the fourth.
Idaho State shut the Badgers down it the fourth quarter, stifling their offense and limiting them to just six points in the final 10 minutes. A layup from Kenyon at the 8:11 mark gave Idaho State the lead, and another Bengal layup, this time from junior forward
Lindsay Brown, extended ISU's lead to three with just under seven minutes to go.
The Bengals made big shots down the stretch and squandered Wisconsin's attempts to regain the lead by converting 5-of-7 free throws in the final quarter and forcing seven Badger turnovers. Idaho State outscored UW 14-6 in the fourth and held on for the 42-35 win.
"Tonight was a really big win of our university," Sobolewski said.
Wisconsin was led by Avyanna Young and Malayna Johnson who each finished with a team-high eight points.
Idaho State returns home for the next five contests, beginning with a Sunday afternoon matchup with Denver on Dec. 11. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. in Reed Gym.
NOTES
- This was Idaho State's first win over a Power Five program since defeating Oregon State 79-73 in Corvallis, Ore. on Dec. 10, 2007.
- Wisconsin's 35 points are the fewest the Bengals have allowed by an opponent since limiting Weber State to 37 points in Pocatello on Feb. 21, 2013.
- Idaho State out-rebounded the Badgers 40-37. That is the seventh time this season Idaho State has won the rebounding battle, and the Bengals hold a 120-109 advantage on the boards over Power Five programs this season.
- Newton's 10 rebounds is the second-highest rebounding effort by a Bengal this season. Kenyon hauled in 11 at Utah State on Dec. 1. This was the fourth time in Newton's career that she has recorded at least 10 rebounds.
