Idaho State Faces Sacramento State Saturday

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POCATELLO, Idaho – The Idaho State women's basketball team faces Sacramento State Feb. 13 at 3:05 p.m. at The Nest, and the Bengals are in search of their first conference road sweep this season after defeating Portland State 64-42 Thursday afternoon in Portland, Ore.

SCOUTING SACRAMENTO STATE
Sacramento State carries an 8-14 overall record with a 5-6 mark in conference play. The Hornets sit alone in eighth place in the conference.

This season, Sacramento State is averaging 87.4 points per game and 40.5 rebounds per game while shooting 37.4 percent from the field. Four players average double-figures for the Hornets, led by Adella Randle-El at an even 15 points per game. Margaret Huntington leads the squad in rebounding at 4.9 per game.

In the last meeting, the Bengals led by as many as 12 in the first half, limiting Sac State to just six made threes off 20 attempts in the first half. But the Hornets adjust in the second, abandoning the outside shot for the higher percentage inside game. Sac State outscored ISU 16-6 in the paint in the third quarter alone, gaining a 51-45 advantage on the scoreboard heading into the fourth. ISU was able to cut the lead to three, 57-54 with 3:44 left, but a scoring drought over the next 3:10 opened the doors for the Hornet win, 68-59.

Sacramento State is coached by Head Coach Bunky Harkleroad.

SERIES REVIEW: SAC STATE IN CONTROL
Idaho State has controlled the overall series against Sacramento State with a 35-6 advantage, however over the past three seasons the Hornets have been in control, winning four of the last five matchups including the last three straight.

A LOOK BACK: THIS DATE IN HISTORY
This is the second time in program history that the Bengals have suited up on Feb. 13. The only other time ISU has played on this date was during the 2009-10 season when the Bengals traveled to Northern Arizona, coming away with a 71-64 win.

FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE CLOSE-UP
During conference play, ISU has limited all but two of its Big Sky opponents to under 40 percent shooting from the field. The Bengals rank fourth in the conference in field goal percentage defense, forcing their opponents to an average of 37.1 percent shooting. ISU ranks first in three-point field goal percentage defense, forcing opponents into shooting an average of 27.9 percent from beyond-the-arc. The Bengals are also one of the best shooting teams in the conference, shooting an average of 41.5 percent from the floor, good for fourth in the conference.

INSIDE DOMINANCE
In each of ISU's last six games, the Bengals have outscored their opponent in the paint; over the last seven games, the Bengals have outscored their opponents 196-118 inside including a lopsided 32-14 margin against Northern Colorado on Feb. 6.

LIMITING OPPORTUNITIES
In conference play, the Bengals are limiting their opponents to an average of 58.4 points per contest, the lowest conference average since the 2012-13 season in which they limited opponents to just 54.5 points per game. However, ISU is averaging just 57.8 points per game, the lowest conference scoring average for the Bengals since the 2008-09 season in which they averaged 61.8 points per game.

TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT
So far this season, the Bengals have played in 10 games decided by five points or less and nine games decided by three points or less. ISU carries a 5-5 record in games decided by five points or less and a 4-5 record in games decided by three points or less. ISU has been part of a school-record five games decided by one point this season, winning three. Seven of ISU's last eight games have been decided by four points or less.

Idaho State has played in the most games decided by five points or less in conference play, carrying a 3-5 record in those games. Northern Colorado is the next closest team in conference play with five-point games, playing in six with a 3-3 record so far.

NOTES FROM ISU'S LAST GAME: AT PORTLAND STATE
- The 17-point halftime lead was ISU's largest since besting the Aggies of Utah State by 18 points after 20 minutes on Dec. 8.

- The Portland State game was the first game since being defeated by Sacramento State 68-59 on Jan. 14 that has been decided by more than five points. Each of ISU's last six games have been decided by five points or less including three games decided by one point. ISU is 3-3 in those six games. It was also the first game ISU had been part of that was decided by double digits since a 61-46 loss to Weber State in Pocatello on Jan. 2.

- Policicchio moved into fifth place all-time on ISU's career block list, surpassing Cydney Horton. Previously Policicchio was tied for fifth, but her five blocks against Portland State put her in fifth alone with 121 total career blocks. She is 10 blocks shy of moving into fourth place.

- ISU's 11 steals were the most this season and the first time the Bengals have recorded double-digit steals since recording 10 in the Big Sky Quarterfinals last season against Montana. ISU's 11 steals are the most since recording 13 against North Dakota on Jan. 9, 2014.

- The Bengal's eight team blocks tied the most in conference play this season. ISU also blocked eight shots at Southern Utah on Jan. 28.