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POCATELLO, Idaho – The Idaho State women's basketball team outlasted Hawai'i 64-62 in overtime to earn its first win over the Rainbow Wahine in program history. The Bengals collected a season-high 16 offensive rebounds including two decisive boards in the final 10 seconds to seal the win.
"We are really proud of our team tonight," Head Coach
Seton Sobolewski said. "We lost two close road games to Washington State and Wyoming and to bounce back with this win was big for us."
Sophomore forward
Sai Tapasa was a force for the Bengals, finishing with a career-high 17 points to go along with a career-high 13 rebounds for her second double-double of the season. Senior guard
Brooke Blair was also a force for the Bengals, finishing with an even 20 points on 7-of-11 from the floor.
Hawai'i (5-4) controlled the game early, gaining a five-point advantage with 2:30 remaining in the first quarter. Idaho State (6-3) would twice cut the lead to one in the final two minutes, first following a layup from Tapasa with 1:28 remaining and again with a free throw from Blair, this time with 16 seconds remaining. A three-point attempt by Hawai'i fell short in the final seconds, giving the Rainbow Wahine a 19-18 edge heading into the second quarter.
The Bengals got into a bit of foul trouble in the first 20 minutes as Tapasa,
Grace Kenyon, Dora Goles and Blair all found themselves with two fouls each. Yet ISU's bench stepped up to limit Hawai'i to 18 percent shooting for just seven points in the second quarter. With the score tied 21-all at the 7:24 mark, the Bengals went on a tear scoring eight unanswered points to build a 29-21 lead with 3:28 left in the half.
Over the next 2:48, Hawai'i scored five unanswered to cut ISU's lead to three, 29-26. Neither team scored in the final 44 seconds, and the Bengals headed into the break with a three-point cushion.
"In the first half, we had some serious foul trouble," Sobolewski said. "The bench did an amazing job of building that first-half lead. Having a strong bench is critical once we hit Big Sky play."
Tapasa opened up the scoring for the Bengals in the third quarter, converting a layup 15 seconds in. Just over three-and-a-half minutes later, a layup from Kenyon gave the Bengals a 10-point lead, the largest of the night. But a Bengals scoring drought over the next three minutes allowed the Rainbow Wahine to cut ISU's lead to four, 40-36.
ISU once more built a solid lead, 50-41, with 8:55 remaining in regulation, but the Bengals went ice cold converting just one field goal the rest of the way. Hawai'i finished with 11 fourth-quarter points to close the gap and tie the game 52-52 to force overtime.
Tapasa opened the extra period with a layup to give the Bengals the lead, and four-straight points from Blair gave the Bengals six-point cushion with 2:40 remaining. Two free throws and a layup by UH cut ISU's lead to two, 58-56 but the Rainbow Wahine would come no closer. Idaho State slammed the offensive glass and converted free throws down the stretch to earn the 64-62 win.
"Sai and Saylair got huge o-boards in overtime that gave us the extra possessions to win the game," Sobolewski said.
Hawai'i was led by Sarah Toeaina with a game-high 27 points off 9-of-14 from the floor including 9-of-11 from the charity stripe. Lahni Salanoa also finished in double figures for the Rainbow Wahine with 13 points.
"The Hawai'i experience has been tremendous for our young ladies," Sobolewski said. "Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, basketball and the Hawaiian culture experience has been enlightening."
Idaho State will continue play on the road next week at Utah Valley on Saturday, Dec. 16 at 3 p.m. in Orem, Utah.
