SPOKANE, Wash. – Idaho State (1-2) led in the early going and mounted several comeback efforts before falling 70-51 to Gonzaga (3-0) at the McCarthey Athletic Center Tuesday night.
Saylair Grandon led Idaho State in scoring with 12 points and added five rebounds and three assists. The senior spent 34 minutes on the court.
Sai Tapasa and Estefania Ors each had eight points and Tapasa led all ISU players with six boards. Madison Hinrichs and Grace Kenyon were close behind with seven and six points respectively.
Gonzaga shot 44.8 percent from the field while Idaho State shot 36.2 percent. The Bengals regained their touch from three, shooting 40.0 percent on ten attempts, while limiting the Zags to a 27.3 3-point percentage.
The Zags won the rebounding battle 40-30 and had 10 steals to ISU's four. The Bengals did force 14 turnovers in the game, but committed 19 themselves.
ISU led twice in the first quarter. The Bulldogs opened the scoring, but Hinrichs and Kenyon each connected to put ISU up 4-2. The Zags tied the game at four before Callie Bourne put the Bengals back on top and Delaney Moore extended the lead.
With 3:36 left in the first quarter, Hinrichs hit a three to give ISU a four point lead over GU. Gonzaga ended the period on a 9-0 run to carry a five-point advantage into the second quarter.
The Zags doubled their lead two minutes into the second quarter before Grandon and Moore netted layups on consecutive drives. Two free throws from Grandon pulled ISU within four points at 22-18, but GU ended the half strong. The Bulldogs outscored the Bengals 15-2 in the final minutes and headed to the locker room with a 37-20 lead.
The Bengals managed to cut into the lead by three points over the course of the third with six different ISU players scoring. Ellie Smith scored her first points for Idaho State with a jumper in the final minute of the quarter.
Smith hit two free throws early in the fourth to bring ISU within 11 points, but that was as close as they got for the remainder of the game. A free throw by Ors closed the action and brought the lead back under 20 with a final score of 70-51.
Gonzaga's Chandler Smith secured eight rebounds and Zykera Rice and Katie Campbell led all players with 17 and 14 points respectively.
Idaho State has just under a week to prepare for its game against Utah Nov. 19. It will be the final game for ISU before they head abroad for the Cancun Challenge.
