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POCATELLO, Idaho – The Idaho State women's basketball defeated Portland State 72-64 in front of 1,068 fans Saturday afternoon at ICCU court in Reed Gym.
Idaho State (17-8, 9-5 BSC) had five players in double figures led by junior forward
Grace Kenyon's double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds. Kenyon also finished with a game-high eight assists to narrowly miss her second career triple-double. Sophomore forward
Sai Tapasa finished with 14 points, sophomore guard
Estefania Ors with 12 points, while senior guard
Brooke Blair and freshman forward
Delaney Moore both added 11 points.
The game started slowly for both teams as the first field goal was scored over a minute into play as Portland State's (14-11, 8-6 BSC) Courtney West scored inside with 8:54 to go in the period. Tapasa opened up Idaho State's scoring with free throw, 2:45 into game. ISU did not score its first field goal until Blair hit a jumper with 4:58 to go. The score stayed close throughout the period, ending with a score of 13-13.
Idaho State scored on its first possession of the second period as Kenyon sunk a jumper with 9:24 to go to give the Bengals the 15-13 lead. ISU shot 50 percent in the second and limited Portland State to 33.3 percent shooting for 13 points. The Bengals led by as many as six in the second, but trey from Portland State's Kylie Jimenez cut ISU's lead to two heading into the break, 28-26.
The Bengals were able to gain more control during the third period, shooting 71.4 percent from the field and holding Portland State to only 43 percent. The score was tied 36-all with 4:19 remaining, and the Bengals took off, scoring five unanswered over the next 41 seconds to take a 41-36 lead with 3:38 remaining. ISU would outscore the Vikings 10-6 over the final minutes of the third to take a nine point lead (51-42) heading into the final quarter.
Portland State came on strong in the fourth, shooting 57 percent from the floor for 22 points, yet the Bengals maintained their lead the entirety of the quarter behind 21 points, seven of which came from Ors. With 5:19 left to play the Bengals found their largest lead of the game with 15 points (60-45) after a jumper by Moore. PSU went on a five point run to cut the lead to eight points, and with 1:21 remaining, the Vikings capped 8-2 run to cut ISU's lead to four, 64-60 but that is as close as the Vikings would come. ISU converted at the line in the final minutes to seal the 72-64 win.
"I thought we had a really slow start, especially offensively," Head Coach
Seton Sobolewski said. "Luckily our defense helped us stay in the game, and we went up two at half. I thought in the second half, especially the third quarter, we came out with a lot better energy and hit shots. We ended up shooting 71 percent from the floor in the third quarter. We finally got going, moved the ball well and played with a lot more confidence and better energy."
Portland State finished with four players in double-figures, led by Ashley Bolston with a game-high 18 points. Courtney West finished with a double-double of 12 points and 14 rebounds while both Jiminez and Kiana Brown added 10 points apiece.
Idaho State heads to the Pacific Northwest next week to face Idaho and Eastern Washington. The Bengals will face the Vandals first in the third meeting of the Battle of the Domes Thursday, Feb. 22 at 7 p.m. MST.
NOTES
- Kenyon's near triple-double of 16 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists marked the fourth time since Sobolewski has been head coach that an ISU player has come close to a triple-double. Previously, Kenyon has come close to accomplishing the feat at Sacramento State on Feb. 11, 2017 (13 points, 10 rebounds, 9 assists) and against the College of Idaho on Dec. 29, 2014 (15 points, 12 rebounds, 8 assists). Ash Vella also nearly accomplished the feat with 17 points, 12 rebounds and 8 assists against Sacramento Sate on March 2, 2013.
- Moore's 11 points was one-point shy of her season-high of 12 which she scored against the College of Idaho on Nov. 16, 2017.
- For only the third time this season, Idaho State finished with five players in double figures. The Bengals finished with five players in double figures against College of Idaho on Nov. 16 and at Sacramento State on Jan. 20.
