Box Score PDF
CHENEY, Wash. – The Idaho State women's basketball team fell 66-64 to Eastern Washington Saturday afternoon at Reese Court in Cheney, Wash.
Idaho State (18-9, 10-6 BSC) was led in scoring by senior guard
Brooke Blair who finished with a game-high 19 points. Both sophomore guard
Estefania Ors and sophomore forward
Sai Tapasa each chipped in 12 points while sophomore guard
Dora Goles finished with a career-high seven assists, seven points and four rebounds.
Idaho State started off hot, making eight of its first 14 attempts to shoot 57.1 percent in the first 10 minutes. The Bengals forced five EWU turnovers in the opening quarter and led 19-15 heading into the second.
In the second quarter, neither team led by more than three points until a three-pointer from Ors at the 3:38 mark put Idaho State up by four, 31-27. Another trey from Ors 90 seconds later tied the Bengals' their largest lead of the game thus far at seven, 34-27. Eastern Washington (15-13, 10-6 BSC) responded hitting two of its next three field goal attempts to cut ISU's lead to three (34-31) with one minute remaining. But Idaho State sunk another three, this time from Blair, with four seconds remaining to give the Bengals a six-point advantage heading into the break, 37-31.
Idaho State finished the first half shooting 57.6 percent from the floor including 71.4 percent from long range. The Bengals also limited EWU's leading scorer Delaney Hodgins to just four points off 2-of-6 from the floor in the first 20 minutes.
The Bengals continued their hot shooting in the third quarter, sinking 7-of-13 attempts for 19 third-quarter points while limiting the Eagles to 30 percent shooting for 13 points. The Bengals opened the third period on a 6-2 run to extend their lead to 10 (43-33) with 6:42 remaining in the period. Two-and-a-half minutes later, ISU had extended its lead to 15 (50-35) off a layup from Blair, and with 1:50 remaining the Bengals earned their largest lead of the afternoon at 17 (54-37) of a pair of free throws from Tapasa. EWU closed the period on a 5-0 run to cut ISU's lead to 12, 56-44.
ISU opened the fourth with back-to-back buckets from junior forward
Grace Kenyon and Ors to extend ISU's lead to 16 (60-44) with 8:17 remaining. But Idaho State went ice cold from the field, missing its next seven field goal attempts while committing three turnovers. Eastern Washington put together a 16-0 run to lead 62-60 with 2:55 remaining.
Neither team scored for the next 1:26 until a free throw from Kenyon cut EWU's lead to one with 1:34 remaining. The Bengals fouled on the ensuing possession sending EWU's Mariah Cunningham to the line where she converted both to give EWU a three-point lead with 1:12 remaining. On the ensuing possession, ISU's
Saylair Grandon found Goles who sunk a trey to tie the game 64-all with one minute remaining.
Eastern Washington responded as Uriah Howard found Cunningham in the paint, giving the Eagles a two point edge, 66-64, with 41 seconds remaining. Idaho State was unable to convert on its final opportunities, giving EWU the 66-64 win.
EWU was led by in scoring by Brittany Klaman with 17 points while Hodgins finished with 15. Alissa Sealby also finished in double-figures with 10 points.
Idaho State returns home for its final two regular-season games next week. The Bengals host Montana State Wednesday, Feb. 28 at 7 p.m. followed by Montana on Friday, March 2 at 7 p.m. Both games will be in Reed Gym.
