Women's Basketball Hosts Montana in Reed Gym Thursday Night

Game Notes

POCATELLO, Idaho – After playing 10 of its first 16 games on the road, the Idaho State women's basketball team returns to Reed Gym for a full week of Big Sky Conference action. The Bengals host the Montana Grizzlies Thursday at 7 p.m. before welcoming the Montana State Bobcats at 2 p.m. Saturday afternoon.
 
How To Follow
Both games will be streamed on Watch Big Sky TV and Pluto TV channel 243. Mark Liptak and Brad Bugger will provide play-by-play commentary on KISU 91.1 FM and Stretch Internet with pregame coverage beginning 25 minutes before the tip. Live stats will also be available here.
 
Scouting Montana
Overall: 9-7 | BSC: 4-3 | Home: 6-3 | Away: 2-4 | Neutral: 1-0 | Streak: W1
The Griz opened conference play with three-consecutive wins before dropping a trio of games to fall back to .500. Montana recently snapped its skid with an 82-79 victory over Idaho last Saturday. UM has played well at home with a 6-3 record but struggles on the road with just two wins in six games.
 
-Montana is a fundamentally sound team with the ninth fewest fouls in the nation. UM is also No. 54 in fewest turnovers with 239 on the season; Jace Henderson and McKenzie Johnston are No. 4 and No. 5 in assist to turnover ratio in the Big Sky.
 
-Montana's offense has been well balanced this season with four players averaging double figures and just three players securing less than 4.5 points per game.
 
-Henderson leads the team in three major categories including points per game (12.4), rebounds per game (8.4) and assists (66). She is the most efficient shooter in the Big Sky Conference and ranks No. 20 in the nation with a 59.1 field-goal percentage. Henderson also provides a spark on the Grizzlies' defense with 14 blocks and 19 steals.
 
-Johnston (11.5), Emma Stockholm (10.6) and Gabi Harrington (10.1) are the other three players averaging double figures this season. The trio is shooting a combined 44 percent from the field and pulls down 17.1 rebounds per game. Harrington is the team leader in steals with 28 and Johnston has added 59 assists.
 
-The Grizzlies rank third in the Big Sky in field goal percentage with a 43.0 conversion rate and have scored 68.4 points per game. They do struggle from three-point range with a 28.9 percent success rate from beyond the arc.
 
-Montana is coached by Shannon Schweyen who carries a 30-47 record with Montana midway through her third season as head coach.
 
Team Averages
 

	Points	Rebounds	Assists	Steals	Blocks	Turnovers
ISU Overall	66.0	34.9	15.0	6.5	3.9	14.8
UM Overall	68.4	39.9	15.2	6.9	3.4	14.9
ISU Big Sky	69.0	36.9	14.4	7.7	5.6	12.1
UM Big Sky	73.0	42.6	14.4	8.1	2.7	13.0

 
All-Time Series
Overall: 11-71 | Home: 8-29 | Away: 3-40 | Neutral: 1-2 | Streak: ISU W2
Last Meeting: March 2, 2018 - ISU won 72-60 in Pocatello
Idaho State has not fared well against Montana with an 11-71 record against the Grizzlies. The Bengals have turned the tide recently, winning the last two matchups and three of the last four. ISU has won three-straight just once in the history between these two squads, so a win would match the best streak against UM in program history.  
 
Around the Big Sky
Portland State leapfrogged its way to the top of the Big Sky Conference standings this week as the only team in the conference with less than two losses at 5-1. Northern Colorado climbed to the No. 2 position just ahead of Idaho State at No. 3.
 
Idaho sits in fourth while Montana and Montana State remain tied for fifth with 4-3 records. Eastern Washington is the last team in the conference with a .500 winning percentage or better. Click here to see the full Big Sky Conference standings.
 
Idaho State Bengals
Overall: 10-6 | BSC: 5-2 | Home: 5-1 | Away: 4-4 | Neutral: 1-1 | Streak: L1
Idaho State makes its return to Reed Gym this week after having its five-game winning streak snapped in Greeley, Colo. by the UNC Bears. The Bengals have the second-best home record in the conference and welcome Montana and Montana State to the court.
 
-In conference play, Idaho State has shot 45.6 percent from the floor, 31.8 percent from three and 64.4 percent from the free-throw line. Opponents have shot 35.2 percent against the Bengals while averaging 60 points per contest.
 
-The Bengals were picked to finish third in the Big Sky Coaches' Preseason Poll and fourth by the media.
 
-Head Coach Seton Sobolewski is in his 11th season with the program and carries a 181-148 overall record. He has led the team to two postseason tournament appearances: one NCAA tournament berth and one WNIT tournament appearance.
 
National Ranks (As of Jan. 22, 2019)
As a team, Idaho State ranks:
-No. 68 in assist to turnover ratio at 1.01 (No. 4 BSC)
-No. 78 in assists per game with 15.0 (No. 3 BSC)
-No. 92 in blocked shots per game with 3.9 (No. 3 BSC)
-No. 45 in fewest turnovers with 237 (No. 2 BSC)
-No. 36 in field-goal percentage at 44.4 (No. 1 BSC)
-No. 99 in field-goal percentage defense at 38.0 (No. 2 BSC)
-No. 87 in turnovers per game with 14.8 (No. 2 BSC).
 
Grace Kenyon is the third-most efficient shooter in the Big Sky Conference. The redshirt senior is has compiled a 48.6 field goal percentage this season.
 
Hot Shooting
Just one of Idaho State's 10 players to appear in Big Sky play is shooting below 40 percent through seven games. Sai Tapasa leads all shooters in conference play with a 57.6 field goal percentage.
 
Starting Five
Idaho State's starting five has carried a heavy load this season. Every player with multiple starts has averaged at least 27.1 minutes. Kenyon, Saylair Grandon, Estefania Ors and Madison Hinrichs are all playing more than 30 minutes per contest.
 
-The six players with multiple starts have scored 94 percent of ISU's points this season. The starting five's contribution is 86 percent through six conference games.
 
Like A Well-Oiled Machine
Idaho State has been the most efficient team in the Big Sky Conference this season. The Bengals hold the best field goal percentage and the second-best field goal percentage defense in the conference at 44.4 and 38.0 percent respectively.  
 
Going Out With A Bang
Kenyon and Grandon, both seniors, hold the lead in nearly every statistical category. Kenyon leads ISU in steals (20), blocks (17), points per game (14.1) and rebounds per game (6.5). Grandon leads the team in assists (53) and is second in steals (19), points per game (13.4) and rebounds per game (5.8).
 
Downtown Sharpshooter
Ors is currently the second-most accurate three-point shooter in Idaho State history. She has a career 41.8 three-point field goal percentage and ranks ninth in school history for three-pointers made with 112.
 
Dual Threat Down Low
Tapasa is averaging 9.9 points and 5.7 rebounds per game this season. She has been solid from the floor with a 48.9 field goal percentage and even better from the free throw line with an 81.5 percent conversion rate.
 
Streaking
Wins are not the only thing Idaho State is stringing together this season.
 
Kenyon has:
61 consecutive starts
Scored in 64 consecutive games.
 
Grandon has:
48 consecutive starts
42 consecutive games with at least one assist
Recorded at least one made field goal in 20 consecutive games
Scored in 53 consecutive games
 
Callie Bourne has an assist in 14 straight games.
 
Tapasa has:
33 consecutive starts
Secured a rebound in every contest this season.
  
The team has:
Recorded at least one block in 23 straight games
Double-digit assists in 13 of 16 games.
 
In The Record Books
Kenyon has made several leaps into the record books. She currently ranks: 10th in double-doubles; ninth in blocks; eighth in points, field goals made, free throws made, assists and rebounds; and is tied for first in triple doubles with one.
 
Ors made is now No. 9 spot in three pointers made with 112. She is also the second-most accurate 3-point shooter in ISU history at 41.8 percent. Meanwhile, Grandon ranks eighth in 3-point percentage at 37.8 percent.
 
Stellar Saylair
Grandon is the only ISU player to win the Big Sky Conference Ready Nutrition Player of the Week Award this year. She is also just one of three players to win it twice this season.
 
Bigger Than Idaho State
Kenyon is a name to know in the Big Sky Conference. The senior earned a spot on the Big Sky Preseason All-Conference Team earlier this season.
 
Just Like The Old Days
Idaho State did not need a three-pointer to defeat Northern Arizona on the road. It was the first time since Jan. 12, 2017 the Bengals failed to make a long ball. Ironically, the last win ISU had without a three-pointer was against Northern Arizona on Jan. 17, 2015.
 
Bengals Make School History
The 2018-19 team made program history on Dec. 6, 2018. The Bengals shot 66.0 percent from the field in an 80-68 win over Utah Valley to set a program record for field goal percentage.
 
Hot Start
ISU's 5-1 start to conference play was the program's best since the 2011-12 season. That year, the Bengals went on to win the Big Sky Championship.