BOZEMAN, Mont. – Idaho State limited Montana State to a season-low 40 field goal attempts and shot 47.9 percent from the field to claim a 62-49 victory in MSU's Worthington Arena Thursday night. The Bengals are now 16-7 overall and 11-3 in Big Sky play while the Bobcats fell to 12-12 and 7-7 in conference play.
Eight Idaho State players tallied both points and a rebound in the game as the team shot 23-48 overall. The Bengals were also 7-16 from three-point range. Meanwhile, Montana State was able to secure just 15 field goals and three long range baskets.
Idaho State tallied 12 steals for the second time this season to match its 2018-19 best and forced 17 turnovers while collecting 15 assists.
The same trio of players to reach double figures in ISU's previous game were at the forefront of the offense once again.
Estefania Ors led all scorers with 16 points after starting the game 4-4 from behind the arc. She also tallied seven rebounds and three steals.
Grace Kenyon followed with 15 points, seven rebounds and seven assists.
Delaney Moore turned in another solid performance off the bench with 10 points after shooting 5-6 from the floor.
Idaho State never trailed in the game thanks to a quick start. By the time
Saylair Grandon hit a three with nine seconds remaining in the first quarter, the ISU lead had already grown to 10 points. Ors sank a three-point shot with 3:08 remaining in the half to give the Bengals their largest cushion of the game at 19 points. That was the last basket they made in the half however, as Montana State cut the lead to eight with a 13-2 run.
Deep in the third, the Bobcats cut ISU's advantage to four and remained in striking distance at the end of the quarter. Kenyon scored the first five points for the Bengals in the fourth to push ISU back on top by a dozen. Idaho State did not allow Montana State to come closer than that for the remainder of the game as they locked up the 13-point win for the 2019 sweep.
Idaho State now has six wins on the road in conference play, marking its highest total since the 2012-13 season.
Tori Martell led MSU with 12 points while Madeline Smith and Halle Wright combined for 22 points and nine rebounds. Montana State's top-two active scorers, Oliana Squires and Martha Kuderer, combined for ten points; Squires managed just one basket for two points on five attempts.
Up next for the Bengals is a trip to Missoula, Mont. where they will take on the Grizzlies. The tip is set for 2:05 p.m. Saturday afternoon.
