Game Notes | Big Sky Standings
POCATELLO, Idaho – Idaho State is now 6-1 on the road in Big Sky Conference games after a 62-49 win over Montana State Thursday night. The Bengals continue to travel north to Missoula, Mont. for a 2:05 p.m. contest against the Montana Grizzlies Saturday afternoon.
How to Follow
Saturday's game can be streamed on Watch Big Sky TV or Pluto TV channel 237.
Mark Liptak will also have the call on KISU 91.1 FM and Stretch Internet. Pregame coverage will start 20 minutes before the tip. Fans may also follow the game with live stats found here.
Scouting Montana
Overall: 11-11 | BSC: 6-7 | Home: 7-3 | Away: 3-8 | Neutral: 1-0 | Streak: W1
The Grizzlies ended a three-game skid with a 64-56 win over Weber State Thursday night. UM enters Saturday's game at 11-11 overall and 6-7 in BSC play. With an average attendance of 3,207 fans this season, Montana has gone 7-3 at home including an 82-79 win over the league-leading Idaho Vandals.
Montana features a disciplined squad of players. The Griz have committed the fifth fewest fouls in Division I basketball and rank No. 73 in assist to turnover ratio at 1.01. UM has committed the second fewest turnovers in the Big Sky Conference and has the third-best rebounding margin at 1.7.
Jace Henderson and McKenzie Johnston lead the Grizzlies with a combined 23.3 points per game. Henderson leads all players with a 59.0 field goal percentage. She also ranks first on UM and fourth in the conference in rebounding with 8.4 boards per game. She is sixth in the Big Sky in assist to turnover ratio at 1.60 and second on the team in blocks (16) and steals (26). Johnston has also dished out 79 assists and boasts a 1.53 assist to turnover ratio.
Gabi Harrington has tallied 11.0 points and 6.6 rebounds per game and is trailed closely by Emma Stockholm at 9.7 points and 6.2 rebounds per contest. Harrington leads the team in steals with 29 while Stockholm has gathered 25.
In Thursday's win, four UM players reached double-digit scoring totals led by Henderson with 15 points. Henderson was 7-10 from the field as the Grizzlies compiled a 48.1 field goal percentage. Montana struggled from the free throw line, making just 10 of 25 attempts. The Griz also committed 18 turnovers.
This season Montana has scored 65.9 points per game while shooting 42.1 percent from the field. Opponents have scored 67.7 points per game while shooting 40.0 percent from the field.
The Grizzlies are coached by Shannon Schweyen who is in her third season as head coach at Montana. She carries a 32-51 overall record with UM.
Team Averages
|
Points |
Rebounds |
Assists |
Steals |
Blocks |
Turnovers |
| ISU Overall |
65.2 |
35.0 |
15.7 |
6.8 |
3.7 |
14.9 |
| UM Overall |
65.9 |
39.3 |
14.5 |
6.5 |
3.1 |
14.5 |
| ISU Big Sky |
66.2 |
35.9 |
15.8 |
7.6 |
4.4 |
13.6 |
| UM Big Sky |
66.5 |
40.3 |
13.5 |
6.9 |
2.5 |
13.2 |
All-Time Series
Overall: 12-71 | Home: 9-29 | Away: 3-40 | Neutral: 1-2 | Streak: W3
Last Meeting: ISU won 50-34 in Pocatello
The last time these two teams met, Idaho State held Montana to 34 points in a blowout win. UM's point total was the lowest ISU has held a Division I opponent to in program history.
Idaho State has won three-straight games against Montana with all being decided by 10 or more points. However, Montana holds a huge advantage in the all-time series. The Grizzlies are 71-12 against the Bengals and 40-3 in Missoula, Mont.
Idaho State Bengals
Overall: 16-7 | BSC: 11-3 | Home: 8-2 | Away: 7-4 | Neutral: 1-1 | Streak: W2
-Idaho State completed the seasonal sweep of Montana State on Thursday with a solid 62-49 win in Bozeman, Mont. The win was the sixth on the road in conference play for ISU, matching its highest total since 2012-13. The last time the Bengals won more than six conference road games, they went on to win the Big Sky Conference Tournament (2012).
-The Bengals never trailed as they limited MSU to a season-low 40 field goal attempts and shot 47.9 percent from the field Thursday night.
Estefania Ors,
Grace Kenyon and
Delaney Moore paved the way for ISU on offense. Ors led all scorers with 16 points while grabbing seven rebounds and three steals. Kenyon finished with 15 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. Moore was 5-6 from the floor as she finished in double figures off the bench for the third-consecutive game.
-In conference play, Idaho State is shooting 45.1 percent from the floor, 36.2 percent from three and 63.9 percent from the free-throw line. Opponents have shot 33.3 percent against the Bengals while averaging 55.2 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 187-149 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 Feb. 11, 2019)
As a team, Idaho State ranks:
-No. 56 in assist to turnover ratio at 1.06 (No. 3 BSC)
-No. 67 in assists with 345 (No. 2 BSC)
-No. 56 in assists per game with 15.7 (No. 2 BSC)
-No. 91 in fewest turnovers with 327 (No. 7 BSC)
-No. 37 in field-goal percentage at 44.3 (No. 1 BSC)
-No. 30 in field-goal percentage defense at 36.0 (No. 2 BSC)
-No. 65 in scoring defense at 59.1 (No. 2 BSC)
-No. 58 in three-point field goal percentage at 34.6 (No. 3 BSC)
-No. 78 in win-loss percentage at 68.2 (No. 2 BSC).
Hot Shooting
Just one of Idaho State's 12 players to appear in Big Sky play is shooting below 38 percent through 14 games.
Sai Tapasa leads all shooters in conference play with a 53.7 field goal percentage (Min. 50 attempts).
Like A Well-Oiled Machine
Idaho State has been one of the most efficient teams in the Big Sky Conference this season. The Bengals ranked first in field goal percentage and second in field goal percentage defense entering play this week.
Going Out With A Bang
Kenyon and
Saylair Grandon, both seniors, hold the lead in nearly every statistical category. Kenyon leads ISU in steals (31), blocks (24), points per game (14.4) and rebounds per game (6.9). Grandon leads the team in assists (77) and is second in steals (30) and rebounds per game (5.7).
Downtown Sharpshooter
Ors is currently the second-most accurate three-point shooter in Idaho State history. She has a career 42.2 three-point field goal percentage and ranks seventh in school history for three-pointers made with 129. She has also been ultra-efficient from the free throw line with an 88.1 success rate.
Dual Threat Down Low
Tapasa is averaging 8.7 points and 5.0 rebounds per game this season. She has been solid from the floor with a 48.6 field goal percentage and even better from the free throw line with an 76.3 percent conversion rate.
Speed Limit, 60
The Bengal defense has allowed less than 60 points to an opponent on 13 occasions this season. They are 13-0 in those games. ISU has allowed between 60-69 points four times with a 3-1 record. All six times an opponent has tallied 70 or more points the Bengals have lost.
To pair with that statistic, Idaho State has held its opponent under a 40 percent field goal percentage 14 times with an undefeated streak. ISU is just 2-7 when an opponent shoots at least 40 percent from the floor.
Streaking
Wins are not the only thing Idaho State is stringing together this season.
Kenyon has:
68 consecutive starts
Scored in 71 consecutive games.
Grandon has:
55 consecutive starts
49 consecutive games with at least one assist
Recorded at least one made field goal in 27 consecutive games
Scored in 60 consecutive games.
Bourne has an assist in 21 straight games.
Tapasa has:
40 consecutive starts
Secured a rebound in every contest but one this season.
The team has:
Recorded at least one block in 30 straight games
Double-digit assists in 20 of 23 games.
In The Record Books (Idaho State Top-10)
Kenyon has made several leaps into the record books. She currently ranks: eighth in blocks, games played and double-doubles; seventh in free throws made; fifth in points and assists; fourth in rebounds and field goals made and is tied for first in triple-doubles.
-Ors holds the No. 7 spot in three pointers made with 125 and is the second-most accurate 3-point shooter in ISU history. Meanwhile, Grandon ranks 10th in three-point field goals made and ninth in 3-point field goal percentage at 37.5 percent.
-Tapasa recently shot her way into the record books. She currently holds a 45.9 career field goal percentage which ranks 10th in the ISU all-time records.
Just Like The Old Days
Idaho State did not need a three-pointer to defeat Northern Arizona on the road this year. 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 floor in an 80-68 win over Utah Valley to set a program record for field goal percentage.
The Bengals made history again on Jan. 24 against the Montana Grizzlies. ISU held UM to 34 points which is an all-time opponent low against a Division I squad.
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.
Stellar Saylair
Grandon has tallied two Ready Nutrition Big Sky Player of the Week awards 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.
