POCATELLO, Idaho – The Idaho State women's basketball will have the first day of the Big Sky Conference Tournament off after securing a bye with a blowout win over Weber State in front of 1,047 fans in Reed Gym. The Bengals crushed the Wildcats 84-57 to improve to 18-8 overall and 13-4 in conference play. Weber State dropped to 5-22 and 2-15 in BSC play.
On an afternoon filled with highlights, none surpassed
Saylair Grandon trotting off the court to a standing ovation in the fourth quarter. The Idaho State senior scored 19 points to become the 19th player in program history to reach 1,000 career points.
Grandon turned in a stellar performance across the board, adding five assists, three rebounds and two steals while shooting 7-11 from the field. When the Bengals take the court next, they will feature two starters with 1,000 career points.
Grace Kenyon reached the milestone against Montana State last season.
Montana Oltrogge was the only other Bengal in double figures. The freshman scored a career-high 13 points while going 5-9 from the field and 3-5 from three-point range. She also collected two rebounds, two assists and a block.
In all, 11 of Idaho State's 12 players scored at least once with the bench producing a season-high 40 points. All but one player secured at least one rebound and nine Bengals appeared in the assist column.
Idaho State shot 55.2 percent from the field and 50.0 percent from behind the arc in the win while limiting Weber State to a 32.1 field goal percentage. The Bengals tallied 22 assists and forced 17 turnovers with eight steals. They also controlled the glass once again, outrebounding WSU 39-27.
Neither team gained much separation in the first period as they exchanged the lead four times. The visitors took the lead shortly after the start of the second, but were unseated for the final time on the next possession. The Bengals used a 9-0 run to create a buffer and Grandon scored seven-consecutive points in a 1:03 span. Oltrogge drained a three fed by Grandon to put the Bengals up by 12 and they maintained the spread at the half.
Eight ISU players scored in the third to help increase the lead to 26 by the end of the period. The majority of Idaho State's starters subbed out after a few minutes in the fourth quarter. But Grandon, with 17 points, remained in the game until she earned a trip to the free throw line. She netted both attempts to reach the four-digit milestone and jogged to the bench after acknowledging the fans and her bench.
The players coming off the bench did the most with their time in the game.
Nuria Barrientos and
Ellie Smith each scored six points with the former giving Idaho State its largest lead of the game at 31 points with 2:16 remaining.
Weber State's Jaiamoni Welch-Coleman was a force for the opposing squad with a game-high 27 points. The senior also tallied six rebounds, four assists and three steals in 36 minutes of play. Kori Pentzer was the only other Wildcat to top eight points with 10 at the final buzzer.
Join the Bengals in Reed Gym for the final time this season next Thursday as the team pays tribute to its three seniors. Grandon, Kenyon and
Madison Hinrichs will all play their last games inside Reed Gym against the Northern Colorado Bears. Pregame ceremonies to honor the seniors will precede the 7:05 p.m. tip.
