BOISE, Idaho- The Idaho State men's basketball team earned its first Big Sky Conference tournament win since 2009 when it beat No. 6 seed NAU 64-62 on Wednesday afternoon at Century Link arena.
Austin Smellie scored 16 points and hit the game-clinching free throws with six seconds left to seal the Bengal victory. Smellie hit a career-best four 3-pointers in 35 minutes of play.
Chier Maker scored 15 points, all in the first half and
Malik Porter added 12 points and six rebounds.
Maker had is third double-double of the season with 15 points and a career-high 12 rebounds.
Idaho State shots 43.3 percent for the game and held NAU to 35.9 shooting. Idaho State made 8-17 from the three-point line and was 7-12 in the first half from beyond the arc.
Idaho State started slow, falling behind 11-2 in the first four minutes of the game. ISU then went on a 15-4 run to take a 17-15 lead after a 3-pointer by Maker with 12:41 to play until halftime. NAU would maintain a slim lead of 21-18 and 23-20 with 8:03 left until halftime.
Idaho State took the lead at 24-23 after a layup by Maker and then with the score 26-25 with 4:45 remaining till halftime, the Bengals closed the half on an 18-4 run to lead 44-29 at halftime after another 3-pointer by Maker with 28 seconds left.
Idaho State withstood an NAU 13-0 run to start the second half in the first four minutes of the final period to cut the lead to 44-42. NAU would tie the game at 50 with 11:16 to play but Idaho State would counter the Lumberjack run with a 7-0 run to lead 57-50 with 8:43 left in the game after a layup by Porter.
In the final four minutes, Idaho State withstood another NAU run as it was held to only four points, a basket by Porter at the 4:22 mark and Smellie hit the game-clinching free throws with six seconds left.
In the final two minutes the Bengal defense had three possessions where Porter blocked two shots and Smellie drew and offensive foul.
Notes
- NAU and Idaho State are no strangers to close games as now 16 of the last 22 games have been decided by single digits and 12 of the meetings have now been decided by four points or less.
- Idaho State is now 17-25 in the Big Sky Tournament. Idaho State's last win was 67-60 over Northern Colorado in 2009.
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Chier Maker had his third double-double of the season with his 15 point and 12 rebound performance.
- Idaho State is 7-2 when leading at halftime.
- Idaho State is 3-0 when opponents shot less than 40 percent.
- Idaho State is 6-3 this year when giving up less than 70 points.
- 12 rebounds by
Chier Maker is a career-high.
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