Bengals Advance To Big Sky Title Game

 

BOISE, Idaho- The top-seeded Idaho State women's basketball team knocked off No. 4 Northern Colorado, 65-55, on Wednesday evening to advance to the Big Sky Conference championship game on Friday at 12 p.m.

Idaho State shot 40.7 percent for the game and had a balanced scoring attack to earn the victory.

Callie Bourne had 12 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. Ellie Smith had 12 points and was a perfect 6-6 from the field. Montana Oltrogge had 10 points off the bench.

Idaho State out rebounded Northern Colorado 42-34. The Bengal defense held the Bears to 30 percent shooting from the field and 13 percent from the three-point line.

After one quarter the game was tied at 17. ISU then out scored Northern Colorado 14-7 in the second quarter to lead 31-24 at the break. The Bengals held the Bears to 15 percent shooting from the field (2-13) while ISU was 6-12.

Idaho State opened the third quarter by taking a 37-26 lead with 6:26 to play after a basket by Delaney Moore.

Idaho State led 44-37 after the third and the Bengals biggest lead of the game was 12 at 54-42 after a basket by Moore with 3:09 to play. UNC got no closer than seven points the rest of the way.

Friday's appearance in the Big Sky Tournament championship game is the Bengals sixth appearance. ISU has come up victorious in 2001, 2007 and 2012.