Bengals Back Home for Pair of Conference Clashes

POCATELLO, Idaho – It's Big Sky play from here on out as the Bengals return to Reed Gym. Idaho State takes on the Portland State Vikings and the Sacramento State Hornets in a pair of Big Sky clashes Thursday at 7:00 PM and Saturday at 2:00 PM.
The games will be streamed on ESPN+ and on KISU 91.1 and KISU.org with Mark Liptak on the call.
Live stats will also be provided for the contests. Links can be found below.
 
How To Follow
Game 1: ISU vs Portland State | 1/11 | 7:00 PM MT | Pocatello, Idaho | Reed Gym

Watch	ESPN+ Stream
Listen	KISU
Live Stats	Live Stats
Tickets	Tickets

 
Game 2: ISU vs Sacramento State| 1/13 | 2:00 PM MT | Pocatello, Idaho | Reed Gym

Watch	ESPN+ Stream
Listen	KISU
Live Stats	Live Stats
Tickets	Tickets

 
 
Bengal Bites

• The Idaho State Bengals have a new roster heading into the 2023-24 season. Of the 14 total Bengals on the squad, seven are new to the program this season.
• Returning for the Bengals is all-conference forward Laura Bello and newcomers to keep an eye on are NJCAA all-American Tasia Jordan and sharpshooter Maria Dias from Lisbon, Portugal.
• This is a young Bengal team, there are no seniors on the squad this season.
• 97 points scored against Park University is the most since Feb. 10, 2022, when the Bengals defeated the Idaho Vandals 103-68 in Reed Gym
• The Bengals had a +30 rebound margin over the Park Buccaneers, outrebounding Park 57-27. The Bengals had 21 offensive boards to Park's 6
• In the Bengal's 70-64 win over UC Santa Barbara, the Bengals and Gauchos had an extremely even contest with 15 ties and 16 lead changes.
• The Bengals shot 90.5 percent from the free throw line against UCSB, the best in a game with 10+ Free throw attempts since 12/30/2021 when the Bengals went 10-for-10 against Montana
• The Bengals have only been out-rebounded once this season, a -5 40-to-35 at Arizona State
• Idaho State went 1-2 at the 2023 Rainbow Wahine Showdown. In their 3rd game, facing Air Force, the Bengals came back from a 29-20 halftime deficit to win the game.
• Maria Dias was named to the Rainbow Wahine Showdown all-tournament team posting 10.3 PPG, 3.7 rebounds per game and shooting 400 from the field.
• The Bengals lead the Big Sky Conference on the glass, holding a +7 rebound margin and averaging 41.14 rebounds per game.
• After the Utah Valley game, Kacey Spink ranks 27th in the nation in offense rebounds per game and 41st in the NCAA in total rebounds per game (9.4)
• After the win over UVU the Bengals are now 14-3 all-time vs the Wolverines.
• The Bengals Overtime game against the BYU Cougars was the first OT game for Idaho State since 12/3/2022 when the Bengals won 58-54.
• Tasia Jordan led the Bengals against the BYU Cougars with 22 points on nine made field goals, a season high for the Bengals this season.
• The Overtime loss to BYU was the first OT game in the series history between the Bengals and the Cougars.
• The Bengals had one of their best 4th quarters of the season against Montana State, the Bengals outscored the Bobcats 17-5 over the final six minutes of play in a comeback attempt which fell just short.
• In the opening weekend of Big Sky play, the Bengals were outrebounded 77-58, a departure from the play on the glass up to this point in the season for the Orange and Black.
• Maria Dias had a strong opening weekend of big sky play averaging 18 points per game shooting 50 percent from the floor and 50 percent from three-point range. The Bengal was also nearly perfect from the charity stripe hitting 12 of 13 free throw attempts.
• For the first time in three games, the Bengals outrebounded their opponent against the UND Fighting Hawks. The Bengals grabbed 41 boards to UND's 38

 
 
Quick Look – Portland State Vikings

• The Portland State Vikings come into Reed Gym Thursday Evening 5-9 on the season. Like the Bengals they started the Big Sky Season 0-2 with losses to Idaho and Eastern Washington. The Vikings have wins against UC Davis and Seattle U and also a win against Mountain West Fresno State this season.
• This is the 65^th meeting of the two programs going back to the 1980's. The Bengals lead the overall series 41-23 and are 24-7 at home against the Vikings all time.
•  Portland State is averaging 59.0 points per game while opponents are scoring 65.2 points on average against the Vikings.
• • PSU is led by #12 Esmeralda Morales who is averaging 18.7 PPG, who is also hitting 3.3 3 pt fgs per game. Morales also shoots .881 from the free-throw line
• on the glass, the Vikings only average 30.8 rebounds per game, a -4.1 margin on their season. the worst total rebound numbers in the conference
• The vikings also have the worst FG percentage defense in the Big SKy with opponents shooting .452 against the Vikings on average.              

 
Quick Look – Sacramento State Hornets

• The Sacramento State Hornets are 1-12 (0-2) this season with the lone win coming against CSUN on Dec. 2 in Sacramento.
• The Bengals lead the Hornets in the all-time series 44-9. In Pocatello, ISU has a commanding 21-2 all-time record.
• The Hornets average 49.7 ppg while opponents score 68.1 on average, a -18.4 point margin.
• On the glass, the Hornets grab  32.3 boards per game with a -3.6 margin with opponents.
• #14 Summah hanson leads the Hornets scoring 14 points per game shooting .414 from the floor. She also leads the team from behind the arc, averaging 1.6 3PM per game at a rate of .404 percent.
• One of the areas the Hornets are dangerous in are blocks. Sacramento State averages 3.2 blocks per game, fourth best in the Big Sky Conference this season.

 
 
Next Up
The Bengals hit the road again, heading to the northwest to take on Idaho and Eastern Washington.