Bengals Take Down Hornets in Pocatello

POCATELLO, Idaho – The Idaho State Bengals extended their Big Sky win streak to two games Saturday afternoon taking down the Sacramento State Hornets 62-48.

The Bengals improve to 6-9 (2-2 BSC) on the season while the Hornets fall to 1-14 (0-4) on the season.
 
Postgame Remarks


 
How it Happened
After taking nearly two minutes to open scoring in the game, the Bengals turned on the gas for the remaining eight minutes of the period, outscoring the Sacramento State Hornets 18-11.
The Bengals went seven-of-15 from the floor with a much-needed two-of-two from behind the three-point arc.
Nika Lokica and Piper Carlson combined for nine of the Bengal's 18 points in the first period.
The Bengals had a slow 2^nd half shooting but the Bengals dug deep and held onto the lead heading into the locker room 28-24 over the Hornets.
The Bengals got back to it in the 3^rd, shooting eight-of-14 from the floor as they outscored the Hornets 22-12 and extended the lead to 14 points, 50-36 headed to the fourth.
Lokica led the Bengals with five points in the period, but seven separate Bengals put up points in the third, showing the range of the Bengal team scoring from all positions
With a strong 14-point lead heading into the final period, the Bengals just had to maintain their momentum for the final 10 minutes.
The Bengals once again had a slow period, but Carlson and Lokica stepped up scoring the final 10 points of the game, including two clutch three-pointers by Lokica to close out the 62-48 win over the Hornets.
 
Notes-

• The Bengals now lead the all-time series vs the Hornets 45-9 and in Pocatello ISU is 22-2 all-time.
• It was a tale of two quarters shooting for the Bengals Saturday afternoon. In the first and the third, ISU shot 46.7 and 57.1 percent from the floor. On the opposite, the Bengals shot 18.8 and 30.8 percent from the floor in the 2^nd and 4^th quarters.
• Piper Carlson had a perfect day from the field hitting five-of-five field goals and going three-for-three from the free throw line. Her 13 points are a career-high.
• Nika Lokica had a career game, shooting six-of-nine in the field with four-of-six made three-point shots, a team-high for the 2023-24 season.
• The Bengals made six three-point field goals in the win, a season-high for the team.
• The Bengals had 14 steals in the game, a team-high for the season.
• The Bengals had 14 offensive boards to Sac State's 12, but the Hornets beat the Bengals in second-chance points 10 to four.
• This is the seventh straight game where the Bengals have had the same or fewer turnover than their opponent. This is also the 2^nd straight game where the Bengals have forced 20+ turnovers out of their opponent.

 
 
Up Next
The Bengals hit the road once again, heading north to take on the Eastern Washington Eagles and the Idaho Vandals as Big Sky Conference play continues.
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