POCATELLO, Idaho - The Idaho State Bengals opened the 2024 Cancun Challenge at the Hard Rock Riviera Hotel with a 64-44 loss to the Vermont. The Bengals were outscored in all four quarters as the Catamounts controlled the 2nd half to run away with the game.
The first quarter was a close back and forth game between the two teams, after going up five on the Bengals, ISU scored back to back at the 4:11 mark to tie the game up at 7-7 with a pair of free throws from Alyse Aby.
Down four at the end of the period, Priscila Varela took advantage of a Vermont turnover and hit a layup with just one second left on the clock, beating the buzzer and ending the period 16-14 Vermont.
In the 2nd, the Vermont offense exploded for 20 points. The Benagls worked to keep up during the period with five points from Kacey Spink, including her first made three-pointer of the season, but were outpaced only scoring 12 points on five-of-14 from the field.
In the first half, the Bengals and Catamounts tied the game six times with two separate lead changes.
Coming out of the locker room, the Bengal offense stalled. In the third period, the Bengals scored just two points on two-of-18 shooting from the field. The Bengal defense was working the Catamounts holding them to just five made field goals in the period, but the lack of offense was unable to keep up.
The final quarter was a closer fight between the two teams with Vermont just edging out the Bengals 15-14. The Bengals were led by Piper Carlson in the 4th who scored six points on three-of-three shooting from the floor.
The Catamounts lead held and the game ended with the Vermont 64-44 win over the Bengals.
For the game, the Bengals shot 17-58 from the field and five-of-18 from three point range. The Bengals took just 7 attempts from the charity stripe, hitting five of them.
Piper Carlson led the Benagls in scoring with eight points on four made fieldgoals and nine rebounds.
As a team, the Bengals lost the rebound battle 36-30, in the Bengals' trend of winning the offensive board battle continued though, with ISU grabbing 11 o-boards to Vermonts' 6.
The two teams combined for 38 turnovers, Idaho State committing 18 and Vermont 20. Neither team was able to strongly capitalize on the margin with ISU scoring 14 points off of the 20.
Up Next
The Bengals have another game at the 2024 Cancun Challenge tomorrow against Rhode Island. Tip-off is scheduled for 2:00 PM MT.
