POCATELLO, Idaho – The Idaho State Bengals defended their excellent Reed Gym Record Thursday night, taking down the Northern Colorado Bears 76-56.
The Bengals improve to .500 on the season at 10-10 (6-3 BSC) while the Bears fall to 9-10 (4-4 BSC)
Postgame Remarks
How it Happened
Headed into the game, the Bengals and Bears very similar season stats and there was potential for a close, hard-fought battle in Reed Gym.
The Bengals blew those expectations out of the water and then some, dominating the first quarter, jumping out to a 13-point lead after a Halle Wright free throw, just one of four FT attempts the Bengals would receive.
While the Bears would attempt to claw back, the Bengals would end the period with a Piper Carlson Layup assisted by Wright to take a 23-14, nine-point lead into the 2nd.
The Bengals dominated the 1st, shooting 10-of-15 from the floor for a 66.7 FG percentage.
Headed into the second, the Bengals kept their foot on the gas, taking a double-digit 12 point lead on a Nika Lokia three pointer.
Sophia Covello hit another three with 7:10 to play in the 2nd and the Bengals kept pressing.
With eight seconds left in the half, Piper Carlson hit a layup and the Bengals lead grew to 20 at 46-26 headed into the locker room.
The Bengals went 20-of-31 from the floor in the first half with four-of-six from the three point line. Of those 20 made FGs 16 had assists.
ISU has had some slow third quarters this season, tonight in Reed was not one of them, the Bengals stayed on the attack in the third.
With 3:28 left to play in the period, Kacey Spink hit a second-chance layup to extend the Bengal lead to 25, the largest of the night.
The only period the Bears outscored the Bengals came in the fourth, but it was only by two points at 16-14.
The Bengals had a 20 point lead headed into the final 10 minutes and didn't flounder, holding the lead through the final buzzer for the 76-56 win.
Notes-
· The Bengals are now 145-45 at home in Reed Gym going back to the 2009 season. That is a remarkable 100 games over .500 on the home court.
· ISU Shot 56.7 percent from the field in the game going 34-of-60. The .567 shooting percentage is a season high for the Orange and Black.
· Kacey Spink had a strong double-double for the Bengals with 11 points 10 assists, the Bengal also added on five rebounds, four steals and a block for the excellent statline. Her 10 assists are the most for a Bengal in 2024 and the most for a Bengal since Diaba Konate against Weber State in 2021.
· The Bengals had six players score in double-figures for the team effort win.
· ISU's 25 assists are the most for the Bengals since the 2021-22 season when they had 34 against Park (AZ)
· The Bengals' six made three pointers tied the season-high for the Orange and Black
Up Next
The Bengals continue their Reed Gym Homestand Saturday at 2:00 PM hosting the NAU Lumberjacks.
