PROVO, Utah – Idaho State women's basketball (5-4) battled to the wire before falling 68-59 to BYU on Wednesday night at the Marriott Center.
"I thought it showed great guts and toughness," head coach Seton Sobolewski said. "We got down early, but I thought we created a lead by halftime and had a lot of great individual performances."
The Cougars opened the game on a 12-2 run, forcing six Idaho State turnovers in the first 4:40 of action and converting them into nine points. The early pressure helped BYU take an 18-8 lead after one quarter, with the Bengals shooting 1-of-12 from the field. Six of Idaho State's eight first-quarter points came at the free-throw line, and the 8.3 percent shooting marked the Bengals' lowest field-goal percentage in any quarter this season.
Idaho State responded in the second quarter by flipping the momentum on both ends of the floor. The Bengals shot 46.2 percent in the period and used a balanced attack to climb back into the game. Freshman guard Maeva Gauffrenet knocked down back-to-back three-pointers as part of a sustained run that featured improved ball movement and defensive stops.
Tasia Jordan continued her strong scoring stretch by reaching double figures before halftime, converting a free throw with 2:26 left in the half to reach 11 points. Jordan has now scored in double figures in eight of Idaho State's nine games this season.
The Bengals closed the half on a decisive 10-0 run, shutting out BYU over the final 4:33. Piper Carlson tied the game at 27-27 with a free throw at the 1:48 mark, and Kacey Spink extended the possession with an offensive rebound on the ensuing miss. Idaho State carried a 31-27 lead into the locker room.
Idaho State opened the second half with Alyse Aby's first field goal of the night, a three-pointer that marked her fifth made three of the season. The teams traded runs throughout the third quarter, and BYU regained the lead late to take a 51-48 advantage into the final period.
Turnovers proved costly down the stretch, as the Cougars finished with 25 points off 20 Idaho State turnovers. Despite the ball-security issues, the Bengals continued to control the glass, holding a plus-18 rebounding advantage entering the fourth quarter and finishing the game with a 43-23 edge on the boards.
Aby set a new career high with 14 points, surpassing her previous best of 13, while tying her career mark with three made three-pointers. Jordan led Idaho State with 20 points, marking her second straight 20-point performance.
The fourth quarter featured a prolonged scoring lull, with both teams going more than three minutes without a field goal during the middle portion of the period. BYU was able to close out the game from the free-throw line to secure the nine-point win.
Sobolewski also pointed to Idaho State's rebounding effort against a Big 12 opponent.
"To get 22 offensive rebounds against a Big 12 team, that's pretty good," Sobolewski said. "We just do what we do. We crash really hard and put the extra effort into it."
Idaho State continues its road trip on Saturday with a matchup at Cal Poly. Tipoff is set for 3:00 p.m. MT.
Bengal Bites
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Idaho State outrebounded BYU 43-23, including 22 offensive rebounds.
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The Bengals finished the game on a plus-20 rebounding margin.
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Tasia Jordan recorded her second straight 20-point game and has scored in double figures in eight of nine games this season.
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Alyse Aby scored a career-high 14 points and tied her career best with three made three-pointers.
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Freshman Maeva Gauffrenet has now hit multiple three-pointers in four games this season.
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Idaho State forced BYU scoreless over the final 4:33 of the second quarter, closing the half on a 10-0 run.
