BOISE, Idaho - The Idaho State Bengals concluded their season at the 2025 Big Sky Conference basketball tournament, falling to the No. 1 Seed Montana State Bobcats 75-42 in the semifinals.
The Benagls advanced in the tournament for the first time in three years with a win over Weber State but stalled out against the Bobcat defense.
The game started with a 10-0 run by the Bobcats which the Bengals chipped away at in the first. After closing the gap, scoring 10 points, the Bobcats held the Bengals scoreless as they exploded for another 14 points, and closed out the 1st with a 24-10 lead over the Bengals.
The 2nd quarter was a back and forth defensive battle with the two teams only combining for 22 points. The Bengals closed the gap to nine points, but the Bobcats jumped away in the final seconds of the half to take a 36-21 lead into the locker room.
The 2nd hlaf was all Bobcats. In the final 20, MSU outscored the Bengals 39-21 as they ran away with the 75-42 win.
Turnovers were the key factor in the game, the Bobcats forced 23 turnovers out of the Bengals with an unrelenting full-court press, allowing MSU to score 24 of their 75 points.
The Bengals finished the game shooting 34.5 percent from the field. Tasia Jordan led the team with a seven-of-13 14 point game. Piper Carlson had 10 boards and nine points while Kacey Spink also went nine and nine. Spink had four steals in the game, adding to her numbers as she climbs the ISU all-time steals leaderboard.
Idaho State went 0-14 from three point range.
The focus now shifts to off-season practice and weight room work, getting stronger and ready for the 2025-26 season.
