Bengals Earn 700th Program Victory after 59-46 Win over NAU

POCATELLO, Idaho – Idaho State women's basketball earned its 700th all-time program victory Friday afternoon, pulling away in the second half for a 59–46 win over Northern Arizona inside Reed Gym. The Bengals held the Lumberjacks to just 19 second-half points af the Orange and Black pulled away. Idaho State improves to 10-5 on the year and 3-1 in Big Sky play. 

Idaho State opened the game with early energy, building a 6–0 lead in the first three minutes as Tasia Jordan scored the first four points and Piper Carlson added a layup. Northern Arizona answered with a brief push, trimming the margin to two at 4–2, but the Bengals responded with a 10–4 stretch capped by a Kacey Spink three at the 5:38 mark to extend the lead to 10–4. Idaho State closed the quarter ahead 21–16 after holding the Lumberjacks to 29.4 percent shooting.

The second quarter remained tightly contested. Northern Arizona used free throws and second-chance opportunities to briefly pull within one at 23–22 with 5:56 remaining. The teams traded baskets down the stretch before a late Aspen Caldwell jumper gave Idaho State a 30–27 advantage at halftime. Despite offensive sputters in the period, Head Coach Seton Sobolewski credited his team's composure, noting that the Bengals "sputtered at times offensively that kept things really close, but finally figured it out."

Northern Arizona briefly grabbed its only lead of the game early in the third quarter at 32–33, but Idaho State answered immediately. A 7–0 run, sparked by layups from Piper Carlson and Jordan, restored control and pushed the Bengals ahead 40–33 with 1:04 remaining in the period. Idaho State outscored the Lumberjacks 13–9 in the quarter while limiting them to 22.2 percent shooting. Sobolewski pointed to the collective effort on that end, saying it was a "big time combined effort just to slow her down a little bit," referring to Northern Arizona leading scorer Naomi White.

The Bengals seized full control in the fourth quarter. Idaho State opened the period with a 10–0 run over a span of just over two minutes, turning a five-point game into a 48–38 advantage. During that stretch, Kacey Spink recorded the first of five steals in the second half, breaking the Idaho State all-time career steals record on the opening takeaway. "She's just heart and hustle and smarts and guts," Sobolewski said. "I'm happy that she's kind of found a place in the record books."

Idaho State continued to extend the margin, building its largest lead of the game at 53–38 following a Carlson hook shot with 5:31 remaining. The Bengals finished the quarter on a 10–4 run, closing out the 13-point victory as Northern Arizona managed just 10 points in the final period.

Jordan led all scorers with 18 points and 10 rebounds, recording her first double-double of the season, while Idaho State finished with a 43–26 rebounding advantage. Sobolewski highlighted the team's effort on the glass, noting improved physicality and pursuit, saying the Bengals did a better job "getting out there and chasing the ball… scrambling enough to out rebound it."

Spink finished with five steals, all in the second half, to go along with eight points and eight rebounds. Caldwell added six assists, while Idaho State placed three players with eight or more rebounds as part of its interior control.

Defensively, the Bengals limited Northern Arizona to 28.1 percent shooting from the field and 11.1 percent from three-point range, holding White to 4-of-17 shooting as Idaho State controlled the final 30 minutes.

 

Bengal Bites

• Idaho State recorded the 700th win in program history.

• The Bengals improved to 10-5 overall and 3-1 in Big Sky Conference play.

• Kacey Spink broke the Idaho State all-time career steals record with her first steal of the second half and finished with five steals.

• Tasia Jordan posted her second double-double of the season with 18 points and 10 rebounds.

• Idaho State held Northern Arizona to 46 points, including just 19 in the second half.

• The Bengals outrebounded the Lumberjacks 43–26, Improving to 9-2 when outrebounding opponents