Returning Home, @UNCBearsWBB looks to take down Idaho Thursday

Thursday, February 11

Greeley, Colo.

7:00 pm

University of Northern Colorado

Idaho

Buy Tickets

Photo by: Rob Trubia

2/10/2016 10:12:00 AM | Women's Basketball

Northern Colorado basketball returns home for a game against Idaho

By: Ryan Pfeifer, UNCBears.com

GREELEY, Colo. – After a two week road trip, UNC women's basketball finally returns home on Thursday night when they host the Idaho Vandals. The Bears will be looking to not only improve their spot in the Big Sky standings, but also to extend their current four-game home win streak.

For all the information on the game visit GameDay Central.

Game Notes: Northern Colorado | Idaho | Big Sky

GameDay Happenings
It is Faculty and Staff Appreciation Night for the women's basketball team. During halftime of the game a faculty or staff member picked by each player on the team will be recognized. Also all UNC faculty and staff will be able to attend the game for just $5 when they present their UNC Card at the ticket office when purchasing tickets. Along with the special ticket price, the team will be hosting a reception for all faculty and staff before the game inside Butler-Hancock Athletic Center with food and beverage provided.

For those looking to attend the game that are not UNC faculty or staff looking to attend the game, UNC is offering a great Family Four Pack. The Four Pack includes four tickets, four Pepsi products and four hot dogs for just $20! The four pack is only avalible for purchase at the UNC Ticket Office at Nottingham Field, or the Bank of Colorado Box Office before the game.

The Matchup
The Road to Reno enters its final month of play this week and it is another key matchup for UNC and its opponent Idaho.

The Bears are looking to keep moving up the conference standings. They currently sit in seventh place going into Thursday night's action.

For the Vandals, they are looking to keep pace with Montana State and Eastern Washington who are a game ahead of them for first place.

Scouting the Vandals
Idaho has been near the top of the Big Sky standings all year, and enter Thursday night's contest in third place. The Vandals have dropped just two conference games this season vs Eastern Washington and Montana State, the only teams ahead of them in the conference standings.

UI has the top scoring margin in the conference out scoring its opponents by 13.3 points a game.

Idaho's offense is led by the duo of Christina Salvatore and Geraldine McCorkell. McCorkell leads the team with 13.4 points a game while also grabbing 6.1 rebounds.

Salvatore is second in scoring (12.0 ppg) and leads the team in both rebounding (7.2 rpg) and assists (3.2 apg).

The Vandals rank third overall in the NCAA in made three point field goals a game, hitting 10.5 treys.

Last Time Against Idaho
Idaho used a 12-to-5 and 14-to-5 advantage from beyond the arc and free throw line to go on and defeat the Bears 66-56, earlier this year.

In the loss, UNC was paced by Kourteney Zadina and Savannah Scott. Zadina had a team leading 19 points with three rebounds a block and steal, while Scott added in 10 points three rebounds three assists and two steals.

Geraldine McCorkell and Christina Salvatore combined for 27 points for the Vandals.

Last Time Out
Northern Colorado ended its nine-game road losing streak, with a 61-59 win over Idaho State. Upperclassmen Rebecca Howell and Katie Longwell played big roles in the win, combining for 29 points.

Against the Big Sky
UNC is 99-122 all-time against Big Sky opponents. Since joining the conference in the 2006-07 season, the Bears are 89-86 all-time. Last season the Bears went 12-6 in the conference to finish third.

On This Date
The Bears are 7-6 on the eleventh day of February, playing the majority of those games on the road. In the road games, the Bears are 6-2, but just 1-3 at home. The last time UNC played on the date was in 2012 when they came up with a 56-54 overtime victory at Montana.

Month of February
Northern Colorado had a historic February last season, tying a program record with seven wins in the month and going 7-1 overall. As a program the Bears are 147-164 during the second month of the year.

Inside Presence
Senior Rebecca Howell has become a force inside for UNC. Last weekend she averaged 16.0 points and 5.0 rebounds in the team's two games. Against Weber State she set a new career-high with 18 points scored. Howell followed it up with a 6-for-7 performance at Idaho State on her way to 14 points.

UNC's Swiss Army Knife
Savannah Scott has turned into UNC's Swiss army knife this year, doing it all for the Bears. She leads the team in points (10.1), rebounds (5.0) and steals (2.0) while also being second in assists (2.7).

On February 4th she recorded her first career double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds in UNC's game at Weber State.

Savvy Taking Off
Redshirt freshman Savannah Smith has become a key player off the bench for UNC recently. She had a career high 20 points against Southern Utah (1/21) and tied it at Weber State (2/4) and has scored in double figures ever since the SUU game. Over that five game stretch she is averaging 17.0 points on 41.9 percent shooting, including hitting on 13 3-pointers.

D-D-D-Defense
The Bears have really stepped it up defensively in Big Sky play. In the team's 11 Big Sky games, Northern Colorado is holding teams to just 59.4 points a game, ranking first in the conference.

UNC put the clamps down on defense on January 7th against Idaho State in the second half. For the half the Bears made a stop on 24 of Idaho State's 31 possessions. They also held ISU to just two points in the third quarter and 1-of-12 shooting. The Bengals were held scoreless for an 11:06 period allowing UNC to come back and take a seven point lead.

Against Montana State, defense once again proved to be important in UNC's comeback attempt. In the third quarter of the game, the Bears held the Bobcats to just 2-13 shooting and six points overall.

The Bears defense had its best performance to date against Southern Utah (1/21). Not only did they hold the T-Birds to 44 points, but they forced 21 turnovers, 10 via steals and held them to 28.6 percent shooting.

Not 1, Not 2, but 3 Overtimes
Drama was high on Thursday night when UNC played at Weber State. The Bears and Wildcats played in the longest game in program history going to three overtimes. The previous longest was a double-overtime game against North Dakota State on January 3, 2000. Northern Colorado also lost that game by three.

Setting the Bar High
The Bears have been setting a bunch of new career-highs recently. Savannah Scott has set new career-highs in three different categories over the last five games in assists, 10 vs NAU (1/23), steals, six vs SUU (1/21), and rebounds, 10 vs WSU (2/4). Scott is not the only Savannah setting career-highs, Savannah Smith has scored 20 points twice, first vs Southern Utah and then against Weber State. She also grabbed a career high six rebounds against SUU. Finally Kianna Williams and Rebecca Howell set new highs of their own against Weber State. Williams grabbed 10 rebounds in the game and Howell scored 18 points.

Finding Her Spot
Freshman forward Courtney Smith has grown into her role for the Bears this year. Since January 9th she has played some valuable minutes for the team. In those games she is averaging 17.1 minutes and 6.6 points giving UNC improved depth in the front court.

Road Woes
Northern Colorado hopes its road woes this season are over after picking up the victory at Idaho State on Saturday. UNC has struggled on the road this season going 2-9 in true road games. The Bears are averaging 57.1 points a game way from Bank of Colorado Arena and allowing opponents to score 63.0. In the team's 11 road games, opponents have outshot UNC .432-to-.386.

Comeback Week
Northern Colorado had a pair of comeback victories to open home conference play. Against Idaho State UNC had its second biggest comeback as a program after overcoming a 14 point deficit. Kourteney Zadina hit the game-winning shot with 1.9 seconds left to secure the win. Against Weber State on that Saturday UNC once again overcame a double figure deficit. This one of the 12 point variety when Savannah Scott hit the game winner as time expired.

Finding Their Roles
Northern Colorado seems to be settling into its roles on the team as conference play has started. While Kourteney Zadina and Kyleigh Hiser are looked at as sharp shooters, Savannah Scott and Kianna Williams have stepped up as stat sheet stuffers. Another couple roles that have been well defined for the team are the solid inside presence of Rebecca Howell and Courtney Smith on both ends of the court.

Kiwi Stuffing the Stat Sheet
Kianna Williams has taken off in her sophomore season doing it all for the Bears. She ranks fifth on the team in scoring (6.8 ppg), tied for third in assists (2.3 apg), second in rebounds (4.5 rpg) and second in steals (1.6 spg).

From Downtown
The Bears have been feeling it from behind the arc this season averaging 8.0 made threes a game. That ranks tied for 21th best in the nation, but only third best in the Big Sky. Both Idaho (3rd) and Sacramento State (1st) are ahead of UNC.

Valuing the Ball
Once again this year UNC is valuing the rock, and forcing teams into turnovers. They rank 34th in the country and fifth in the Big Sky with a 1.10 assist-turnover ratio.

RPI Report
UNC is ranked 170 as of 2/9, fourth best in the Big Sky. North Dakota is the highest at 127.

What's On Deck?
UNC takes on league leader Eastern Washington on Play 4 Kay day. Tip-off for the game is set for 2:00 p.m. The Eagles and Bears opened Big Sky play against each other earlier this season with EWU winning 59-55.

Around the Den
Men's basketball starts a three game road trip at Idaho on Thursday night. The Bears will be looking to snap a two-game losing streak.

Wrestling returns home to take on Utah Valley inside Bank of Colorado Arena Friday night at 7:00 p.m.

Track and field heads to Bozeman, Montana to compete in a meet on Friday.

Both men's and women's tennis return home this weekend. The men host Eastern Washington (2/12) and Air Force (2/14), while the women host Colorado, before heading to Laramie, Wyoming to take on Drake (2/13) and Wyoming (2/14).

Softball starts its season this weekend in Arlington, Texas playing five games over three days in part of the University of Texas at Arlington Tournament.