Shooting Woes Lead to a @UNCBearsWBB Loss to Idaho State

Monday, March 7

Reno, Nev.

1:05 pm

University of Northern Colorado

13-16

Idaho State

16-14

Team	1	2	3	4	F
Idaho State	7	16	17	14	54
Northern Colorado	12	8	10	15	45

Photo by: Dean Popejoy

3/7/2016 4:03:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Northern Colorado women's basketball struggled from the field, leading to a loss to Idaho State

By: Ryan Pfeifer, UNCBears.com

RENO, Nev. — Northern Colorado women's basketball team could not overcome shooting woes Monday afternoon, falling to Idaho State in the first round of the Big Sky Tournament, 54-45. The loss ends UNC's 2015-16 season, with a final record of 13-16.

"I think Idaho State played a tremendous game, and was the more physical team than us. We were unable to adjust to it and they were switching all of our screens," head coach Kamie Ethridge said. "The physical play and switching of screens has hurt us all year and today was that final nail in the coffin."

UNC shot 34.8 percent from the field, compared to Idaho State's 50.0 percent.

"We knew it would be a hard game today," Ethridge said. "I thought we would be able to run our stuff better, but we just were unable to and to get good looks."

The Bengals scored the first five points of the game, before UNC got on the board.

Those points came from Savannah Smith, who provided a big spark for the Bears off the bench, scoring the first eight points in the game for UNC. She finished the quarter with 10 points.

"Coach just told me to go in and play with passion and be aggressive and that's what I did for the team early on," said Smith said.

Unfortunately for Northern Colorado, that would be her point total at the end of the game too.

She was the lone Bear to score in double figures in the game. Forwards Rebecca Howell and Courtney Smith were the next closest to finishing with nine each.

UNC was able to take the lead out of the first quarter at 12-7 in part to an ISU 6:00 scoring drought.

Northern Colorado continued to hold its lead through the second quarter, until ISU went on a 6-0 run to go up 19-18 midway through the quarter.

UNC regained the lead briefly, before ending the half on a 4:04 scoring drought and enter the locker room down 23-20.

In the half, the Smiths of Savannah and Courtney combined for 16 of the team's points.

Idaho State opened the second half on an 8-0 run to build their lead to 11.

Kyleigh Hiser hit a 3-pointer at the 6:18 mark in the third to end UNC's scoring drought.

The Bears were unable to use the three as a spark though, never getting closer than seven the rest of the way.

"I think our best and most competitive players are our youngest," Ethridge said "That helps us going forward for next year and the years beyond, which I am looking forward to."