University of Northern Colorado Athletics
Monday, December 31
Greeley, Colo.
6pm
University of Northern Colorado
vs
Portland State
Photo by: Dean Popejoy
@UNCBearsWBB ring in New Year hosting Portland State
12/30/2018 8:51:00 PM | Women's Basketball
UNC women's basketball will ring in the New Year by hosting Portland State
Coming off an 82-69 win over Sacramento State to open Big Sky play, Northern Colorado (6-4, 1-0 Big Sky) women's basketball looks to ring in the New Year by improving 2-0 when Portland State (8-1, 0-0 Big Sky) comes to Bank of Colorado Arena. The Bears and Vikings tip-off at 6 pm MST in a battle of the top two defensive teams in the Big Sky.
Tickets for the game can be purchased by clicking here, including a special online only buy an adult ticket get a kids ticket for free deal!
Opening Tip
• Northern Colorado opened the Big Sky season with an 82-69 win over Sacramento State.
• The Bears held Sac St scoreless in the first quarter, leading the game 33-0.
• Krystal Leger-Walker set a career-high in assists against the Hornets with 11.
• Freshman Micayla Isenbart tore apart the Sacramento State zone, scoring a career-high 24 points.
• Ali Meyer stretched her streak of consecutive double-digit rebound games to eight, with 12 against the Hornets.
• The Bears win on Saturday extended their home winning streak to 10-games, dating back to last season.
• Portland State was the lone Big Sky School not to play on Saturday.
• PSU had a strong non-conference season winning their first eight games and finishing it 8-1.
• The Vikings have advanced to the Big Sky semifinals each of the past two seasons.
Last Time Out
Northern Colorado opened its game against Sacramento State by scoring the first 33 points and led 33-0 at the end of the first quarter. UNC rode the momentum from the opening 10 minutes to an 82-69 win. Savannah Smith led the team with 25 points, while Micayla Isenbart had a career-high 24 points and Krystal Leger-Walker recorded a career-best 11 assists.
Scouting the Vikings
Portland State comes is off to one of its best starts in school history going 8-1 during the non-conference season. PSU won their first eight games before dropping the final non-conference game against UC Irvine.
The Vikings have balanced scoring with four players averaging double figures. Ashley Bolston leads the team with 15.2 ppg while Sidney Rielly (13.9), Kylie Jimenez (13.6) and Courtney West (11.9) join her. West leads the team in rebounds with 7.1 per game.
PSU has a stingy defense leading the Big Sky in opponent points per game (56.7) and field goal percentage (33.3%). That has helped the Vikings to their great start as they also grab 42.2 rebounds a game and force opponents into 21.8 turnovers.
Coming into the season, Portland State was voted to finish second in the conference by both the coaches and media.
History against Portland State
Prior to UNC joining the Big Sky Conference, the Bears and Vikings met only once in 1989 with Northern Colorado winning it 79-70. Overall, UNC holds a 15-9 advantage in the series thanks to a current six-game winning streak dating back to 2015.
Against the Big Sky
UNC joined the Big Sky in the 2006-07 season and has gone 125-99. Overall, the team is 137-137 against Big Sky schools.
On This Date
The Bears have rung in the New Year by playing on New Year's Eve seven times going 4-3 in those game. Six of those games have come at home leading to a 4-2 record, including hosting Portland State most recently in 2016 with a 91-62 win.
Finding Her Role
For an incoming freshman, it can be hard to go from the star of your high school to coming off the bench in college. For freshman Micayla Isenbart she is settling into her role well. In the team's win over Colorado State, she scored a career-high 17 points off the bench which proved big as the team struggled to score early on.
Against SMU she found herself in a new role, filling in for an injured teammate. Isenbart, scored 20 points in her first career start against the Mustangs, shooting lights out from behind the arc with five made 3-pointers.
Isenbart once again settled into a role, this time as the zone buster against Sacramento State. She scored a career-best 24 points by continuously hitting shots from the top of the key along with making three 3-pointers.
For the season, Isenbart is averaging 8.3 points and 3.2 rebounds while playing 21.7 minutes off the bench.
Home Sweet Home
The Bears enjoyed playing on their home court last season, going 11-3 inside Bank of Colorado Arena. Currently, UNC is on a 10-game win streak at home including being 4-0 this season.
What's Ahead?
It will be a rematch of the Big Sky Title game last season when the Bears play in their first Big Sky road game of the year at Idaho. UNC and UI tip-off at 3 pm MST in Moscow on Saturday, January 5.
The game at Idaho begins a three-game road trip for Northern Colorado. The Bears return to Bank of Colorado Arena on January 14 when Montana State visits. Tickets to the game against MSU and all UNC women's basketball games can be purchased by clicking here.
To stay up to date on all things UNC women's basketball, visit UNCBears.com and follow the team on Twitter at @UNCBearsWBB.
Tickets for the game can be purchased by clicking here, including a special online only buy an adult ticket get a kids ticket for free deal!
Opening Tip
• Northern Colorado opened the Big Sky season with an 82-69 win over Sacramento State.
• The Bears held Sac St scoreless in the first quarter, leading the game 33-0.
• Krystal Leger-Walker set a career-high in assists against the Hornets with 11.
• Freshman Micayla Isenbart tore apart the Sacramento State zone, scoring a career-high 24 points.
• Ali Meyer stretched her streak of consecutive double-digit rebound games to eight, with 12 against the Hornets.
• The Bears win on Saturday extended their home winning streak to 10-games, dating back to last season.
• Portland State was the lone Big Sky School not to play on Saturday.
• PSU had a strong non-conference season winning their first eight games and finishing it 8-1.
• The Vikings have advanced to the Big Sky semifinals each of the past two seasons.
Last Time Out
Northern Colorado opened its game against Sacramento State by scoring the first 33 points and led 33-0 at the end of the first quarter. UNC rode the momentum from the opening 10 minutes to an 82-69 win. Savannah Smith led the team with 25 points, while Micayla Isenbart had a career-high 24 points and Krystal Leger-Walker recorded a career-best 11 assists.
Scouting the Vikings
Portland State comes is off to one of its best starts in school history going 8-1 during the non-conference season. PSU won their first eight games before dropping the final non-conference game against UC Irvine.
The Vikings have balanced scoring with four players averaging double figures. Ashley Bolston leads the team with 15.2 ppg while Sidney Rielly (13.9), Kylie Jimenez (13.6) and Courtney West (11.9) join her. West leads the team in rebounds with 7.1 per game.
PSU has a stingy defense leading the Big Sky in opponent points per game (56.7) and field goal percentage (33.3%). That has helped the Vikings to their great start as they also grab 42.2 rebounds a game and force opponents into 21.8 turnovers.
Coming into the season, Portland State was voted to finish second in the conference by both the coaches and media.
History against Portland State
Prior to UNC joining the Big Sky Conference, the Bears and Vikings met only once in 1989 with Northern Colorado winning it 79-70. Overall, UNC holds a 15-9 advantage in the series thanks to a current six-game winning streak dating back to 2015.
Against the Big Sky
UNC joined the Big Sky in the 2006-07 season and has gone 125-99. Overall, the team is 137-137 against Big Sky schools.
On This Date
The Bears have rung in the New Year by playing on New Year's Eve seven times going 4-3 in those game. Six of those games have come at home leading to a 4-2 record, including hosting Portland State most recently in 2016 with a 91-62 win.
Finding Her Role
For an incoming freshman, it can be hard to go from the star of your high school to coming off the bench in college. For freshman Micayla Isenbart she is settling into her role well. In the team's win over Colorado State, she scored a career-high 17 points off the bench which proved big as the team struggled to score early on.
Against SMU she found herself in a new role, filling in for an injured teammate. Isenbart, scored 20 points in her first career start against the Mustangs, shooting lights out from behind the arc with five made 3-pointers.
Isenbart once again settled into a role, this time as the zone buster against Sacramento State. She scored a career-best 24 points by continuously hitting shots from the top of the key along with making three 3-pointers.
For the season, Isenbart is averaging 8.3 points and 3.2 rebounds while playing 21.7 minutes off the bench.
Home Sweet Home
The Bears enjoyed playing on their home court last season, going 11-3 inside Bank of Colorado Arena. Currently, UNC is on a 10-game win streak at home including being 4-0 this season.
What's Ahead?
It will be a rematch of the Big Sky Title game last season when the Bears play in their first Big Sky road game of the year at Idaho. UNC and UI tip-off at 3 pm MST in Moscow on Saturday, January 5.
The game at Idaho begins a three-game road trip for Northern Colorado. The Bears return to Bank of Colorado Arena on January 14 when Montana State visits. Tickets to the game against MSU and all UNC women's basketball games can be purchased by clicking here.
To stay up to date on all things UNC women's basketball, visit UNCBears.com and follow the team on Twitter at @UNCBearsWBB.
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Basketball
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/ Women's Basketball
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