University of Northern Colorado Athletics
Saturday, January 19
Greeley, Colo.
7pm
University of Northern Colorado
11-6, 6-2
60
vs
56
Idaho State
10-6, 5-2
1
2
3
4
F
Idaho State
12
19
13
12
56
Northern Colorado
23
10
13
14
60
Photo by: Dean Popejoy
Late game defense leads UNC over Idaho State
1/19/2019 10:21:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Savannah Smith's drawn charge with 1.9 seconds left lifted UNC over Idaho State 60-56
Northern Colorado needed one stop to force overtime against Idaho State Saturday night, instead, they got a charge and technical foul called on Idaho State's head coach Seaton Sobolewski to seal the victory in regulation. Savannah Smith drew a charge with 1.9 seconds left on Idaho State's Grace Kenyon to give the ball back to UNC and induce a T from the Bengals' head coach.
Smith proceeded to go to the free throw line and hit both foul shots to make it a 58-56 game before ISU fouled again inside a second to salt the game away at 60-56. Smith finished the night a perfect 12-of-12 from the free throw line on her way to a team-leading 20 points.
Two other Bears finished the night in double figures in Krystal Leger-Walker and Bridget Hintz each with 11.
Northern Colorado shot well finishing the game at 43.5 percent and converted their free throws going 16-for-19.
UNC started the game with strong first quarter by shooting 64.3 percent. Four of the team's five starters scored during the opening 10 minutes, led by Leger-Walker's seven points. The team started the game up 10-2 and extended the lead to 11 by the end of the first.
The Bengals tightened the game up in the second quarter with a pair of 5-0 runs to make it a 33-31 UNC lead at the break.
Both teams played within two possessions of each other the entire second half matching punch for punch. Northern Colorado expanded its lead to as much as five, six times but never could pull away from ISU.
Idaho State held Northern Colorado without a field goal for the final 7:35 of the game, but UNC converted from the charity stripe making nine free throws down the stretch to earn the win.
What they said
Stat to know
Idaho State came into the game scoring 71.2 points in conference play, but UNC held them to their season low in the Big Sky at 56.
Game notes
- UNC tied a season-high for blocks with six. Alexis Chapman led the team with a career-high three.
- Savannah Smith is now in the top three in UNC women's basketball history in points scored passing Trish Williamson (1987-91). She surpassed the 1,600 point mark, now standing at 1,607.
- Krystal Leger-Walker recorded two assists in the game to move into the top 5 in program history. Leger-Walker tied former Bear, now Idaho State assistant coach D'shara Strange (2010-15) with 325.
Around the Big Sky
With a full slate of games in the Big Sky Saturday it was a day of moving and shaking in the standings. The two biggest results came from the state of Montana, as UM hosted and defeated Idaho 82-79 while Montana State fell to Eastern Washington 89-87. At the end of the night, Portland State now sits in first place in the Big Sky at 5-1, while UNC is second at 6-2.
What's ahead
Having finished a stretch of four games in eight days the Bears welcome a break until Thursday. UNC will go back on the road traveling to Southern Utah. The Bears and T-Birds will tip-off at 6:30 pm.
To stay up to date on all things UNC women's basketball, visit UNCBears.com and follow the team on Twitter at @UNCBearsWBB.
Smith proceeded to go to the free throw line and hit both foul shots to make it a 58-56 game before ISU fouled again inside a second to salt the game away at 60-56. Smith finished the night a perfect 12-of-12 from the free throw line on her way to a team-leading 20 points.
Two other Bears finished the night in double figures in Krystal Leger-Walker and Bridget Hintz each with 11.
Northern Colorado shot well finishing the game at 43.5 percent and converted their free throws going 16-for-19.
UNC started the game with strong first quarter by shooting 64.3 percent. Four of the team's five starters scored during the opening 10 minutes, led by Leger-Walker's seven points. The team started the game up 10-2 and extended the lead to 11 by the end of the first.
The Bengals tightened the game up in the second quarter with a pair of 5-0 runs to make it a 33-31 UNC lead at the break.
Both teams played within two possessions of each other the entire second half matching punch for punch. Northern Colorado expanded its lead to as much as five, six times but never could pull away from ISU.
Idaho State held Northern Colorado without a field goal for the final 7:35 of the game, but UNC converted from the charity stripe making nine free throws down the stretch to earn the win.
What they said
Stat to know
Idaho State came into the game scoring 71.2 points in conference play, but UNC held them to their season low in the Big Sky at 56.
Game notes
- UNC tied a season-high for blocks with six. Alexis Chapman led the team with a career-high three.
- Savannah Smith is now in the top three in UNC women's basketball history in points scored passing Trish Williamson (1987-91). She surpassed the 1,600 point mark, now standing at 1,607.
- Krystal Leger-Walker recorded two assists in the game to move into the top 5 in program history. Leger-Walker tied former Bear, now Idaho State assistant coach D'shara Strange (2010-15) with 325.
Around the Big Sky
With a full slate of games in the Big Sky Saturday it was a day of moving and shaking in the standings. The two biggest results came from the state of Montana, as UM hosted and defeated Idaho 82-79 while Montana State fell to Eastern Washington 89-87. At the end of the night, Portland State now sits in first place in the Big Sky at 5-1, while UNC is second at 6-2.
What's ahead
Having finished a stretch of four games in eight days the Bears welcome a break until Thursday. UNC will go back on the road traveling to Southern Utah. The Bears and T-Birds will tip-off at 6:30 pm.
To stay up to date on all things UNC women's basketball, visit UNCBears.com and follow the team on Twitter at @UNCBearsWBB.
Team Stats
ISU
NC
FG%
.429
.435
3FG%
.333
.190
FT%
.786
.842
RB
27
32
TO
13
19
STL
10
7
Game Leaders
Pts
20
FGM
3
3FGM
2
FTM
12
Pts
11
FGM
5
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Pts
11
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
1
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
C
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G/PG
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballUNC Weekly Press Conference - Kristen Mattio (Feb. 10)
Tuesday, February 10
Neenah George and Kristen Mattio Press Conference vs Idaho State
Saturday, February 07
Aniah Hall and Kristen Mattio Press Conference Vs Weber State
Thursday, February 05
UNC Weekly Press Conference - Kristen Mattio (Feb. 3)
Tuesday, February 03
