Bengals Pull Away from Bears in Second Half

Thursday, January 30

Pocatello, Idaho

7 pm

University of Northern Colorado

8-10,4-5Big Sky

Idaho State

9-10,5-5Big Sky

Northern Colo.

Idaho St.

Photo by: ISU Athletics

1/30/2020 9:25:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Northern Colorado fell to Idaho State on the road

By: Matthew Kushar, UNCBears.com

POCATELLO, ID – Northern Colorado women's basketball fell to Idaho State on Thursday night, 59-39.

"We played tough in spurts and fought back," head coach Jenny Huth. "By the third quarter, we worked our way back and then they went on a 10-0 run and I didn't call a timeout. We needed to re-group and try to get an easy score. Those were hard to come by. We have to score better at the guard spot and it's been tough. Easy baskets come from ball movement and I've got to be a better teacher and help us. I will look at film and keep working at it. The game is make/miss and they made more easy baskets."

UNC struggled shooting from the floor and finished with a 28.3 percentage. Alisha Davis led UNC with 15 points on 7-of-17 shooting. The Bengals struggled shooting in the first half, but improved in the second and pulled away from the Bears.

"Alisha is really becoming what I knew she could be," Huth said. "She's got good hands, she finishes and she's been reliable for us. We have to be aware when she is doubled and reverse it for spot threes or open lane attacks."

The first quarter was a defensive battle between the two teams, as both shot under 40 percent. Idaho St. took a 10-8 lead in the quarter, shooting 36.4 percent. Alisha Davis scored six points of the team's eight points in the quarter on 3-of-5 shooting.

In the second quarter, the Bears and Bengals continued their defensive battle, with UNC limiting Idaho St. to a 26.7-percent shooting. The Bears were 33.3 percent from the floor, but were outscored by the Bengals, 13-8 in the quarter. UNC trailed Idaho St., 23-17 at halftime.

The Bengals found the hot hand in the third quarter, shooting 61.5 percent including 3-of-3 from three-point range. The Bears tried to match the Idaho St. production, but were held to a 35 percent shooting in the quarter. Davis was effective in the quarter, scoring nine pints on 4-of-11 shooting. After three quarters, UNC trailed the Bengals, 43-35.

Idaho St.'s defense clamped down on the Bears in the fourth quarter, limiting them to a 13.3 percent shooting percentage. The Bengals closed out the game with 16-4 scoring advantage in the final quarter to win 59-39.

UNC's conference record dropped to 4-5 and 8-10 overall.

"We will leave this one behind us and keep taking lessons to work hard, stay unified and get back at it tomorrow," Huth added.

Game Notes

Northern Colorado out-rebounded Idaho State, 41-35. Alisha Davis and Micayla Isenbart tied for the game-high with seven rebounds each.
UNC outscored the Bengals in the paint, 30-28.
Alisha Davis scored in double figures for the third consecutive game. She has also posted double-digit scoring in six of the team's last seven games.
Alexis Chapman matched her career high with four assists.

What's Ahead?
Northern Colorado will now travel to Ogden, UT to take on Weber State on Saturday, with tip-off at 2 p.m.(MST).