West Records Double-Double, Bears Come Up Short Against Vandals 68-57

Thursday, January 23

Greeley, Colo.

6 p.m.

University of Northern Colorado

8-10,1-6Big Sky

Idaho

14-4,6-1Big Sky

Idaho

Northern Colo.

Photo by: Dean Popejoy

1/23/2025 9:19:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Final Game Book (PDF)Mattio & Tatum West Presser

By: Brooke Richards, Assistant Director of Strategic Communications

GREELEY, Colo. – The Northern Colorado Bears fell short in a hard-fought battle Thursday night against the Idaho Vandals (14-4, 6-1 BSC), losing 68-57 in Big Sky Conference play at Bank of Colorado Arena. Despite a strong second half effort from sophomore Tatum West, the Bears couldn't overcome Idaho's balanced attack and second-chance opportunities. The loss drops the Bears to 8-10 overall and 1-6 in conference play.

TOP PERFORMERS
West led the Bears with 14 points on 7-of-9 shooting and 10 rebounds, collecting her third double-double of the season. Junior guard London Gamble scored 13 while boarding three, and junior forward Aniah Hall added 10 points and nine rebounds, narrowly missing a double-double.

HOW IT HAPPENED
The Bears started strong, building an early 8-0 lead behind a pair of jumpers from Gamble and a layup's from West and Silvia Nativi. However, Idaho quickly responded, using an 18-4 run to close the first quarter with an 18-12 lead. Northern Colorado struggled to contain the Vandals in the paint, allowing 16 points inside during the opening period.

The second quarter saw the Bears claw back within single digits on Hall's layup midway through the frame, but Idaho capitalized on turnovers and offensive rebounds to stretch their lead to 34-24 at halftime. Northern Colorado was held to 39.3% shooting in the first half and struggled to generate consistent offense against Idaho's swarming defense.

In the third quarter, the Bears showed signs of life, with West and Hall combining for key buckets to trim the deficit. Northern Colorado outscored Idaho 15-14 in the period, but the Vandals answered every run with timely baskets, maintaining a comfortable cushion heading into the fourth.

Northern Colorado's gritty mentality shone through in the final frame as they cut the lead to single digits behind West's strong play in the post and a clutch three-pointer by Gamble. Idaho's composure and clutch free-throw shooting sealed the game in the closing minutes, preventing a Bears comeback.

KEY STATS
Points in the Paint: Idaho held a significant edge, outscoring Northern Colorado 44-30 in the paint.
Turnovers: The Bears committed 19 turnovers, which led to 22 points for the Vandals.
Rebounding: Idaho narrowly outrebounded Northern Colorado 41-38, but the Vandals made the most of second-chance opportunities with 10 points off offensive boards.
Fast Break Points: Idaho's transition game hurt the Bears, scoring 12 points to UNC's 2 on the break.

IDAHO LEADERS
Olivia Nelson led the Vandals with a game-high 27 points, while Rosie Schweizer added 10 points and five rebounds.

UP NEXT
The Bears are back at home Saturday, Jan. 25 for a matchup against Eastern Washington at 2 p.m.

Follow the Bears
Fans can follow and stay up to date on all the Bear action at uncbears.com and on social media. Follow the Bears on X (formerly Twitter) (@UNC_BearsWBB), Instagram (@UNC_BearsWBB), and Facebook (/UNCBearsWBB).

Big Sky Conference Championship Tickets
Tickets for the 2025 Big Sky Basketball Championships, presented by Idaho Central Credit Union, are on sale now.

The men's and women's basketball tournaments will be hosted at Idaho Central Arena on March 8-12, marking the seventh straight year that Starch Madness will be held in Boise, Idaho.

Fans can purchase all-tournament, all-session ticket packages for both the men's and women's sessions for courtside, reserved, and general admission seating.

Single-session tickets will be available for purchase Monday, Feb. 3. To purchase tickets, visit uncbears.com/tickets or call 970-351-4849.

Tickets can also be purchased at the Campus Commons Ticket Office, Monday-Friday between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. TicketSmarter is the official resale marketplace of UNC athletics.

To purchase tickets, visit uncbears.com/tickets or call 970-351-4849. Tickets can also be purchased at the Campus Commons Ticket Office, Monday-Friday between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. TicketSmarter is the official resale marketplace of UNC athletics.

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