Bears Rally Past Idaho State for 59-51 Victory

Monday, February 3

Greeley, Colo.

6 p.m.

University of Northern Colorado

10-11,3-7Big Sky

Idaho State

8-13,3-7Big Sky

Idaho St.

Northern Colo.

Photo by: Kassidy Schwartz, UNC Athletics

2/3/2025 8:37:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Final Game Book (PDF)Coach Mattio, Julia Riley, & Neenah George Presser

By: Brooke Richards, Assistant Director of Strategic Communications

GREELEY, Colo. – The Northern Colorado women's basketball team (10-11, 3-7 Big Sky) defeated Idaho State (8-13, 3-7 Big Sky) 59-51 on Monday night at the Bank of Colorado Arena.

TOP PERFORMERS
Junior guard London Gamble led the Bears with 16 points, including two three-pointers, and two assists. Junior guard Julia Riley added 14 points, making four three-pointers on 66.7% shooting and grabbing nine rebounds. Freshman guard Neenah George contributed 14 points, two three-pointers and two assists.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Idaho State took an early advantage in the first quarter, capitalizing on back-to-back Northern Colorado turnovers to jump out to a 10-7 lead. The Bengals controlled the offensive boards and converted on second-chance opportunities, while the Bears struggled to find their rhythm. At the end of the opening period, Idaho State held a 12-7 lead.

Northern Colorado responded in the second quarter with an offensive surge. Riley provided a spark from beyond the arc, hitting three three-pointers, while George added another from deep to keep the Bears within striking distance. Free throws by Riley and Silvia Nativi further closed the gap, and a midrange jumper from Gamble gave UNC its first lead since the first quarter at 27-26. The teams continued to trade baskets, entering halftime tied at 31-31.

The Bears carried their momentum into the third quarter, with George opening the scoring with a three-pointer to make it 34-35. Gamble followed with a midrange jumper to tie the game again at 37. Aniah Hall's layup and a three-point play from Riley, assisted by George, extended Northern Colorado's lead to 42-37. Hall then sank two key free throws, pushing the margin to 44-37 before Idaho State responded with a three-pointer and a pair of free throws to close the gap to 48-44 heading into the final period.

Northern Colorado remained composed in the fourth quarter, with Gamble hitting an immediate jumper to push the lead to 52-49. Idaho State continued to fight, but the Bears' defense held strong. A critical layup by George as the shot clock expired sealed the win for Northern Colorado, securing the 59-51 victory.

KEY STATS
Three-Point Shooting: UNC shot 47.1% from beyond the arc, making 8-of-17 attempts.
Bench Points: The Bears' reserves outscored Idaho State's bench 30-4.
Rebounding: Idaho State outrebounded UNC 40-35, including 14 offensive rebounds leading to nine second-chance points.

UP NEXT
Northern Colorado will travel to face Montana on Thursday, Feb. 6 in a Big Sky Conference matchup.

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.

About TicketSmarter.com
TicketSmarter® is a ticket resale marketplace and is not affiliated with Ticketmaster® or Live Nation®. TicketSmarter® is an online ticket marketplace and a proud member of the Digital Ally Companies (NASDAQ: DGLY). TicketSmarter® offers tickets to more than 125,000 live events ranging from concerts to sports and theatre shows.

TicketSmarter® is a primary and secondary ticketing solution for events and high-profile venues across North America including more than 300 professional sports teams and collegiate athletic departments. TicketSmarter® is also dedicated to giving back through contributions to charitable organizations.

100% Ticket Guarantee
All purchases are backed with a TicketSmarter® ticket guarantee. Have peace of mind knowing when you make your purchase for any sporting event, concert or theatre show that your tickets will be valid. You will receive a 100% refund if the event is canceled and not rescheduled. You will also receive a 100% refund if your order was accepted but the tickets were not delivered by the seller or shipped in time for the event. TicketSmarter® also provides a worry-free guarantee that your tickets will be valid upon entry. If they are not valid, we will provide you with a refund.