PREVIEW: Bears Hosts Idaho for Kids Day Big Sky Game of the Week, Then Travels to Cheney

Thursday, January 29

Greeley, Colo.

12 p.m. MST

University of Northern Colorado

Idaho

Buy Tickets

Ally McCutchen | UNC Athletics

1/27/2026 12:35:00 PM | Women's Basketball

By: Elian Soto, Assistant Director of Strategic Communications

GREELEY, Colo. – Northern Colorado women's basketball is set for a high-energy midday match up as the Bears host Idaho on Thursday, January 29, with tip-off scheduled for noon at Bank of Colorado Arena. The contest has been selected as this week's Big Sky Basketball Game of the Week, shining a spotlight on a pivotal conference showdown in Greeley.

Thursday's game will also serve as D6 Kids Day, presented by Weld Community Credit Union, promising an electric atmosphere. Nearly 2,600 D6 students from 16 schools across the district are expected to attend, bringing nonstop noise and excitement. With conference standings at stake and a packed house anticipated, the Bears and Vandals are set for an energetic midweek clash.

Following Thursday's contest, Northern Colorado will hit the road to face Eastern Washington in Cheney, Washington, on Saturday, January 31, with a 2 p.m. MT tip-off.

LAST TIME OUT
Northern Colorado continues to establish itself among the Big Sky's top contenders, improving to 6-2 in conference play and 15-6 overall. The Bears are coming off a 72-59 home victory over Northern Arizona on Saturday, January 24, at Bank of Colorado Arena.

UNC displayed a balanced offensive effort, shooting 27-of-68 from the field while maintaining control throughout all four quarters. Strong execution on both ends of the floor proved critical in securing the conference win.

BEARS DEFEND THE DEN
With the win over Northern Arizona, the Bears improved to 9-2 at home this season. Bank of Colorado Arena has become a tough environment for visiting teams, as Northern Colorado continues to feed off its home crowd and defend its court with consistency.

UNC NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED
Through 21 games, Northern Colorado's depth has earned national attention. The Bears currently rank third among all Division I programs in bench points per game, totaling 710 bench points and averaging 33.8 per contest.

ANIAH HALL NEARING 1,000 CAREER POINTS
Senior Aniah Hall remains one of UNC's most versatile offensive weapons and is closing in on a major milestone. With 981 career points, Hall needs just 19 more to reach the 1,000-point mark.

SCOUTING THE VANDALS
Idaho enters the match up with a 15-5 overall record and a 6-1 mark in conference play. The Vandals are riding a four-game winning streak that began with an 81-68 victory over Idaho State on Jan. 15 and includes an impressive 84-66 road win over Portland State.

Offensively, Idaho features a balanced attack with five players averaging double figures. Kyra Gardner leads the way at 13.9 points per game, shooting 42.4 percent from the field. The Vandals' depth and scoring versatility make them a challenging opponent.

ALL-TIME SERIES VS. IDAHO
Overall Series: Idaho leads 11–10 (since 2015)
Last Meeting: Idaho 77, Northern Colorado 59 (Feb. 22, 2025 – Moscow)
Current Trend: Idaho has won four of the last five meetings (since 2023)

SCOUTING EASTERN WASHINGTON
Eastern Washington holds a 10-10 overall record and a 3-4 conference mark. The Eagles will face Northern Arizona before returning home to host the Bears on Saturday.

EWU has four players averaging double figures, led by Ella Gallatin at 14.5 points per game on 40.9 percent shooting from the field.

ALL-TIME SERIES VS. EASTERN WASHINGTON
Overall Series: UNC leads 22–15 (since 2015)
Last Meeting: EWU 46, UNC 50 (Feb. 20, 2025 – Cheney)
Current Trend: UNC has the last two meetings (since 2023)

This week marks the first meetings of the season between Northern Colorado and both Idaho and Eastern Washington.

PARKING OPERATIONS – THURSDAY, JAN. 29 (7:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.)
M Lot: Closed
M Lot Pass Holders: Park in J Lot
Student-Athletes: Park in J Lot
Banner Health Employees: Upper M Lot
Single-Game & Season Ticket Holders: Upper M Lot
Vehicles remaining in M Lot will be contacted and asked to move. Unresponsive vehicles will be towed to Y Lot at the owner's expense.

Both games will be streamed live on ESPN+, with live stats and real-time updates available through the team's official social media platforms.

UP NEXT: Following UNC's game at Eastern Washington, the Bears will return home for a two game home stand hosting Idaho State and Weber State.

FOLLOW THE BEARS
Fans can stay up to date with Northern Colorado women's basketball by visiting uncbears.com and following the team on social media: X (formerly Twitter) @UNC_BearsWBB, Instagram @UNC_BearsWBB, and Facebook /UNCBearsWBB.