UNC Battles, Come Up Short Against Idaho

Thursday, January 29

Greeley, Colo.

12 p.m. MST

University of Northern Colorado

15-7,6-3Big Sky

Idaho

16-5,7-1Big Sky

Idaho

Northern Colo.

Kassidy Schwartz | UNC Athletics

1/29/2026 2:53:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

By: Elian Soto, Assistant Director of Strategic Communications

GREELEY, Colo. – Northern Colorado women's basketball battled in a hard-fought Big Sky Game of the Week match up but ultimately fell to the Idaho Vandals, 62–55, on Thursday afternoon.

The game opened at a fast pace, with the Bears jumping out to an early 6–0 lead before the Vandals responded with a pair of free throws. At the first media timeout, Northern Colorado held a 10–6 advantage thanks to timely scoring and strong defensive stops. The quarter continued as a back-and-forth battle, with neither team able to pull away, and the opening frame ended knotted at 18–18.

Idaho came out strong to begin the second quarter, using a 9–0 run to force an early Northern Colorado timeout. Coming out of the break, the Bears found momentum at the free throw line and knocked down key shots from beyond the arc to chip away at the deficit. Tough baskets helped UNC regain control, and the Bears trailed by just four at halftime. Neenah George led Northern Colorado offensively in the first half, scoring seven points, as Idaho carried a 35–31 lead into the locker room.

Both teams turned up the defensive intensity in the third quarter, limiting each other to one shot per possession. The Vandals continued to pressure the Bears defense and earned multiple trips to the free throw line, but timely baskets from Erin Powell kept Northern Colorado within striking distance. The Bears rallied to tie the game at 42–42, forcing Idaho to call a timeout. After a tightly contested quarter, the score remained at 42 heading into the final period.

The teams traded baskets early in the fourth quarter, with Idaho maintaining a slim three-point lead midway through the frame. Northern Colorado's offense stalled in the final minutes, allowing the Vandals to build a 54–47 advantage. A crucial three-pointer from Julia Riley sparked a late rally, followed by a driving and-one layup from Neenah George to cut the deficit to three.

Despite the late push, the Bears were unable to complete the comeback, falling to Idaho by a final score of 62–55.

Neenah George and Tatum West each scored 12 points in the game.

UP NEXT: The Bears will travel to Cheney, Washington to face Eastern Washington inside Reese Court. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m. MT.

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.