PREVIEW: Bears Hit the Road for Big Sky Matchups at Idaho State and Weber State

Thursday, January 8

Pocatello, Idaho.

7 p.m. MST

University of Northern Colorado

Idaho State

Ally McCutchen | UNC Athletics

1/6/2026 1:10:00 PM | Women's Basketball

By: Elian Soto, Assistant Director of Strategic Communications

GREELEY, Colo. – Northern Colorado women's basketball team is set to open the road portion of Big Sky Conference play as the Bears head to Pocatello, Idaho, to take on Idaho State on Thursday, January 8, before continuing the trip to Ogden, Utah, to face Weber State on Saturday, January 10.

Northern Colorado enters the week carrying momentum after a split in its opening Big Sky weekend. The Bears dropped a tightly contested match up against Montana State on New Year's Day but responded on Saturday with a statement victory over Montana. The win evened UNC's conference record at 1–1 and provided an early confidence boost as league play intensifies.

CAREER WEEKEND FOR THE BEARS
Sophomore guard Heather Baymon turned in a remarkable weekend, delivering back-to-back career performances that anchored the Bears' offensive attack. Against Montana State, Baymon led all scorers with 26 points, shooting 10-for-22 from the field while knocking down six three-pointers.

She followed that effort with an even stronger showing against Montana, pouring in a game-high and career-best 29 points. Baymon was highly efficient, finishing 10-for-18 from the floor, and consistently sparked the Bears on offense en route to UNC's first conference win of the season.

Gabi Fields also played a pivotal role in Saturday's victory, dishing out a career-high nine assists. Her poise and court vision helped Northern Colorado generate high-percentage scoring opportunities and maintain offensive flow throughout the game.

Fans can catch all the action live on ESPN+, follow along with live stats, and get real-time updates through the team's official social media channels.

ALL-TIME SERIES
Idaho State: 17–24
Weber State: 26–10

SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
IDAHO STATE BENGALS
Idaho State enters the week with a strong 9–4 overall record and a perfect 2–0 mark in Big Sky play. The Bengals opened conference action with a road win at Sacramento State and carried that momentum into Portland, where they defeated Portland State to complete a successful opening road trip.

The Bengals are led offensively by Tasia Jordan, who is averaging 16.1 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. Her scoring ability and presence on the glass make her a focal point of Idaho State's attack.

WEBER STATE WILDCATS
Weber State comes into the weekend with a 6–9 overall record and an 0–2 start in conference play. The Wildcats opened Big Sky competition at Portland State, falling 68–28, before traveling to Sacramento State, where they lost 39-60.

Weber State features a strong inside presence in Antoniette Emma-Nnopu, who is averaging a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds per game. Her productivity in the paint will be a key challenge for the Bears as they wrap up the road trip.

Northern Colorado will look to build on its recent success and gain valuable road wins as Big Sky Conference play continues.

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).