RENO, Nev. (March 12, 2016) – In-state rivalries have been a part of the Big Sky Conference, but there is renewed focus on them now.
With the Idaho Vandals and Idaho State Bengals meeting in the Big Sky championship game for the first time, the in-state rivalry meeting was just the first of many firsts- the first time a nine-seed has made a championship game, the first time the Big Sky has completed a neutral-site women’s tournament, and the first time a team has claimed to have successfully completed the #RoadToReno.
A 44-29 second-half propelled the Vandals to their first-ever Big Sky title, in a 67-55 win over Idaho State in the Big Sky title game.
Idaho freshman Mikayla Ferenz scored 18 points, on the way to winning the tournament’s Most Valuable Player on the All-Tournament Team. Ferenz made 7-of-11 field goals, including four three-point shots.
The Vandals took a 17-14 lead after the first quarter, before Idaho State held Idaho to six points in the second quarter, giving the Bengals a 26-23 lead. Also, Karlee Wilson made 11-of-12 free throws.
Idaho held Idaho State to 30.3 percent shooting from the field (20-of-66), holding the Bengals to just 22.2 percent from three-point range (6-of-27). The Vandals outscored the Bengals, 20-8, in the third quarter, and made 10-of-18 three-point shots.
Idaho coach Jon Newlee said the Vandals’ success came from a committed defensive effort.
“The key to me was our defensive effort the entire game particularly that stretch in the third quarter” he said. “I thought we just did a fantastic job of getting stops, getting to their shooters, and rebounding the basketball.”
The win gives the Vandals their first NCAA tournament berth as a member of the Big Sky Conference, marking the third time Idaho coach Jon Newlee has taken the program to the NCAA tournament.
Newlee said it was a great accomplishment for the program to make its third NCAA appearance in four years.
“This never gets old, I’ll tell you that,” he said. “Even the Gatorade bath I got in the locker room, I’ll take it any day of the week.”
The All-Tournament Team included Idaho's Ferenz; Idaho's Ali Forde; Eastern Washington's Delaney and Hayley Hodgins; and Idaho State's Brooke Blair and Anna Lee Policicchio.
| 2016 Big Sky All-Tournament Team |
| Name |
Team |
MVP |
| Delaney Hodgins |
Eastern Washington |
|
| Hayley Hodgins |
Eastern Washington |
|
| Ali Forde |
Idaho |
|
| Mikayla Ferenz |
Idaho |
X |
| Anna Lee Policicchio |
Idaho State |
|
| Brooke Blair |
Idaho State |
|