RENO, Nev. (March 7, 2016) – The 2016 Big Sky Basketball Championships started with a roar Monday, being the roar of a Bengal.
Idaho State entered the season with high expectations, but struggled with consistency throughout the conference season. However, over the past few weeks, the Bengals have elevated their play, and opened their postseason with a 54-45 victory over the Northern Colorado Bears in the opening round of the 2016 Big Sky Women’s Basketball Championship.
The Bengals trailed early, as Northern Colorado held a 12-7 lead after the first quarter. However, Idaho State quickly responded with a 16-8 run in the second quarter, taking a 23-20 lead into halftime.
Defense played a strong role in Idaho State’s success, as the Bears made just 34.8 percent (16-of-46) of shots. In contrast, the Bengals made 21-of-42 shot attempts.
The Bengals were led by Brooke Blair, who finished with 21 points on 8-of-16 shooting from the field. Teammate Anna Policicchio also contributed 12 points for Idaho State.
Savannah Smith finished with ten points for the Bears, who finish their season at 13-16.
Idaho State will play Montana State in Wednesday’s first session. The game will tip at 12:05 p.m., and will be available on WatchBigSky.com.