OGDEN, Utah (January 21, 2017) – The Northern Colorado Bears have started out #BigSkyWBB 8-0, and appear to have no end in sight.
The Bears led wire-to-wire, getting an impressive road win over the Weber State Wildcats on a snowy day in Ogden. Northern Colorado finished off a sweep of the ISU-WSU road trip,
earning an 88-79 win.
Northern Colorado shot 61.1 percent from the floor on the game, while making 33-of-54 shots. A big difference for the Bears came from their ability to score in the paint, with UNC outscoring WSU in the paint, 36-22. Also, center Courtney Smith made 11-of-12 shots, finishing with 24 points.
The Bears led 49-34 at halftime, and led by as much as 22 midway through the third quarter. However, Weber State made a run in the final period, getting the game to within eight points late in the fourth quarter, 85-78. However, the hurdle proved to be too much to overcome.
Weber State’s Emily Drake led all scorers with 27 points.
North Dakota 65, Idaho State 62 OT – The North Dakota Fighting Hawks kept their perfect road record in #BigSkyWBB alive, moving to 7-1 in league play after an overtime win in Pocatello.
The Fighting Hawks made their final three field-goals, while holding Idaho State to just 1-of-5. In a game that featured 16 lead changes and 13 ties, North Dakota found a way to earn a win, completing a road sweep of Weber State and Idaho State.
Idaho State held a 30-26 lead at halftime, with North Dakota making just 1-of-13 field-goal attempts in the second quarter. It was a tough offensive performance for both teams, as North Dakota and Idaho State both shot 32 percent or lower for the game. However, UND took advantage of the right moments, as North Dakota scored 19 points off ISU turnovers.
Idaho State’s Saylair Grandon led all scorers with 21 points, while Lexi Klabo led the Fighting Hawks with 17 points.
Montana State 83, Portland State 76 – The Montana State Bobcats used a late offensive surge to power by the upstart Vikings, earning a sweep on their SAC-PSU home stand.
The Bobcats made shots on five of their last seven possessions, while outscoring the Vikings in the fourth quarter, 28-24. Montana State entered the final period with a narrow 55-52 lead.
Bench points and second-chance points made the difference for Montana State. The Bobcats outscored the Hornets, 24-7, off the bench, and outscored them 15-6 on second-chances. Those categories made up for Portland State’s better offensive performance, as the Vikings shot 51 percent from the floor.
Portland State’s Ashley Bolston led all scorers with 29 points. Riley Nordgaard led the Bobcats with 25 points, while teammate Peyton Ferris chipped in 17 points.
Sacramento State 73, Montana 60 – So many times in the Robin Selvig era at Montana, the Lady Griz found a way to overcome long odds in Missoula.
Unfortunately on Robin Selvig Day in Missoula, celebrating the longtime Lady Griz coach, Montana was unable to close the gap, falling to Sacramento State. Montana trailed at the half, 41-35.
Defense and depth allowed the Hornets to gain an advantage, as they forced 17 turnovers, while also scoring 30 points from their bench. The Hornets led by as much as 18 midway through the fourth quarter, never trailing in the game.
Gretchen Harrigan led the Hornets with 20 points, Ashlyn Crenshaw chipped in 19 points. Montana’s Taylor Goligowski finished with 17 points.
The win was Sacramento State's first-ever win in Missoula, against the Lady Griz.
Eastern Washington 67, Southern Utah 66 – Late offensive struggles by the hosting Southern Utah Thunderbirds allowed Eastern Washington to earn a road win, getting a split on the SUU-NAU road trip.
The Thunderbirds were 1-of-10 on their last ten possessions, in spite of outscoring Eastern Washington 19-9 in the final period. Eastern Washington led 58-47, entering the final period.
Southern Utah stayed in the game, largely thanks to 28 points in the paint. However, the Thunderbirds had a chance to get an advantage at the free-throw line, making just 18-of-27 free throws.
The Thunderbirds’ Jessica Richardson finished with 21 points, while Whitney Johnson contributed 19 points. Eastern Washington’s Ashli Payne led the Eagles with 19 points, as four different Eagles finished in double-figures.
Idaho 91, Northern Arizona 80 - A remarkable performance from Mikayla Ferenz lifted Idaho to a sweep of the Southern Utah - Northern Arizona road trip.
Ferenz finished with 41 points, while hitting 15-of-17 shots and 9-of-10 three-point shots. Idaho finished with 54 percent shooting in the game, and scored 31 points in the fourth quarter to earn the win. The Vandals went on an 8-0 run over the final minutes of the game, pulling away.
Northern Arizona held a 43-40 halftime lead, and the two programs were tied at 60-60 heading into the final period. The Lumberjacks held a 42-18 advantage in points-in-the-paint, and a 20-8 advantage in bench points.
However, the night belonged to Ferenz, who tied the Skydome record with 41 points. She also set a new record with nine made three-point shots.