SACRAMENTO—The second half of the Big Sky season gets underway this week. Idaho will travel to Sacramento State and Portland State, vying for position as the Big Sky Tournament approaches in November. Both matches are set for 7 p.m. PT starts.

Quotable: "This is a hard time and every team goes through it at some point. We are definitely going through it right now, especially with how young we are. That is something that will change, especially going into next season. We really need to make a change now. We are fighting, we just are not finishing. If we can get them to trust and have each other's back a little more, hopefully that will help us all the way to the end." - Head coach Debbie Buchanan

Last Time
•    Idaho closed the first half the conference play at 2-6
•    The Vandals fell last week to both Weber State and EWU
•    The Vandals averaged 15.4 digs per set last week, totaling 139
•    Sophomore Kaela Straw led Idaho with 34 kills and a .306 hitting percentage

On Tap
•    The Vandals are out on the road for two matches this week at Sacramento State and Portland State
•    Idaho is currently 9th in the Big Sky standings, looking to move up to qualify for the tournament
•    The Vandals are 3-0 against the Hornets in recent meetings
•    Idaho holds a 4-1 record against Portland State, dating back to 1998

Vandal Facts
•    The Vandals have twice totaled 199 total attacks, ranking sixth most in the Big Sky
•    Idaho's 74 kills and 71 assists at SUU rank fifth and fourth most, respectively, in the Big Sky this season
•    The Vandals recorded a season-high 97 digs against NAU (5th Big Sky)
•    Idaho ranks eighth in the conference with a .197 hitting percentage
•    The Vandals are also seventh in the Big Sky with 1.92 blocks/set
•    Idaho was picked to finish sixth in the conference by the Big Sky coaches
•    Head coach Debbie Buchanan is in her 17th season. She is the longest tenured coach at Idaho, taking over the program in 2000.
•    Idaho returns seven letterwinners from the 2015 season, including Terra Varney the team's lone senior.
•    Idaho has finished .500 or better in conference play in 13 consecutive seasons, going a combined 131-81 in WAC/Big West/ Big Sky matches since 2003
•    2015 marked Idaho's 11th consecutive conference postseason tournament. The Vandals won Big Sky championships in their final four seasons in the Big Sky, 1992-95, before returning to the conference      in 2014.
•    Idaho boasts a young roster in 2016 with 12 underclassmen (seven freshmen, five sophomores)

About Sacramento State: The Hornets are 11-11 overall and 5-3 in the Big Sky. Sacramento State has lost its last two matches to Southern Utah and Northern Arizona. Shannon Boyle leads the team with 3.57 kills per set. Courtney Dietrich is fifth in the Big Sky with a .346 attack percentage. Setter Kennedy Kurtz leads the conference with 11.19 assists per set. All-Time Series: Idaho, 3-2; Last Meeting: Idaho, W, 3-2

About Portland State: The Vikings start the week 11-9 overall and 3-5 in the Big Sky. Portland State is coming off a 3-1 win over Southern Utah, snapping a four-match skid. Senior Pati Anae leads the conference with 4.45 kills per set. Erin Clark ranks third in the league with 10.63 assists per set. The Vikings lead the Big Sky with a team average of 12.83 assists per set.  All-Time Series: Portland State, 15-4; Last Meeting: Idaho, W, 3-2

All Big Sky matches are streamed on WatchBigSky.com

Fans can stay up-to-date on all things Idaho volleyball by following the team on twitter, @IdahoVolleyball.