NORTHRIDGE, Calif. - Leilani Mitchell had a game-high 24 points, but the University of Idaho (15-7, 10-3) women's basketball team fell out of first place with a 68-63 loss to Cal State Northridge (14-7, 9-4) Saturday night.

The loss snaps Idaho's six-game win streak and puts them a half game behind UC Santa Barbara, who was idle on Saturday.

The Matadors took the lead to begin the game and quickly built an 8-2 advantage at the 17:38 mark. Six minutes later the score was 16-10 Matadors before Idaho cut the lead to 16-12 with just more than 11 minutes remaining in the half. It was then Cal State Northridge would go on an 11-2 run over the next three minutes to build a 27-14 lead with 7:10 remaining. Idaho would cut the lead to five during the final minutes of the half, but CS Northridge took a 34-24 lead into the locker room.

The Matadors began the second half with an 11-2 run in the first five minutes to build its biggest lead of the night at 45-26. Idaho fought back, however, and would cut the lead to just four with 1:18 remaining in the game by outscoring CS Northridge 33-18 in 13 minutes. The Matadors hit 5-of-8 free throws to hold off the Idaho charge in the final minute.

Mitchell added six rebounds, seven assists and five steals to her point total and Jessica Summers and Heather Thoelke both finished with 14 points. Emily Faurholt, who shot 3-of-14 (.214) from the floor, finished with nine points as she failed to score double digits for the first time in her 51-game career.

The Vandals shot 26-of-55 (.473) from the floor but were outrebounded 50-26. Cal State Northridge's rebound total also consisted of 21 offensive rebounds compared to Idaho's one.

Idaho will return home next week where they will face Cal State Fullerton Thursday and UC Riverside Saturday. Both games will begin at 7 p.m.