BOISE, Idaho - The struggles continued for the University of Idaho women's basketball team as the Vandals fell 67-54 to Boise State University and are in the midst of their longest losing streak since the 2002-03 season.
Idaho (7-11, 3-4), which has lost its last three games by an average of nearly 14 points, shot a season-worst 5-of-10 (.500) from the free-throw line and gave up 14 second-chance points on 14 offensive rebounds. Boise State (12-8, 4-4), the top 3-point shooting team in the Western Athletic Conference, hit 9-of-22 (.409) shots from beyond the arc and out-rebounded Idaho 40-21.
"The players gave us a chance because they played hard, but we have got to play smarter," Idaho head coach Mike Divilbiss said. "It's the same song and dance we have been talking about for awhile. We have some players who need to step up, take some responsibility, stop making excuses, and get done what they are supposed to get done. When we decide we are going to do that we are going to be a good basketball team again, but right now we are not a good basketball team."
Idaho began the game with a 7-0 run and didn't allow a Boise State point until the 16:41 mark. Emily Faurholt hit a 3-pointer at the 16:27 mark to put the Vandals ahead 10-2 and Idaho later built a 15-5 lead with 13:56 remaining. The Broncos cut the lead to six points, but the Vandals then shot ahead for their biggest lead of the game at 23-11 with 10:42 remaining in the half. At that point, the 3-pointers started falling for Boise State as Nadia Begay, who ranks 19th nationally for 3-point field goals made per game (2.8), nailed back-to-back shots, Jackie Lee nailed a 3-pointer, and Begay hit one more to tie the game at 23-23 with 7:31 remaining. The Broncos charge continued with two free throws and another 3-pointer from Lee and Boise State used a 17-0 run to build a 28-23 lead at the 5:55 mark. The Vandals fought back to tie the game twice over the final six minutes of the half, however the Broncos held a 34-32 lead at the break.
Begay and Lee each scored 12 points in the first half for the Broncos on a combined effort of 6-of-13 shooting from beyond the 3-point arc. Boise State also held a 21-9 rebounding advantage at the intermission, and grabbed 10 offensive rebounds. Faurholt was Idaho's leading scorer at halftime with 10 points.
The Vandals tied the game immediately as the second half started and the score was again tied at the 18:54 mark at 36-36. The final tie of the game came at the 12:33 mark with the score 44-44 before Boise State built a 55-48 lead with 9:03 remaining. Idaho cut that lead to four points with an Emily Halliday 3-pointer on its next possession, but the Vandals again trailed by seven points with the score 58-51 with 4:12 remaining. Jessica Summers scored the next three Idaho points to bring the Vandals within four points with 2:49 remaining, but those would prove to be the final points of the game for Idaho as Boise State rattled off the final nine points of the contest with for the 67-54 win.
"Our biggest challenge right now is resolve," Divilbiss said. "We come into games and start the way we did today and then the other team will make a run at us and we can't handle it. We aren't playing in the Big West (Conference) anymore and every team is going to make a run at us. I know this team can, but right now we aren't handling that very well. We are frustrated, but we know exactly what is going wrong. The bottom line is they are going to adjust to it or they aren't."
Faurholt led the Vandals in scoring with 14 points and added four assists. Leilani Mitchell scored just nine points, all in the first half, but grabbed a season-high nine steals. Karly Felton finished with eight points and dished out a career-high eight assists for the Vandals.
Boise State had three players score in double figures and was led by Begay who finished with 19 points. She finished 5-of-9 from beyond the 3-point line.
"I love these players and they played hard in this game, but they have got to play smarter," Divilbiss said. "Success brings contempt sometimes and we need to adjust. It's an overall mentality thing the players need to make a decision about and take some responsibility for. Right now, talent means a whole lot of nothing."
The Vandals return home next week to host the University of Hawai`i, Thursday (Feb. 2), in the Cowan Spectrum. The game begins at 7 p.m.
