MOSCOW, Idaho - The University of Idaho women's basketball team had another tough contest in its second Western Athletic Conference game of the season falling, 78-68, to the University of Nevada at the Cowan Spectrum Saturday night.

With the loss Idaho falls to 3-10 on the season and 0-2 in the WAC. Nevada opened its WAC season with the win and improves to 7-7 on the year.

Idaho shot the ball well for the second straight contest, as the Vandals shot .472 from the field. Nevada also connected well from the floor as they shot .438 from the field.

"One thing I will never do is make excuses for my team, but this game is one of five on our league schedule where our opponent???s only game that week is us," Divilbiss said. "Nevada is real scrappy and they play hard. You have to give them credit for doing what they do and doing it well."

Sara Dennehy sparked the Vandal offense as she had a career-high 25 points on the night. Traci Graham had a career and game-high 26 points for the Wolf Pack. Lindsey Koppen came off the bench for Idaho to score 20 points. Katie Madison had a game-high 10 rebounds, eight of which were on the defensive end.

"Being called a quiet scorer is something I have always been known for," Dennehy said. "If I am open I will shoot it, that is for sure."  

"We had a lot of people step up and play great ball for us tonight. Charlotte Otero had nine assists and eight turnovers, but she played super against someone we think is the best point guard in the league in Dellena Criner," Divilbiss said.

The Wolf Pack opened the game on a 12-5 run. Graham had four of Nevada's first 12 points as she connected on a 3-pointer, which put Nevada up, 9-5, with 16:18 to play in the first half. Graham later drained one of two free throws, giving Nevada a five point lead, 10-5, with 15:00 to play.

A 10-2 run by the home team gave the Vandals their first lead of the night. Koppen was a key spark for Idaho in the run as she had six of the Vandals' points in that stretch. Koppen was able to connect on two 3-point baskets, the second cutting the Wolf Pack lead to just one, 14-13, with 11:47 left in the first. Katie Madison's lay up at 10:38 gave Idaho its first lead of the night, 15-14.

Over the next 5:39 Nevada went on a 14-4 run pushing the lead back in the favor and taking a 27-19 lead with 4:59 left in the half. Criner had seven of the points in that stretch connecting on a 3-pointer, a lay up and two free throws during that span.

Idaho continued to fight back, scratching and clawing for every basket against a physical Wolf Pack defense. A 6-2 spurt by Idaho cut the lead to five and with two and a half minutes left before intermission Idaho trailed, 32-27. With 1:04 left in the half, a Marissa Hammond jumper put the Wolf Pack lead back at 10 points, 37-27. Koppen cut the lead to seven with a 3-pointer as the teams went to the lockers.

Nevada opened the second half with a 20-11 run which gave them a 57-41 lead with 13:30 to play. Graham had 10 points in that stretch as she connected on two 3-point baskets and a pair of lay ups. Idaho pushed back, however, and a 16-8 run put them within striking distance at 65-59. The run for Idaho was highlighted by eight points by Koppen, including a 3-pointer that trimmed the lead to 65-57. A Katie Schlotthauer jumper made the score 65-59 with 4:49 to play.

That was as close as Idaho would come, however as the Wolf Pack defense continued to stymie the Vandals.

Idaho returns to action Jan. 11, when it travels to Logan, Utah to face Utah State. Tip off is set for 7 p.m.