SAN JOSE, Calif. - The University of Idaho women's basketball team led the entire way Thursday night to defeat San Jose State 72-64 in a Western Athletic Conference game at The Events Center at San Jose, Calif.
With the victory, Idaho improves to 5-15 overall and 2-7 in the WAC. The loss runs SJSU???s record to 2-21 overall and 1-8 in the WAC.
"The team played very well," coach Mike Divilbiss said. "This is a quality win. Every win in the WAC is a quality win. They are all tough, especially on the road."
In particular, the Vandals battled strong inside with freshman Katie Madison's 15 boards paving the way to a 42-40 edge.
"We aren't athletic enough to just jump up and go get it," Divilbiss said. "We absolutely have to block out because we are undersized and we did a nice job of that tonight."
"(San Jose State) had three blocked shots tonight because of their athleticism. They would play just far enough off someone to make them think they were open and then rush them and block the shot or hurry it."
In addition to her game-high rebounding effort, Madison had 24 points, a total matched by SJSU's Brittany Powell. Liz Witte had 22 for the Vandals and Lindsey Koppen was also in double-digits as she had 10 points. Powell was also the leading rebounder for the Spartans as she hauled in seven boards. Myosha Barnes had 11 points in the game for SJSU and Alisha Hicks had 13 for the Spartans.
Idaho built a 33-28 halftime lead but the Spartans opened the scoring in the second as Powell hit a layup to cut Idaho's lead to 33-30. She followed with a 15-footer to cut the lead to 33-32 before Koppen stopped the run with a 3-pointer from the corner as the Vandals regained a four-point lead, 36-32.
Charlotte Otero pushed the lead to six when she hit an 18-foot jump shot from the baseline. The Spartans went to Powell again as she answered the Otero basket with one of her own. Hicks then picked Witte???s pocket to trim the Idaho lead to 38-36. The Spartans kept pushing and recorded the game's first tie at 40. Madison connected on her second 3-point play of the night and pushed Idaho's lead back to 43-40.
While the Spartans would close to within one, it was an advantage the Vandals would not relinquish as the teams battled throughout the remainder of the second half.
It was Jaime Hall who cut Idaho's lead to 59-58 when she scored on a layup with 5:01 to play. Up stepped Madison, who continued to keep the Vandals in front as she took the ball up against a triple-team and connected on the layin and the ensuing free throw for a 62-58 lead with 3:50 remaining.
The Vandals return to action Saturday at Fresno State when they take on the Bulldogs at 1 p.m. PST.
