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University of Idaho Athletics

Bianca Cheever
Idaho Athletic Media Relations

Women's Basketball

Idaho falls to hot-shooting Lamar

WACO, Texas - Shaena Kuehu scored 15 points to lead three Vandals in double-figures, but the University of Idaho women's basketball team fell to Lamar at the World Vision Classic 68-56.

Kuehu hit 7 of 14 from the floor while Bianca Cheever scored 14 points and Rachele Kloke added 13, but Idaho (0-5) could not overcome Lamar's (5-1) 10 of 19 performance from the 3-point line.

"We lost the game in the first half by letting (Jenna) Plumley go crazy from 3-point range," Newlee said, referring to Plumley's 4 of 6 performance from beyond the arc. "She hit a three and they took off from there."

Jessica Graham finished with a near double-double as she scored seven points and grabbed 12 rebounds. Her rebound total is the highest for a Vandal player this season. Kuehu added seven rebounds, four assists and two steals to her point total and Cheever finished with six rebounds and three assists.

"I liked the way we battled," Idaho coach Jon Newlee said. "They are a physical, athletic team and we battled down low. We handled their pressure until the second half when I think we got a little winded."

Idaho opened the game with the first four points, but Lamar used a 12-0 run to build an eight-point advantage at the 14:40 mark. The Vandals cut the margin to four on two occasions before the Cardinals earned their largest lead of the half at 19-10 with 12:03 remaining. Idaho then forced three turnovers to aid a 10-0 run and gained a 20-19 lead on Natasha Helsham's 3-pointer with 8:34 remaining, but the Cardinals responded with back-to-back 3-pointers and built their lead to seven. The Vandals were able to pull within three at the 3:13 mark, but Lamar scored the next six points to regain a nine-point advantage. Cheever ended the first-half scoring with a 3-pointer to cut the Lamar lead to 37-31 at the half.

Lamar hit 7 of 12 (.583) from the 3-point line in the first half.

Lamar quickly earned another nine-point advantage to open the second half, but Idaho then used a 12-4 stretch to pull within 44-43 with 12:52 remaining. The score was later 46-45, but Lamar used a 15-3 run over the next six minutes to pull ahead 61-48 at the 4:11 mark and held its largest lead at 68-53 with 45 seconds remaining. Cheever again ended the half with a 3-pointer to make the final score 68-56.

"We need to get on a real run where we get the lead, extend the lead, and play with a lead. We've been battling from behind and it just takes a lot out of you," Newlee said.

As a team, the Vandals shot 22 of 61 (.361) from the floor and just 8 of 33 (.242) from the 3-point line and held a 39-34 rebounding advantage. Lamar hit 25 of its 53 shots (.472) and outscored Idaho 26-18 in the paint and 13-3 on second-chance points.

The Vandals wrap up the World Vision Classic Sunday vs. Louisiana-Lafayette at 10 a.m. PT.

 

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