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MOSCOW, Idaho- The University of Idaho women's basketball team will host Northern Colorado and Southern Utah this week in the final home stand of the season.
Idaho welcome's the Northern Colorado Bears to town on Thursday Feb. 27^th, at 6 p.m. in Memorial Gym.

The Vandals (16-9, 11-5) are coming off a 1-1 weekend on the road. Idaho fell to Northern Arizona 70-67 in double-overtime on Thursday before topping Sacramento State 96-88 on Saturday. The Bears (11-14, 7-9) are coming off consecutive losses to Southern Utah and Idaho State last week. Northern Colorado fell to Southern Utah on the road 64-50 last Thursday before losing 71-55 to Idaho State at home on Saturday.

The Vandals sit in third place in the Big Sky at 11-5 overall, two games behind Northern Arizona (12-5) and four games behind Montana State (15-1). With just six conference games to go the Vandals will continue to battle for a top-five seed and a first-round bye in Boise at the conference tournament.

Idaho and Northern Colorado last met in Greely, Colorado on Jan. 25^th. The Vandals escaped with a 57-56 victory over the Bears, only the third win all-time in the series history.
Thursday's meeting marks the 11^th all-time meeting between the two programs.

Thursday's game will be streamed live on Pluto TV Chanel 542. You can listen to the game with Doug Taylor on KMAX 840 AM or at govandals.com/listen. Live stats can be found here.

SCOUTING IDAHO


Idaho enters its 17th conference game of the season and first game of their final homestand against Northern Colorado Thursday night.
 
Gina Marxen leads the Vandals in scoring this season with 13.9 points per game and in assists with 4.5 per game. Marxen dished out a career-high 12 assists against Eastern Washington and has had at least four assists in seven of her last eight games. The sophomore from Sammamish, Washington leads the Big Sky in three-pointers made (81) and three-pointers made per game (3.2). In addition, Marxen leads the Big Sky in minutes played per game with 38.0. She totaled 13 points, eight rebounds, and seven assist last time out against Sacramento State. Marxen has hit 146 career three-pointers as a Vandal which places her in 9^th place all-time.
Last time vs. Northern Colorado: In the first game of the season against Norther Colorado, Marxen totaled just seven points, but led the team in assists with six, to go along with five rebounds.
 
Beyonce Bea is right behind Marxen, averaging 12.8 points per game. The freshman from Washougal, Washington is playing an average of 34.2 minutes per game this season, more than any freshman in the conference. Bea scored a career-high 30 points along with a career-high seven assists and 10 rebounds for her second career double-double against Sacramento State on Saturday. Bea is averaging 5.9 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game this season whle making ab average of five field-goals per game.
Last time vs. Northern Colorado: Bea led the Vandals in scoring with 13 during the first game with the Bears this season. The freshman also chipped in two assists and one rebound.

Lizzy Klinker rounds out a group of three players averaging double-figures this season with 11.8 points per game and had a career-high 27 against Northern Arizona two games ago. Klinker, a senior, recorded her fourth career double-double on Saturday with 14 points and 10 rebounds against Sacramento State. Klinker enters her second to last home game in Moscow on Thursday.
Last time vs. Northern Colorado: Lizzy totaled eight points, four rebounds, and three assist last time out at Northern Colorado.
 
Natalie Klinker and her sister Lizzy each lead the Vandals on the boards this season with 6.9 per game. Natalie is averaging a Big Sky second-best 2.8 offensive rebounds per game.
Last time vs. Northern Colorado: Natalie led the Vandals with 10 rebounds during the first meeting with Northern Colorado. She also scored three points.
 
Idaho continues to lead the Big Sky defensively in field-goal percentage defense and scoring defense. The Vandals lead the conference in scoring defense allowing just 59.5 points per game. If the tough defense continues Idaho could set an all-time school record surpassing 58.7 points per game from the 1979-1980 season. Idaho held the Bears to just 47 points in their previous meeting this season.


SCOUTING THE BEARS


Northern Colorado (11-14, 7-9) enters the contest following a home loss to Idaho State on Saturday.

The Bears offense is led by two players averaging double-digits per game. Alexis Chapman leads Northern Colorado with 12.6 points per game, while Alisha Davis is averaging 11.2 points per game.
Last time vs. Idaho: Chapman scored just nine points against Idaho earlier this season while also totaling three rebounds.  
Davis leads the Bears in rebounds with 6.7 rebounds per game and is third in the Big Sky in blocks with 2.1 per game.
Last time vs. Idaho: The freshman, Davis, led Northern Colorado with 10 points against Idaho in Janurary. Davis was tied for the team lead in rebounds with six while also recording five blocks.
The Bears rank ninth in the Big Sky in offense with 60.5 points per game, just behind Idaho with 64.8 per game. However, Northern Colorado is fifth in defense, allowing just 66 points per game.
Northern Colorado is averaging 41.0 rebounds per game, which ranks second in the Big Sky. The Bears are outrebounding their opponents by an average of 4.3 per game.


LAST TIME OUT VS NORTHERN COLORADO

Idaho and Northern Colorado last met on Jan. 25^th in Greely, Colorado. Idaho topped the Bears 57-46 in what was a low-scoring affair. Beyonce Bea led all scorers with 13 points.


SERIES HISTORY

Idaho is just 3-7 all-time against Northern Colorado. The Vandals won their first meeting of the last four earlier this season in Greeley. The Vandals have never beaten the Bears in back-to-back games.
 
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK


Gina Marxen was named the Big Sky Conference Player of the Week earlier this season as well as the Big Sky Player of the week by Collegesportsmaddness.com.

Lizzy Klinker earned recognition by Collegesportsmaddness.com as the Big Sky Player of the Week earlier this season.

WINNING 300: Head Coach Jon Newlee recorded his 300^th NCAA Division I win on Saturday at Sacramento State.

FOLLOW: Fans can follow the Vandals all season long on Twitter and Instagram, @VandalsWBB and with the Voice of the Vandals, Doug Taylor, at GoVandals.com/Listen. The game will air on PlutoTV channel 542. Visit