MOSCOW, Idaho –The University of Idaho women's basketball fell to 6-5 overall and 5-2 in Big Sky play falling to Northern Colorado (4-7, 1-2) 63-61 in the final seconds. The Vandals led for 19 total minutes after falling behind 11-0 to begin the game. Northern Colorado's Micayla Isenbart drilled a jumper with 0.9 seconds remaining to give the Bears a 63-61 advantage. The Vandals totaled a season-high 13 three pointers as four players scored in double-figures. Junior Gina Marxen led the Vandals with 18 points. Northern Colorado held the Vandals to just one point in the final 3:46.

THE GAME
 
Idaho fell behind to begin the game as Northern Colorado opened on an 11-0 run. Junior Gina Marxen finally put the Vandals on the board, draining a three-pointer at the 5:50 mark. Marxen and junior Rylee Alexander combined for the next five points, capping an 8-0 run and closing the Bears' lead to three, 11-8. A Hailey Christopher layup with 1:21 remaining cut Northern Colorado's lead back to three, 15-12. Both sides were scoreless the rest of the way in the first.
 
Freshman Paris Atchley tied the game at 15 each a little over a minute into the second period, hitting a three-pointer in transition. Sophomore Beyonce Bea gave Idaho their first lead of the game,17-15, following a step-back jumper with 8:04 to play in the period. Marxen's second three-pointer of the game gave the Vandals a 20-16 lead and capped a 20-5 run from the first period. Northern Colorado tied the game with a quick four points, 20-20, at the 5:22 mark. Both sides traded buckets down the stretch before junior Hailey Christopher drained a three-pointer giving Idaho a 26-25 lead at halftime.

Out of halftime both sides found offensive success. The Vandals narrowly edged the Bears 23-22 in the third period. After trading baskets to begin, Beyonce Bea made a three-pointer, giving Idaho a 37-32 lead at the 7:56 mark. The Vandals would hold a lead the rest of the way but could not build on the five-point advantage. Micayla Isenbart cut Idaho's lead to two, 49-47, just before the end of the period.
 
Northern Colorado outpaced Idaho 16-12 in the final period. The Bears quickly tied the game up at 49 apiece, and took a 52-49 lead less than a minute in following a three-pointer from Alexis Chapman. Idaho responded with three straight three-pointers over the next three minutes, taking a 58-52 lead with 5:09 to play for their largest lead of the game. Beyonce Bea's three-pointer to put Idaho up six was the 13^th three of the game for the team, their highest of the season. Idaho was unable to hit a field-goal the rest of the way and fell to Northern Colorado on a last second jumper from Isenbart, 63-61.
 
THE QUOTES Head Coach Jon Newlee
 
"Our execution down the stretch was not good offensively or defensively. We were trying to get a foul at the end. We thought we fouled but there was no whistle so obviously we didn't, so then they get their shot. The last minute we didn't run our stuff the way we have been practicing all year. It didn't just come down to the final shot. We had breakdowns and didn't take care of the basketball and it ultimately cost us this ball game.
 
"We talked about trying to get out and start quick and it certainly was the opposite, but it was great for us to take the lead and take control of the game. We had our chances, we missed a couple lay ups, missed a couple shots you know, and it was tough sledding out there, I can tell you that."
 
"At times our offense did a good job in transition. I thought we dd a pretty good job spacing the floor, but we will go back to that and really just try and clean up some of the things. Apparently, we were setting a lot of illegal screens, so we are going to have to make sure we are set on screens and clean up our offense a little bit."
 
THE NAME
 
Gina Marxen led the Vandals in scoring for the fourth game in a row totaling a team-high 18 points on four-of-seven shooting from three-point range. Marxen played all 40 minutes and was 6-of-10 from the field and two-of-two from the free-throw line. She also dished out three assists and recorded two steals.
 
THE NOTES
 
Idaho finished shooting 54 percent from three-point range and totaled a season-high 13 made three-pointers. Seven of eight players who played in tonight's game for the Vandals hit a three-pointer. Northern Colorado was 9-of-16 from downtown for 56.3 percent.
 
Marxen led four Vandals who scored in double-figures with 18 points. Gabi Harrington and Beyonce Bea chipped in 10 and 12, respectively, while Hailey Christopher added 12 off the bench. Christopher scored 12 of Idaho's 15 total bench points.
 
Each team turned the ball over 18 times, but the Bears held a slight advantage in points-off-turnovers 19-17.
 
Northern Colorado held the advantage on the boards 25-19 as each team shot over 45 percent from the floor.
 
UP NEXT:
 
The Vandals will return to action on Saturday against the Bears. Tip-off is set for 11 a.m. PT.