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MOSCOW, Idaho- The University of Idaho women's basketball team returns to action on Thursday, Jan. 28 following a week-long bye after splitting a series with Northern Colorado the week before. The Vandals (7-5,6-3) hit the road this week for games three and four of five consecutive road games with a series against Weber State (0-9, 0-6) in Dee Events Center at 5 p.m.
FOLLOW: Fans can watch the game live on the
PLUTO TV Channel 1054 and listen to the game with Doug Taylor at
Govandals.com/listen and on KMAX 840 AM. Live Stats can be found
here.
SCOUTING THE WILDCATS (0-9, 0-6 BSC): The Weber State Wildcats are still seeking their first win of the season. In nonconference play the Wildcats finished 0-4. After the start of Big Sky play was put on pause Weber State opened league play with six consecutive losses. Weber State will host the Vandals this week and are 0-3 in Dee Events Center.
As a team, Weber State is averaging 60.8 points per game which ranks last in the Big Sky. In addition, the Wildcats are giving up 76.4 points per game, ranking 10
th. Weber State's three-point defense ranks sixth in the Big Sky holding opponents to just 34.2 percent per game from downtown. The Wildcats are also a top-five rebounding team in the Big Sky, averaging 37.4 per game and are top-three in offensive rebounds per game with 13.4.
Kori Pentzer is leading the Wildcats with 11.1 points per game on the season. Pentzer scored a season-high 21 points in game one against Southern Utah. Jadyn Matthews leads the squad from three-point range, shooting 43.8 percent. Matthews also leads the charge on the boards, averaging 6.4 rebounds per game along with Emma Torbert. Aloma Solovi is Weber State's assist leader with 2.2 per game. Torbert has been the defensive leader for the Wildcats this season. She has totaled 14 steals and 11 blocks through nine games.
Most recently Weber State was swept by Southern Utah last week. The Thunderbirds won game one 77-68. In game two Weber State narrowly fell, 76-74, in double-overtime. Matthews and Daryn each led the Wildcats in the loss with 16 points apiece.
SCOUTING THE VANDALS (7-5, 6-2 BSC): Idaho finished 1-3 in nonconference play, but have found winning ways in the Big Sky. Idaho opened the season in conference play with a sweep over Sacramento State. After restarting the Big Sky season in late December, the Vandals split on the road at Northern Arizona and returned to Moscow for a series sweep over Southern Utah. Idaho began a five-game road-stint two weeks ago beginning with at series split at Northern Colorado. The Vandals are 7-5 overall and 6-2 in conference play. Idaho sits in second place in the conference standings just behind Idaho State. Idaho is 5-0 at home this year and 2-5 on the road. Three of the Vandals' five road losses were to top-25 ranked Power 5 schools in Texas, Arizona and Washington State.
The Vandals average 69.8 points per game, allowing 72.5 points per game. Idaho is one of the top rebounding teams in the Big Sky averaging 40.0 rebounds per game, just behind Southern Utah and Montana. The Vandals are the best team in the Big Sky in terms of turnovers, averaging a league-best 12.5 per game. The team has posted a 0.92 assist-to-turnover ratio this season, ranking fourth in the Big Sky.
Beyonce Bea leads Idaho with 15 points per game while two others are scoring in double-figures per game.
Gina Marxen is averaging 14.6 points per game followed by
Gabi Harrington (13.3).
Natalie Klinker leads Idaho's rebounding efforts with 10.3 rebounds per game, having only played in seven games this season.
Gina Marxen leads Idaho with a league best 49 assists on the season and is averaging 4.1 per game. In addition, Marxen has led Idaho in limiting turnovers only committing 18 herself. She is leading the league with a 2.7 assist-to-turnover-ratio. Marxen has been on a scoring tear lately averaging 17 points over the last five games. Marxen has led Idaho in scoring in all of their last five for a 4-1 record.
LAST TIME OUT: The Vandals defeated Northern Colorado in game two of their series on Saturday, Jan. 16, in Greeley, 74-57.
Gina Marxen led the Vandals with 21 points and four assists.
SERIES HISTORY: Idaho and Weber State have played each other 47-time priors to this week's series. Idaho leads the series 26-21 but is just 10-13 in Ogden. Idaho is 15-6 at home. Weber State's last win in the series was on Feb. 24, 2018, in Moscow, 105-88. Idaho hasn't lost to the Wildcats on the road since 2006.
HEATING UP: Beyonce Bea is still leading the Vandals in scoring this season averaging 15 points per game but
Gina Marxen is close behind with 14.6 per game. In the last games Marxen has led the Vandals in scoring and is averaging 17 points per game. Over the last five games Marxen has made 16 three pointers and is shooting 55 percent from downtown
TAKING CARE OF THE BALL: Last season one of many staples for the Vandals was limiting turnovers, a stat they led the Big Sky in. The trend continues this season as they are averaging a league-best 12.5 turnovers per game. It all starts with junior point guard
Gina Marxen. Marxen has dished out 49 of the Vandals 138 total assists so far this season and has only committed 18 turnovers. She leads the Big Sky with a 2.7 assist to turnover ratio and ranks 31st nationally. As a team the Vandals rank fourth in the Big Sky with a 0.92 A/TO ratio on the season. The Vandals have committed less than 15 turnovers in nine games this season and have won the turnover battle in seven games. All seven of Idaho's wins have come when they have won the turnover battle. Dating back to last season the Vandals have only turned the ball over 15 or more times in 10 of their last 43 games and are 26-9 when committing less than 15 turnovers.
LETTING IT FLY: Jon Newlee's Vandals have always been known to shoot the three ball and have success at it. The Vandals returned to their sharp shooting ways against Northern Colorado draining a season-high 14 three-pointers for 56 percent.
GETTING TO THE LINE: One successful mark for the Vandals this season has been the ability to get to the free-throw line. Idaho has drawn 228 fouls this year and has attempted 221 free-throws so far. Idaho has only committed 157 fouls and has given up 1591 free-throw attempts. The Vandals are shooting 73.3 percent from the line on the season.
Gina Marxen leads the squad in getting to the line with 3.7 fouls drawn per game. She is shooting 41-of-50 from the charity stripe. On average the Vandals are attempting 18 free throws per game. Against Northern Colorado the Vandals struggled at getting to the line attempting just four and 14, respectively in the series. However, Idaho missed just two free-throws in the whole series, shooting 16-of-18.
DEFENSIVE DISCIPLINE: While Idaho's defense has allowed more points this season than last year on average, this year's squad has played very disciplined defense. The Vandals are committing just 13.1 fouls per game which is the best mark in the Big Sky and fourth-best in NCAA Division I. Idaho has totaled 157 fouls this season which is the second-fewest in the Big Sky behind Portland State (156) who has played two less games.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN: After a bye week the Vandals return to the road to face Weber State in Ogden, Utah, for a two-game series. Next the Vandals will cap off a five-game road trip in Cheney, Washington against Eastern Washington before completing the series on Saturday, Feb. 6, in Moscow.
KIBRY AT THE LINE: Allison Kirby is on pace to become the best free-throw shooter in Idaho women's basketball history. Kirby is shooting 91.7 percent from the line this season (11-of-12) and 91 percent in her career (91-100). If Kirby continues this pace, she will set the all-time career free-throw percentage record. The current record is 89 percent held by Jenifer Clay.
Fans can stay up-to-date on all things Idaho women's basketball by following the team on twitter and Instagram, @VandalsWBB.
For more information on Idaho Athletics, visit GoVandals.com. Fans can also find Idaho on Twitter and Instagram, @Idaho_Vandals, or on Facebook by searching Idaho Vandals.
