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MOSCOW, Idaho- The University of Idaho women's basketball team returns to action on Thursday, Feb. 4 following a series sweep on the road at Weber State. The Vandals (7-5,6-3) hit the road this week for their fifth consecutive road contest, beginning a home-and-home series against Eastern Washington (6-9, 5-5) at Reese Court at 6 p.m.
FOLLOW: Fans can watch the game live on the
SWX 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 EAGLES (6-9, 5-5 BSC): The Eastern Washington Eagles are seeking their sixth and seventh conference wins of the season in a home-and-home series with Idaho. EWU was 1-4 in nonconference play before adding five Big Sky wins. After opening conference play with four straight wins the Eagles are just 1-5 in their last six games.
As a team, Eastern Washington is averaging 65.8 points per game which ranks eighth in the Big Sky. In addition, the Wildcats are giving up 70.1 points per game, ranking seventh. Eastern Washington ranks fourth around the Big Sky in field-goal percentage, shooting 40 percent from the field on the season.
Maisie Burnham leads the Eagles averaging 14.7 points per game. Three other players are averaging double-digits per game. Kennedy Dickie is behind Burnham with 12.5 points per game and is shooting 36.8 percent from three-point range. Dickie also leads EWU on the boards with 6.2 per game. Alaiyah Alexander is EWU's assist leader at 3.2 per game.
Most recently Eastern Washington split a series with Sacramento State at home. The Eagles fell in game one, 82-76, before defeating the Hornets, 73-61. Burnham and Grace Kirscher each scored 19 points in the win.
SCOUTING THE VANDALS (9-5, 8-2 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 a series split at Northern Colorado that was followed up with a series sweep over Weber State last week, extending a three-game win streak. The Vandals are 9-5 overall and 8-2 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 4-5 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 70.5 points per game, allowing 70.4 points per game. Idaho is one of the top rebounding teams in the Big Sky averaging 39 rebounds per game, just behind Southern Utah, Montana and Idaho State. The Vandals are the best team in the Big Sky in terms of turnovers, averaging a league-best 11.9 per game. The team has posted a 1.0 assist-to-turnover ratio this season, ranking first in the Big Sky.
Beyonce Bea leads Idaho with 16.2 points per game while two others are scoring in double-figures per game.
Gabi Harrington is scoring 14.4 per game while
Gina Marxen is averaging 13.9 per game.
Natalie Klinker leads Idaho's rebounding efforts with 10.3 rebounds per game, having only played in seven games this season. Bea is also averaging 7.7 rebounds per game and shooting 40 percent from the field.
Gina Marxen leads Idaho with a league best 62 assists on the season and is averaging 4.4 per game. In addition, Marxen has led Idaho in limiting turnovers only committing 20 herself. She is leading the league with a 3.1 assist-to-turnover-ratio. Bea has been on a scoring tear lately averaging 22 points over the last three games.
LAST TIME OUT: The Vandals defeated Weber State in game two of their series on Saturday, Jan. 30, in Ogden, 74-62.
Beyonce Bea led the Vandals with 24 points while
Gina Marxen had eight assists.
SERIES HISTORY: Idaho and Eastern Washington have played each other 79-times prior to this week's series. Idaho trails the series 37-42 and is just 15-24 in Cheney. Idaho is 20-14 at home. Weber State's last win in the series was on Jan. 12, 2018, in Cheney, 71-64. Idaho hasn't lost to the Eagles at home since 2016.
HEATING UP: Beyonce Bea is still leading the Vandals in scoring this season averaging 16.2 points per game and has been on the rise recently. On the Vandals' current three game winning streak Bea is averaging 22 points per game. She scored 23 and 24 against Weber State to lead the squad.
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 11.9 turnovers per game. It all starts with junior point guard
Gina Marxen. Marxen has dished out 62 of the Vandals 168 total assists so far this season and has only committed 20 turnovers. She leads the Big Sky with a 3.1 assist to turnover ratio and ranks 13th nationally. As a team the Vandals rank fourth in the Big Sky with a 1.01 A/TO ratio on the season. The Vandals have committed less than 15 turnovers in 11 games this season and have won the turnover battle in nine games. All nine 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 45 games and are 28-9 when committing less than 15 turnovers. In last week's games the Vandals committed less than 10 turnovers in both games totaling nine and seven, respectively. Seven is tied for a season low.
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. Hot shooting continued in the Weber State series as the side tied their season high with 14 in game one. In game two the Vandals totaled 10. Idaho is averaging 8.0 three-pointers made per game on the season. In the last five games the Vandals are averaging 10.8 three's per game. In their nine wins the Vandals are averaging 10.2 three pointers and just 5.2 in their five losses. Idaho is 7-0 when making at least nine three's and 2-5 when making seven or less.
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 268 fouls this year and has attempted 256 free-throws so far. Idaho has only committed 185 fouls (a conference best per game) and has given up just 188 free-throw attempts. The Vandals are shooting 74.2 percent from the line on the season and averaging 13.5 points per game from the line.
Gina Marxen leads the squad in getting to the line with 4.2 fouls drawn per game. She is shooting 50-of-59 from the charity stripe and was 9-for-9 last time out against Weber State with nine fouls drawn. On average the Vandals are attempting 18.2 free throws per game.
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 13.2 fouls per game which is the best mark in the Big Sky and ninth-best in NCAA Division I. Idaho has totaled 185 fouls this season which is the second-fewest in the Big Sky behind Portland State (163) who has played two less games.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN: After four straight road matches the Vandals will play one more before returning home on Saturday. Idaho will take on Eastern Washington on Thursday at 6 p.m. in Cheney. Washington. Idaho will host the Eagles on Saturday at noon in Memorial gym.
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.
MARXEN IN THE RECORD BOOKS: Throughout her career Marxen has been known as a sharpshooter and has been successful at it. Earlier this season Marxen moved into seventh place all-time in career three-pointers made in the Idaho record book. She sits behind Susan Woolf (205) with 187 career threes.
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.
