Box Score BOISE, Idaho – One year after having its championship matchup canceled No. 2 Idaho defeated No. 3 Montana State, 80-64, in the Big Sky Tournament Semifinals. The Vandals advance to face the top-seeded Bengals of Idaho State on Friday at 11 a.m. PT/12 p.m. MT.
The Vandals scored 58 points in the second half to move past the Bobcats. Montana State scored just 26 points in the final 20 minutes.
Idaho and Idaho State split the regular season series in Moscow in February. Friday's championship game will be streamed on PlutoTV channel 1050.
THE GAME
Montana State held a 38-32 advantage at the break, before a huge Vandal run in the third flipped things in Idaho's favor.
The Vandals opened the third with a 17-1 run to get up by double-digits.
Beyonce Bea nailed two jumpers and a pair of free-throws, to open the third period on a 6-0 run of her own.
Gabi Harrington added onto the run, hitting a three-pointer at the 7:57 mark, giving the Vandals a 41-38 lead, they would not relinquish. Bea added another jumper at the 4:40 mark to give Idaho a ten-point lead, 49-39.
Allison Kirby closed the period with a buzzer-beating jumper to make it 59-47 through three.
A quick three-pointer from the Bobcats thirty seconds into the fourth cut the lead to nine, 59-50. Kirby put the Vandals back up by double-digits, 63-51 with 8:02 to play. The Bobcats made a late push in the fourth before
Sydney Gandy put the Vandals 13, with 3:01 to play. The Vandals would go on to win 80-64, punching a ticket to the Big Sky Championship.
THE NOTES
Beyonce Bea led the Vandals with 21 points to go with eight rebounds.
Natalie Klinker scored a career-high 19 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for the double-double.
Sydney Gandy had another strong game with 17 points on 6-of-12 shooting, including 3-of-6 from beyond the arc.
Idaho outrebounded the Bobcats 42-32.
Natalie Klinker led the squad with 11 rebounds while
Beyonce Bea chipped in eight.
The Vandals shot 50 percent from the field and held the Bobcats to 34.9 percent.
THE QUOTES
Up Next: The Vandals would take on Idaho State in the Big Sky Championship on Friday at 11 a.m. PT/12 p.m. MT.
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