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BOISE, Idaho- The University of Idaho Women's Basketball defeated No. 3 Montana State, 80-64, Wednesday night to advance to the Big Sky Championship tomorrow at 11 a.m. PT/12 p.m. MT against No. 1 Idaho State.
The Vandals advance to the Big Sky final for the fourth time since returning to the Big Sky conference in 2014.
Idaho boasts the league's best offense entering the semifinal, scoring 73.1 points per game, led by two of the league's top scorers in
Gabi Harrington (16.7) and
Beyonce Bea (16.3)
The Vandals also are one of the top rebounding teams in the Big Sky, averaging 41.6 rebounds per game. Idaho outrebounded the Bobcats 42-32 last night.
Natalie Klinker had her fourth double-double with a career-high 19 points and 11 rebounds. Bea totaled a game-high 21 points and freshman
Sydney Gandy totaled 19 points.
Thursday's game will be streamed live on
Pluto TV Chanel 1050. You can listen to the game with Doug Taylor on KMAX 840 AM or at govandals.com/listen. Live Stats can be found
here.
QUOTES Head Coach Jon Newlee
SCOUTING THE BENGALS
Idaho State entered the conference tournament as the No. 1 overall seed after a 15-2 Big Sky record. The Bobcats defeated No. 8 Portland State, 66-50, in the quarterfinals, advancing to the semifinals to face Northern Colorado. The Bengals advanced to the Big Sky Championship defeating the Bears 65-55.
Dora Goles leads the Bengals with 12.6 points per game while Diaba Konate is scoring 11.4. Goles earned All-Big Sky first team honors while Konate was featured on the second team.
Idaho State is just a few spots behind Idaho in scoring on the season, averaging 71.7 points per game. The Bengals boast the league's second-best defense giving up just 59.3 points per game. The Bengals are fourth in the league in rebounds at 39.3 per game. Idaho State does have issues turning the ball over at times averaging 15.3 per game which is the sixth worst in the league.
LAST TIME OUT VS IDAHO STATE
Idaho and Idaho State met twice this season, splitting the series. Idaho State took game one in Moscow, 63-58 before the Vandals handed the Bengals their first Big Sky loss of the season, 73-56.
VANDALS vs. BENGALS ALL-TIME
Idaho is 34-14 against the Bengals all-time. In neutral site contests the Vandals are 2-1. Last time on a neutral court the Vandals took down Idaho State 66-51 in the Big Sky semifinal game. The two sides met in the Big Sky Championship game in 2016 with the Vandals winning 67-55. The series is split 5-5 over the last ten meetings. Under Coach Newlee the Vandals are 7-7 against Idaho State.
POSTSEASON NOTES
In the final again: The Vandals reach the Big Sky Conference Championship game for the second consecutive season and the third time in four years. Last year's championship game was canceled due to COVID-19. Idaho lost to Northern Colorado in the conference championship in 2017-18. Idaho lost in the semifinals of the 2018-19 tournament.
Winning Championships: The Vandals will go for their fifth conference championship in13 years under Coach Newlee and their third Big Sky Championship. Newlee is also seeking his fourth conference tournament championship (second Big Sky) and fourth NCAA Tournament berth. The Vandals are looking to get back to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2016 after defeating Idaho State in the conference championship game.
Pouring on the points: The Vandals lead the Big Sky with 73.1 points per game and are averaging 72 per game two games into the conference tournament. The Vandals hung 80 on Montana State last time out. Idaho is 11-0 when scoring 70 or more points.
On the glass: Idaho finished the season second in the Big Sky in rebounding with 41.1 per game. The Vandals were also second in defensive rebounds per game with 28.8. Idaho is 13-0 when outrebounding its opponents and has outrebounded both NAU and Montana State.
Limiting turnovers: Idaho finished the season averaging just 11.9 turnovers per game to lead the Big Sky, ranking 13th in NCAA Division I. In addition, the Vandals posted a 1.1 assist-to-turnover ratio which is second in the Big Sky. Idaho is averaging just 10.5 turnovers in the tournament.
Gandy in the tournament: The freshman from Long Beach, California is averaging 21 points per game in her Big Sky tournament debut. She is shooting 43.7 percent from the field and 42.8 percent from three-point range.
Klinker in the tournament: The senior post is averaging 12.5 points and 8.0 rebounds per game in the tournament. She is shooting 76.9 percent from the field. She scored a career-high 19 points and had 11 rebounds for her fourth double-double of the season against Montana State.
Bea in the tournament: The sophomore All-Big Sky first teamer is averaging 14.5 points and 8.0 rebounds per game in Boise. She's shooting 46.1 percent from the field.
Kirby in the tournament: The senior point guard has filled in the starting lineup for the Vandals in the absence of
Gina Marxen. Kirby is averaging 6.0 points, 9.5 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game in the tournament. She had 12 rebounds against NAU and dished out six assists against Montana State.
Harrington in the tournament: The graduate transfer is averaging 15 points and 9.5 rebounds per game this week. She had 22 points and a team-high 13 rebounds against NAU.
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 1050. Visit govandals.com for more information.
