BOISE, Idaho – Idaho Vandals (14-18) fell 73-67 in a thriller to Montana State (21-12) Wednesday night in the Big Sky Conference Tournament semifinals.

The Bobcats and Vandals battled for a spot in the Big Sky Tournament championship game. In the end of a hard-fought back-and-forth affair, Montana State was able to edge the Vandals.

Montana State started fast, quickly taking a 14-4 lead just over four minutes into the game. Ashlyn Wallace sparked the Vandals with a triple, that kick started a 12-2 response to tie the game at 16.

Trailing 22-18 to start the second quarter, The Vandals used a 9-0 run to take their first lead of the game at the 7:07 mark of the second. Idaho kept the pace up building a 10-point lead with four minutes left in the half. Montana State was about to close out the half on a 14-4 run the cut the Vandal lead to one at 40-39.

The Vandals held the lead for the third quarter, twice building the lead back up to seven. But again, the Bobcats battled back to trim the Vandal lead to 56-55 heading into the fourth quarter.

The teams traded leads early in the fourth before free-throws down the stretch allowed MSU to escape with the win. Neither team made a field goal in the final 5:25 of the game. The Vandals shot 26.6 percent from the floor in the fourth.

The Vandals shot 43.3 percent from the field (26-40) and were efficient from distance connecting on 11 of 27(40.7 percent) from beyond the arc.

Beyonce Bea recorded her ninth double-double of the season with a 22-point, 12 rebound performance. Allison Kirby grabbed a career-high 16 rebounds while scoring eight points and dishing out six assists. Louise Forsyth added 10 points.
 
Notes

• The Vandals committed 21 turnovers which the Bobcats were able to turn into 24 points.
• The Vandals were 4-11 from the free-throw line
• All seven Vandals scored.
• Idaho outrebounded MSU 43-38

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