BOZEMAN, Mont. – Beyonce Bea tallied 27 points on the night, marking her ninth game this season scoring 23 or more. Ashlyn Wallace was hot-handed in the fourth quarter with eight points, but the Vandals could not overcome the Bobcats and fell short 72-65.

The result came down to a matter of three throws. Idaho gave up 24 free throw attempts and the Bobcats benefited from 21 of them. Idaho was unable to find a rhythm, finishing the game shooting an average of 35.5% (22-62) from the field, 26.3% (10-38) from the three-point range, and 73.3% (11-15) from the line while the Bobcats shot 40% (24-60) from the field, 25% (3-12) from the three-point range, and 87.5% (21-24) from the line.

The Vandals had a hot start in the first quarter, with four different athletes scoring from three-point range. Bea led with six points followed by Asha Phillips with five as well as Sydney Gandy, Tiana Johnson, and Sarah Brans with three apiece. Idaho rounded out the first 10 minutes with a 20-19 lead.

Montana State held the Vandals to only 14 points in the second quarter, with six points from Bea, three from Gandy and Wallace, and two from Rosa Smith. Bea closed the half shooting 5-6 from the field and 2-2 from the line. Gandy led Idaho with seven three-point attempts. The Bobcats took the one-point lead going into the half with 16 points from the bench.

Idaho committed seven fouls in the third quarter alone, giving up eight points from the line. The Vandals shot 31.3% (5-16) from the field compared to the Bobcats' 41.7% (5-12). Bea scored 10 points in the quarter going 3-4 from the field and 4-5 from the line.

The Vandals were close to a comeback in the fourth quarter after Wallace drained two threes back-to-back to cut the deficit to one point. With just under four minutes to go, Bea tipped a pass from the Bobcats where Smith recovered it and converted on the fast break, snatching the lead for the first time in the half, but it was short-lived. Montana State was able to regain the lead and add to it after a Vandal foul, winning the contest 72-65.

Idaho returns home this weekend and hosts Northern Arizona on Thursday, January 19^th at 6 p.m. and Northern Colorado on Saturday, January 21^st at 6 p.m.