MOSCOW, Idaho – The Vandal women's basketball team dropped a hard-fought game to Texas A&M Commerce, 72-71 on Friday night. Graduate transfer, Hope Butera had a career night recording her second double-double of the season with 23 points and 16 rebounds.
Tonight's game provided plenty of entertainment to the Vandal fans who made it to the ICCU Arena despite the first major snowfall of the year. The Vandals faced their closest match of the season, changing the lead 19 times in a battle fought to the very last second. Butera dominated the paint on both ends, grabbing more offensive rebounds than the Lions overall.
The game was a tale of two halves as the Vandals' shots fell in the first while the Lions took their turn in the second half. In the first 10, Idaho started hot, led by Butera with eight points. She shot 4-7 from the field and grabbed five rebounds. The quarter ended 17-17 with Asha Phillips scoring her first points on a pump fake at the buzzer. Both teams struggled shooting under 40% from field goal and three-point range.
Idaho overtook the lead in the second quarter, outscoring the Lions 17-15. Butera tallied another six points, missing only one attempt from the paint, and grabbed another five rebounds. Amalie Langer was the second-highest scorer with four points. In the second quarter alone, there were five lead changes. Texas A&M Commerce took the lead and held on to it until Idaho went on a 7-0 run, forcing a timeout and regaining the lead. The last three minutes were uneventful for the Vandals, but the run held their lead at half 34-32.
Butera matched her previous season high of 14 points in just one half of play, shooting 7-11 from the field and 6-7 for her last seven shots. She also totaled 10 rebounds, three offensive and seven defensive, earning her second double-double on the season and second-straight at home. The Vandals saw success shooting from the field, going 16-39 (41.0%) but lacked in converting three-point attempts (2-11). The Lions excelled where the Vandals struggled, shooting 4-9 (44.4%) from beyond the arc. Texas A&M Commerce did not allow Idaho a single free throw attempt in the first half.
The third quarter ultimately ended up being the deciding factor in tonight's loss. The Lions simply could not miss, outscoring Idaho 22-12. The Lions' Mary Delgado drained 10 points, shooting 4-6 from the field and 2-3 from three. Idaho attempted the same number of shots as the Lions but could not find the lucky bounce. At this point in the game, the Lions were shooting 50% from the three-point range while Idaho was shooting 14.3%.
The Vandals were not ready to give up that easily as the fourth quarter started. Idaho turned around a potential Lion point off a turnover into an "and 1" to decrease the deficit. Kennedy Johnson scooped up the loose ball in the Vandal defensive half and sailed the ball cross-court to Sarah Schmitt waiting on the other end. Schmitt made the layup and was fouled in the process where she converted from the line.
On the next possession, Johnson drained a three to regain the lead. From that point on, the lead changed nine more times as both teams fought to gain the edge. With less than two seconds left, the Vandals were down one point and with the ball on the end line. The ball was put in play and Johnson attempted a flip shot behind her head but came up short.
The Vandals return to the road to take on Oregon for their lone match of the week. They will face the Ducks on Friday night at 6 p.m. PST.
