FINAL SCORE: Idaho 69, Eastern Washington 63
 
RECORDS: Idaho (10-4, 1-0), Eastern Washington (7-7, 0-1) 
 
IDAHO LEADERS: Ana Pinheiro (15 points), Kyra Gardner (10 rebounds), Hope Hassmann (five assists), Debora dos Santos (three blocks)
 
NOTABLES: 

• With 15 points, this was the fourth consecutive game Ana Pinheiro has led Idaho in scoring
• Kyra Gardner notched her fourth double-double of the season with 11 points and 10 rebounds
• This was the 10^th time this season Hope Hassmann has led the team in assists
• Idaho and Northern Colorado became the first two Big Sky teams to 10 wins this season
• The Vandals held EWU to 21% shooting from outside

CHENEY, Wash. – The Idaho Vandals Women's Basketball team was back in action after a two-week break, and tipped off Big Sky play with a 69-63 win over the Eastern Washington Eagles on Saturday.

A back-and-forth first quarter saw the two long-time rivals exchange the lead four times. It was an 8-0 run, starting with a three-pointer from Ana Pinheiro and culminating in another triple from Lorena Barbosa, at the end of the period that gave Idaho the lead for good. That extended run gave the Vandals a 21-15 lead at the end of the first. 

The Eagles cut the Vandal lead to just four points early on in the second quarter, but Idaho's stifling defense held EWU to just two points in a nearly six-minute stretch of the second quarter, as the offense expanded the Mighty Vandal lead to 13 prior to the half, at 37-24. 

In the third, Idaho led by as much as 14 on a pair of occasions. Debora dos Santos, Hope Hassmann, Kyra Gardner, and Mary McMorris each had four points in the third to give the Vandal offense an ultra-balanced attack, and UI carried an 11-point advantage to the final quarter.

EWU came into the fourth quarter on fire, starting the final stanza on a 13-3 run to make it a 58-57 game in favor of the Vandals, but Idaho never stopped fighting and responded to Eastern's efforts. The Eagles held possession, and Gardner picked off the inbounds pass and finished a layup in traffic to stop EWU's momentum. Following that, every time the Eagles tried to chip into the Idaho lead, the Vandals answered. Pinheiro, Lorena Barbosa, Ella Uriarte, and Hassmann each scored crucial points down the stretch, and Idaho walked out of Reese Court in Cheney victorious, starting the Big Sky season off with a win. 

UP NEXT: The Vandals stay on the road and will be playing at Montana on Thursday, Jan. 8. That game will tip off at 6 p.m. PT and can be seen on ESPN+ or heard on the Vandal Radio network.

TICKETS: Tickets can be purchased here or by calling the Vandal ticket office at (208) 885-6466. 

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