Trevor Delaney
Sports Editor
The air hung over the game with a heaviness that clung to the walls of the Reed’s gym so palpable that you could reach out and touch it. The once roaring stands are filled with deafening silence, captivated fans replaced by more subdued cardboard cutouts. Rubber squeaking against the court, both teams reaching for one step closer to the coveted Big Sky title.
The Idaho State women’s basketball team won a hard-fought victory Thursday night against the Portland State Vikings, finishing with a final score of Idaho State with 80 points and Portland with 55.
Thursday’s game started with a close couple of quarters with Portland leading in the first half of the game, followed by a strong finish by Idaho State.
Idaho State’s Dora Goles scored a phenomenal 22 points in Thursday night’s winning game, shooting five of the team’s nine three-pointers. Diaba Konate also had a remarkable shooting record this game with 14 points scored. Estefania Ors also shot 11 points during Thursday’s game, with a 100 percent three-pointer record.
The second home game the Bengals played against the Vikings this week ended in yet another triumph for Idaho State, with a 70-62 lead.
Idaho State had a great first quarter, gaining an astonishing lead of 21 to 9. Portland gained some face back in the second quarter with a 16-10 lead over Idaho. The third and fourth quarters saw a much closer game, with Idaho gaining an additional one-point lead per quarter in the second half.
Junior Callie Bourne of the Bengals scored a whopping 18 points during Saturday’s game, for a season total so far of 129.
Goles played another strong game Saturday with three effective three-pointers and 13 total points scored for the team.
Idaho State Senior Delaney Moore added another 14 points to the scoreboard on Saturday, with two successful free throws.
With two consecutive wins against Portland, Idaho State’s season is shaping up to be a landslide.
These two wins leave the Bengals at a 12-1 season record overall, with an undefeated 10-0 winning streak in Big Sky Conference standing.
The Idaho State women’s basketball team will play Southern Utah University at 6:30 P.M. MST this Thursday, January 28, in Cedar City Utah. The Bengals will play Southern Utah again at 12 P.M. MST this Saturday, Jan. 30, once more in Cedar City.
