Jenna Larson
Idaho State University Sports Information
CEDAR CITY, Utah – The Idaho State women’s basketball team dropped its second-straight contest with a 76-70 loss to Southern Utah Thursday evening at the America First Events Center in Cedar City, Utah.
“Some of it was us, and some of it was them,” Head Coach Seton Sobolewski said. “We gave them hope and they felt like they could compete with us, and they did.”
Idaho State (8-5, 0-2 BSC) limited Southern Utah (2-12, 1-2 BSC) to just eight points in the opening period, and both squads netted an even 14 in the second quarter to give the Bengals a four-point cushion heading into the break, 26-22.
Idaho State extended its lead to open the third quarter with a layup from Saylair Grandon 44 seconds into the period. Yet the Thunderbirds stormed ahead, putting together a 16-4 run to take a six-point lead, 38-32, with 4:53 remaining. Southern Utah ended up finishing with 28 third-quarter points shooting 58 percent from the floor, but over half of the T-Birds points came from beyond-the-arc as they finished 6-of-9 from long range.
SUU led by as many as 12 in the third, but a 7-0 Bengal run cut the lead to five, 47-42, with 57 seconds remaining. Yet the hot-shooting T-Birds converted a three at the buzzer to give them an eight-point lead heading into the final quarter.
The Bengals came alive offensively in the fourth, pouring in 28 points in the final 10 minutes off 10-of-18 from the floor. Yet with just over five minutes remaining, SUU held a 13-point lead, its largest of the night. Idaho State was solid from the floor in the final minutes, making all six of its attempts in the final three minutes, but 13 fourth-quarter fouls sent SUU to the line 16 times. The Thunderbirds converted 12-of-16 attempts to seal the six-point win, 76-70.
Idaho State was led by junior forward Grace Kenyon with 14 points and 12 boards for her second-straight double-double while senior guard Brooke Blair added 14 points of her own. Sophomore guard Estefania Ors finished with 13 points, and sophomore guard Dora Goles added eight points, all in the final period, to help fuel ISU’s 28-point fourth quarter.
“Grace did a great job,” Sobolewski said. “She put in a terrific effort; there are so many times she does well. She would have played the entire game if she didn’t foul out.”
Southern Utah finished with four players in double-figures, led by Rebecca Cardenas with 17 points and seven boards. Breanu Reid added 15 points, while Whitney Johnson and Natalie Sanchez finished with 13 and 11 respectively.
Idaho State continues play on the road at Northern Arizona on Saturday, Jan. 6 at the Walkup Skydome in Flagstaff, Ariz. Tipoff is set for 5 p.m. MST.
