Denim Millward
Sports Editor
Mid-November rang in the beginning of the regular season for the Idaho State Women’s Basketball teams.
Despite a considerable amount of roster turnover and role change, the team didn’t have the luxury of an easy start.
Seton’s Sebolewski’s women’s team began the season with the formidable task of taking on the Pac-12 Washington State Cougars in Pullman on Nov. 16. In what amounted to be the very first collegiate playing time several of the Bengals had seen, the Bengals were outmatched and fell to the Cougars 84-34.
On Nov. 18, the Bengals traveled to Spokane, Washington for a match-up against the nationally-ranked Gonzaga Bulldogs, with only a single day of rest in between the two contests. The Bengals traded baskets and the lead in the first half, holding a lead as late as 3:22 left in the first half, and trailed by a single point at halftime.
The Bulldogs pulled away in the second half, riding a wave of momentum and a 48-17 free throw disparity to defeat the Bengals by a final score of 88-63.
“We definitely showed improvement from the Washington State game,” Sobolewski said to ISU Sports Information following the game. “The difference tonight was that we ran our offense better and made open shots. I thought we started the game with some really good momentum. We shot the ball well and rebounded in the first half.”
The Bengals notched their first win of the season Nov. 24 in front of a home crowd at Reed Gym in Pocatello against Northwest Nazarene University.
The contest was a coming out party of sorts for freshman forward Megan Hochstein, who made the most of her opportunity in her first home game. The Meridian, Idaho native dominated the offensive glass and finished with 20 points on a blistering 9-of-10 shooting.
“I definitely get a lot of looks because of my teammates,” Hochstein told ISU Sports Information after the game. “Our team chemistry is getting better the more that we do.”
Sophomore guard Grace Kenyon displayed an impressive all-around game, earning a double-double with 17 points and 13 rebounds while also dishing out six assists.
Junior guard Apiphany Woods and senior guard Jasmine Lemon also scored in double figures, each tallying 14 points.
Shortly after their first home contest of the season, Sobolewski’s squad departed for San Juan, Puerto Rico to take part in the San Juan Shootout, an early-season tournament that began Nov. 27.
The Bengals first took on the San Diego State Aztecs in a battle that closely resembled the earlier game against Gonzaga, both in level of opponent and result of the game.
The Bengals went to the locker room with a 32-30 lead after the first half, only to see that lead evaporate in the second half of play, eventually falling to the Aztecs 68-53.
Despite the setback, the Bengals managed to end the tournament on a high note the following day against the University of Houston Cougars.
Junior forward Anna Lee Policicchio scored a career-high 20 points, including a buzzer-beating three pointer at the end of the first half to send the Bengals to the locker room with a 34-31 advantage.
“She shot the ball really well but more importantly she took good shots,” Sobolewski said to ISU Sports Information of Policicchio, who also pulled down six rebounds and blocked five shots. “She did a good job of putting herself in a position to make some layups.”
Woods scored in double figures for the third consecutive game, scoring 15 points on an efficient 5-of-8 shooting.
Staunch defense and dominance in the paint were two key points in the Bengals victory, as they outscored the Cougars 30-12 in the paint and forced them to shoot just 38.6 percent from the field.
The Bengals return to action within the friendly confines of Reed Gym Dec. 4 in a match-up against in-state rival Boise State that will tip off at 7 p.m.
