Nieman Comes To Terms With The Wolf Pack Idaho Star Pours In 36 Points As Vandals Take Second Place

Alli Nieman, who is in the first trimester of her college life at the University of Idaho, had a career day against the University of Nevada Sunday afternoon.

Nieman scored 36 points on 14-of-16 shooting, pulled in seven rebounds and blocked three shots as the Vandals routed the Wolf Pack 92-57 at Memorial Gym. The win allowed Idaho to jump past Nevada in the Big West Conference’s Eastern Division standings.

The Vandals, in second place at 6-4 (11-11 overall), travel to Western Division rival Long Beach State (5-6, 8-14) Wednesday. Next Sunday at 1:35 p.m., they play host to Eastern Division leader Boise State (7-3, 9-12.)

Four teams from each division will qualify for the the Big West Conference tournament, March 5, 6 and 8 at Reno, Nev. The odds-on favorite to win and earn an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament is Western leader UC Santa Barbara (10-1, 17-5).

“We’re hoping we’re going to play them (UCSB) in the finals and win that game,” said Idaho coach Julie Holt, who’s late in the third trimester of her second pregnancy with a belly as big as a beach ball.

“Then I’m going to come home and have my baby. And then we’re going to the NCAA tournament. That’s my plan.”

The first part of the plan, which was to avenge a 75-64 January loss to Nevada (11-11, 6-5), evolved with very few labor pains.

The Vandals began pulling away when senior guard Ari Skorpik hit back-to-back 3-pointers for a 24-15 lead with 11:15 left in the half.

Nieman scored 21 points in the first half, nine in the final 2 minutes. Her flurry featured a layup, two jump shots and a 3-pointer that gave the Vandals a 52-25 halftime lead.

Nieman opened the second half with a layup then hit her next five shots. She also was 6 of 6 from the free-throw line. Her previous best games had been 28-point showings against Eastern Washington and New Mexico State.

When the freshman forward from Sandpoint High School exited for good with 1:18 left in the game and the Vandals ahead 90-55, the 723 spectators applauded her generously.

“In the first half, they were kind of playing a zone, so I was playing more outside,” said Nieman, also a volleyball player who redshirted this past fall. “They kinda had to come out on me, so then I could get to the inside. I got a lot of good feeds from the guards.”

Kelli Johnson had five assists and Skorpik added four. Reserve guard Amy Lemm accounted for three more.

“The other players took the pressure off her (Nieman),” Holt said. “We had some perimeter players step up and make some shots.”

Idaho center Michelle Greenwood also had a big day, scoring 17 points and pulling in five rebounds. Nonetheless, the Wolf Pack outrebounded Idaho, 44-31, behind 6-foot-6 Jelena Zrnic’s nine rebounds. The former North Idaho College player finished with six points.

“She has improved enormously,” Holt said. “I’m impressed with what Reno (Nevada) has done with her. She deserves a lot of credit because she has worked at it.”

Idaho 92, Nevada 57

Nevada (11-11, 6-5) - Owens 2-3 0-0 4, Huntington 3-11 2-4 9, Zrnic 2-10 2-2 6, Caldwell 1-5 0-0 2, Franceschini 1-2 0-0 2, Grebing 2-5 0-0 5, Fable 2-4 0-0 4, Meyer 1-4 0-0 2, Crenshaw 0-5 3-6 3, Donadelle 2-6 6-6 10, Branch 4-5 2-4 10, Valentine 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 20-60 15-22 57.

Idaho (11-11, 6-4) - Gussett 4-5 2-4 10, Nieman 14-16 6-6 36, Greenwood 6-13 2-2 17, Johnson 3-11 2-2 8, Skorpik 5-7 0-0 12, Ortner 1-2 0-0 2, McDaniel 0-3 0-0 0, Newman 0-3 1-2 1, Lemm 0-0 0-0 0, Blakley 1-2 0-0 2, Stone 2-4 0-0 4. Totals 36-66 13-16 92.

Halftime-Idaho 52, Nevada 25. 3-point goals-Nevada 2-12 (Grebing 1-2, Huntington 1-6, Caldwell 0-1, Fable 0-1, Meyer 0-1, Branch 0-1), Idaho 7-15 (Greenwood 3-4, Nieman 2-3, Skorpik 2-4, Ortner 0-1, Johnson 0-3). Fouled out-Caldwell, Donadelle. Rebounds-Nevada 44 (Zrnic 9), Idaho 31 (Nieman 7). Assists- Nevada 6 (Franceschini 2), Idaho 19 (Johnson 5). Total fouls- Nevada 22, Idaho 20. Technicals-None. A-723.

, DataTimes