Nieman Leads Way As Idaho Tops Slo Johnson, Woolf Also Look Sharp In First Big West Victory Of Year

Alli Nieman scored 25 points and pulled down a career-high 18 rebounds Sunday to lead Idaho to its first 1998 Big West Conference victory, a 92-76 trouncing of Cal Poly in Mott Gym.

Nieman, who has scored in double figures in six straight games, went 6 of 10 from the field and 13 of 15 from the free-throw line as the Vandals improved to 5-10 and 1-1 in conference play. The Mustangs fell to 4-9, 1-2.

Defensively, Nieman had two steals, two blocked shots and collected 15 defensive rebounds. Her rebounding total broke her previous career-high of 17, set on two different occasions last year.

“That was huge,” Idaho coach Julie Holt said of Nieman’s rebounding. “That was a big difference in the game.”

Shooting guard Kelli Johnson also came up big for the Vandals, scoring 23 points, two short of her career-best mark, on 9-of-14 shooting.

Point guard Susan Woolf collected a career-high nine assists in addition to her 16 points.

Idaho 92, Cal Poly SLO 76

Idaho (5-10, 1-1) - Gussett 2-6 0-1 4, Nieman 6-10 13-15 25, Stone 3-7 3-3 9, Johnson 9-14 2-2 23, Woolf 4-8 7-10 16, Newman 2-6 0-0 4, McDaniel 3-6 4-4 11, Rico 0-0 0-0 0, Bloom 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 29-57 29-35 92.

Cal Poly SLO (4-9, 1-2) - Crafton 1-6 1-2 3, Bevien 3-4 0-1 6, Garrett 5-12 4-6 14, Maristela 7-10 4-7 21, Frazier 4-9 1-1 9, Barbone 1-5 0-0 2, Lee 0-1 2-2 2, Sperry 1-4 0-0 2, Osorio 4-13 1-2 11, Oaks 1-1 0-0 2, Sorosky 1-4 2-3 4, Durnin 0-0 0-0 0, Knight 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 28-70 15-24 76.

Halftime - Idaho 42, Cal Poly SLO 28. 3-point goals - Idaho 5-15 (Johnson 3-7, McDaniel 1-2, Woolf 1-5, Gussett 0-1), Cal Poly SLO 5-13 (Maristela 3-3, Osorio 2-8, Frazier 0-1, Sorosky 0-1). Fouled out - None. Rebounds - Idaho 43 (Nieman 18), Cal Poly SLO 35 (Frazier 7). Assists - Idaho 19 (Woolf 9), Cal Poly SLO 10 (Maristela 3). Total fouls - Idaho 20, Cal Poly SLO 25. Technicals - Idaho bench. A - 100.