Montana easily handles Idaho women

Home was no advantage for the University of Idaho women’s basketball team Tuesday night.

The Vandals played a competitive first half in their home opener against Montana, but couldn’t get it going in the second half and fell to the Lady Griz 55-36.

“I didn’t like anything (about the game),” Idaho coach Jon Newlee said. “I thought our execution was poor on offense and defense.”

Junior Derisa Taleni led Idaho (0-2) with 17 points, but no other Vandal had more than five.

Mandy Morales led Montana (2-0) with 17 points.

Rodeo

It’s official: three area cowboys have qualified for the National Finals Rodeo next month in Las Vegas.

Cheney bareback rider Ryan Gray, Colbert tie-down calf roper Tyson Durfey and Elk bull rider Zack Oakes are headed for the 50th annual event.

Gray, making his fourth straight appearance, heads into the NFR in eighth place with $92,298 in winnings. Steve Dent of Mullen, Neb., is well out in the lead with $151,213.

Durfey, going to his second straight NFR, is ninth with $72,647. The leader is Josh Peek of Pueblo, Colo., at $153,771.

Oakes, who made the 2005 Finals, is also ninth with $80,076. Leading is Chance Smart of Philadelphia, Miss., at $160,581.

The 10-round NFR runs Nov. 4 through Dec. 13.

Big Bend Rodeo Co., and Flying Five Rodeo Co., owned by Don Hutsell of Ritzville and Sonny Riley of Pomeroy, have a combined nine animals in the NFR.

Bareback horses are Cajun Queen, perennial qualifier Spring Fling and Kid Rock from Big Bend. Saddle broncs are Kool Toddy and Devil Lady of Big Bend, Sun Dance, Spring Blues and Spring Planting from Flying Five. The bull is Flying Five’s Fire Water.

Girls basketball

Coeur d’Alene used balanced scoring and a stout defense to carve out a 59-33 Inland Empire League win over visiting Moscow on Tuesday night.

The Vikings got double-figure scoring from three players – Whitney Warbrick (14), Sadie Simon (12) and Kama Griffitts (10) – and produced 17 steals as a team to stymie the Bears. Chelsea Waters was the only Moscow player in double figures with 15 points.

In other IEL games, Lewiston overcame a six-point deficit after three periods with a 22-10 margin in the fourth and defeated visiting Lake City 62-56. Lake City’s Jasmine Smith was the game’s leading scorer with 16 points, hitting five 3-pointers. … Post Falls got scoring from 10 of the 11 who played, led by Jordan Schoening’s 13 points, in a 62-18 Inland Empire League win over visiting Sandpoint.

•North Star League: Shaina Gustafson scored 16 points and Zara Palmer added 10 as Clark Fork came away from Mullan with a 53-22 victory, closing it out with an 18-0 fourth quarter. Nikki Axtman had eight points and 12 rebounds and Britany Walsh nine points and 10 rebounds for the Tigers.

•Non-league: Camille Reynolds’ 14 points led Lakeland to a 39-21 win at Kellogg. Hailey Fuller was high for the Wildcats with eight points. … Karly Truscott had 19 points, five rebounds and eight steals in a solid all-around game to lead St. Maries to a 58-24 win over Kootenai at Harrison. Kami Haynes led the Warriors with 14 points.