Nieman Doubles Up In Idaho’s Playoff Win

Although the University of Idaho women started slowly, the Vandals won their first postseason basketball game in four years Wednesday when they trounced Pacific 71-48 in the first round of the Big West Conference tournament.

Freshman star Alli Nieman marked up her ninth double-double of the season for Idaho, scoring 11 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. The Vandals advanced to today’s semifinal round. They will meet Western Division champion UC Santa Barbara at 6 p.m.

Santa Barbara’s lineup includes the league’s other top freshman, former Mead High School point guard Stacy Clinesmith. UCSB scored a 68-53 road victory over Idaho in the only previous game between the teams this season.

Wednesday, the Gauchos, led by All-Big West stars Amy Smith and Erin Alexander, eliminated Boise State 78-54. Smith scored 26 points.

Long Beach State will play New Mexico State or UC Irvine in the other semifinal. Long Beach downed Nevada 79-69 in overtime. New Mexico State and Irvine met in Wednesday’s late game.

Pacific, which concluded its season with a 9-18 record, jumped to a 10-6 lead against Idaho in University of Nevada’s Lawlor Events Center. However, Idaho (14-13) forced 22 turnovers and blitzed the Tigers with a 26-4 run to end the first half. The Vandals led 32-14 at halftime.

Coach Julie Holt, who rejoined the team after giving birth to her second child 10 days earlier, called a critical timeout with Idaho leading 21-14.

“When we called the timeout, I set a specific goal,” Holt said. “I told them that I was going to be real unhappy if we didn’t have more than 30 points and allowed them to get any more than 20.”

The Vandals responded by scoring the last 11 points of the half.

In addition to Nieman, Idaho had three players in double figures. Junior forward Kathryn Gussett scored 14 points. Ari Skorpik, who continued her late-season surge, and Michelle Greenwood picked up 11 apiece.

Idaho 71, Pacific 48

Idaho (14-13) - Gussett 4-5 6-10 14, Nieman 7-16 2-2 17, Greenwood 4-9 2-2 11, Johnson 1-5 0-0 3, Skorpik 4-10 1-3 11, Ortner 3-5 0-0 8, McDaniel 2-4 0-0 4, Newman 1-2 0-0 2, Blakley 0-0 0-0 0, Stone 0-0 1-2 1. Totals 26-57 12-19 71. Pacific (9-18) - SYarbrough 7-8 0-2 15, Palacio 3-7 0-0 7, McAllister 2-9 1-1 5, Luckey 0-0 1-2 1, Smith 2-4 2-2 6, Olsen 0-0 0-0 0, Stevens 0-1 0-0 0, MYarbrough 0-1 0-0 0, Lauritzen 5-12 2-2 14, Martella 0-0 0-0 0, Guggia 0-0 0-1 0. Totals 19-42 6-10 48.

Halftime-Idaho 32, Pacific 14. 3-Point goals-Idaho 7-16 (Nieman 1-4, Greenwood 1-3, Johnson 1-2, Skorpik 2-4, Ortner 2-2, McDaniel 0-1), Pacific 4-9 (SYarbrough 1-1, Palacio 1-2, Stevens 0-1, Lauritzen 2-5). Fouled out-none. Rebounds-Idaho 30 (Nieman 11), Pacific 31 (SYarbrough, Smith 5). Assists-Idaho 16 (Johnson 4), Pacific 17 (Luckey, Smith 5). Total fouls-Idaho 17, Pacific 22. A-534.

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