Nieman Grabs Scoring Record As Vandals Win

Alli reached the all-time tally.

University of Idaho women’s basketball star Alli Nieman scored her record-setting point on an easy layin with 16:13 left in Saturday night’s game, allowing her to reach 1,936 record-breaking career points.

The historic moment came during one of the Vandals’ many spurts that allowed them to defeat defending Big West Conference Eastern Division champ North Texas 86-68.

The win put the Vandals (11-7, 4-1) in an Eastern Division first-place tie with Boise State (11-7, 4-1). The two meet in Moscow on Feb. 6

But Saturday belonged to the best player in Vandals history.

The 6-foot-1 senior forward from Sandpoint finished with a game-high 21 points to increase her total to 1,945, breaking Denise Brose’s record of 1,935 points set from 1979 to 1983.

Nieman also tallied eight rebounds to put her 56 away from tying the Idaho record of 959, also set by Brose. Nieman also moved into fifth place among the Big West Conference all-time scorers as she closes in on the elite 2,000-point club.

“I was trying not to think about it,” said Nieman, in her usual nonchalant, modest fashion. “I just wanted to get it out of the way.”

But she had to wait until the second half. The Big West Conference scoring leader, who averages 21.2 points per game, was 3 of 8 shooting in the first 10 minutes of the game. She went scoreless the rest of the first half (3 of 10), playing 14 minutes. Nieman sat the last 2:18 after committing her second foul.

But in the second half, Alli rallied.

She began by hitting her first three shots and finished 7 of 8 in the second half, including one 3-pointer. Nieman broke the record on her third field goal, which was followed by a brief ceremony where she was given the ball by athletic director Mike Bohn.

“In the first half, they double-teamed me every time down,” said Nieman. “In the second half, they went to this run-and-jump halfcourt press. They were randomly flying around and trying to trap and my team got me the ball.”

Nieman’s dead-eye shooting allowed Idaho to build onto its 38-27 halftime lead. The Vandals had trailed 20-17 with 8:52 left in the first half, but ended on a 21-7 run. It didn’t stop there as the Vandals opened the second half on an 11-1 run.

Idaho also outrebounded the Eagles 52-32. Julie Wynstra had a game-high nine rebounds to go with her season-best 17 points.

North Texas, picked in the coaches’ poll to repeat as division champs, dropped to 10-9, 1-5, losing of seven of eight. On the flipside, the Vandals have won seven of eight, the lone loss coming against UC Santa Barbara, which is ranked 15th this week.

But their average margin of victory during that stretch had been 6.6, until Saturday night when they put up the biggest point total of the year with 11 players scoring.

“It was really hoping we’d have a game like this. It’s about time we broke through,” said Vandals coach Hilary Recknor.

Idaho 86, North Texas 68

North Texas (10-9, 1-5) - Alex 1-5 2-4 4, Mitchell 3-8 9-10 15, Roberson 0-0 2-2 2, Norris 2-6 0-0 6, Reades 0-5 3-6 3, Drane 7-12 1-3 16, Richard 0-2 4-5 4, Thomas 2-6 0-0 4, Trevino 1-5 0-0 2, Lewis 0-0 0-0 0, Stephenson 3-9 0-0 7, Lee 2-6 1-2 5. Totals 21-64 22-32 68.

Idaho (11-7, 4-1) - Bartleson 1-5 2-2 4, Nieman 10-18 1-1 21, Wynstra 6-8 5-9 17, Woolf 2-8 3-3 8, Jackson 2-5 4-4 9, LeBlanc 2-2 2-2 6, Goss 0-1 0-0 0, Krell 1-1 3-4 6, Benad 1-2 0-0 2, Pemberton 0-2 0-0 0, Coldren 2-2 1-3 5, Rico 1-3 1-2 3, Bloom 2-3 1-2 5. Totals 30-60 23-32 86.

Halftime-Idaho 38, North Texas 27. 3-point goals-North Texas 4-11 (Norris 2-4, Drane 1-1, Stephenson 1-2, Mitchell 0-1, Thomas 0-3), Idaho 3-11 (Krell 1-1, Woolf 1-4, Jackson 1-4, Bartleson 0-1, Nieman 0-1). Fouled out-Drane. Rebounds-North Texas 32 (Reades 8), Idaho 54 (Wynstra 9). Assists-North Texas 12 (Reades 8), Idaho 19 (Bartleson, Rico 4). Total fouls-North Texas 25, Idaho 22. Technicals-Idaho bench. A-813.

Vandals 86 Eagles 68 Friday: at Pacific