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Familiar territory: Idaho women one win away from reaching NCAA Tournament

Coach Jon Newlee and his Idaho Vandals have to beat No. 1 seed Idaho State to make their first NCAA Tournament since 2016. (DAN PELLE/The Spokesman-Review)
By Ryan Collingwood ryanc@spokesman.com(509) 459-5473
Coach Jon Newlee and his Idaho Vandals have to beat No. 1 seed Idaho State to make their first NCAA Tournament since 2016. (DAN PELLE/The Spokesman-Review)

Idaho is three years removed from falling in the Big Sky Conference Tournament title game.

Two years ago, the Vandals won a regular season title before being shocked by Portland State in the semifinals.

And when Idaho missed the NCAA Tournament a year ago, so did everyone else.

The Vandals reached the final round of the 2020 Big Sky tournament in Boise that was ultimately canceled when the coronavirus pandemic began its grip on America.

It would have faced Montana State for the championship, the same team the No. 2 seed Vandals dispatched 80-64 in Wednesday’s tournament semifinal.

Now, Idaho, without the services of three-time All-Big Sky guard Gina Marxen, is a game away from reaching its first NCAA Tournament since 2016.

The Vandals (17-6) face in-state rival and Big Sky regular season champion and No. 1 seed Idaho State (21-3) on Friday at 11 a.m. at Idaho Central Arena in Boise.

“It will be a physical game. That’s (Idaho State’s) style,” Newlee said.

It’s going to be a battle.”

Idaho and veteran coach Jon Newlee split two games against the Bengals, Newlee’s former squad.

Newlee, who made the move from Pocatello to Moscow in 2008, helped lead Idaho State to a NCAA Tournament berth in 2007.

He then helped the Vandals reach the 2013 and 2014 NCAA tournaments when his program was part of the Western Athletic Conference.

Newlee is one win away from leading Idaho to a fourth NCAA Tournament in his tenure, and without the steady Marxen, who didn’t make the trip to Boise this week, a day after a game with Montana was canceled due to a positve coronavirus test.

Marxen missed that game, too, but fellow All-Big Sky Conference talents Beyonce Bea (16.3 points per game) and Gabi Harrington (16.7 ppg) have helped keep the Vandals afloat.

Former Timberlake star Allison Kirby has also stepped up in Marxen’s absence, scoring nine points in the semifinal win over Montana State.

Former Central Valley standout Tomekia Whitman averaged three points and two rebounds for Idaho State.