Idaho women’s Senior Night spoiled with 67-54 loss to Montana State
If Idaho’s five seniors on senior day were reflecting that it all went by so quickly, well Montana State had something to do with it.
In spoiling Idaho’s final regular season game, 67-54, the Bobcats did everything possible to speed up the Vandals, from an aggressive press beginning on the opening possession, to physical in-your-face defense throughout, to making Idaho defend all 94 feet of court by frenetically forcing the pace on offense themselves.
“That’s their style. That’s who they are,” Idaho coach Arthur Moreira said of the Bobcats.
“It is never going to be pretty when you play these guys.”
They harried the rattled Vandals into 15 first half turnovers, 20 for the game. The Bobcats also scored 19 points on Idaho’s turnovers. The Vandals scored just six points on MSU’s 14 miscues. The Bobcats seemed willing to accept some turnovers to keep the game at a pace that bothered the Vandals.
Idaho’s season leading scorer Olivia Nelson (14.3 ppg) finished the first half with only four points, although she rallied to score 14 before fouling out and leaving to a standing ovation with 32.9 seconds remaining.
“They are long, athletic and really good at what they do. They were forcing us left,” Nelson said of the Bobcats. She added, though, that the stern test the Bobcats offered was good preparation for the Big Sky Conference basketball tournament March 8-12 in Boise.
“This is definitely something to build on for Boise,” said Nelson.
Moreira did say he was pleased with the way his team responded in the second half. He said the offensive plan was better, and the defense was some of the best Idaho has played all season.
Idaho was perfect at the free throw line, 10 for 10. Otherwise, shooting by neither team was anything spectacular. The Bobcats shot 43.1 percent, 25 of 58, while Idaho struggled on 21 of 58 shooting, 36.2 percent.
The Bobcats made six of 21 shots from the arc. Idaho was just two of 12 on three-point attempts.
Montana State’s Katelynn Martin led all scorers with 18 points. Esmeralda Morales followed with 15 and Natalie Picton 13.
Backing Nelson for the Vandals, Anja Bukvic scored 13 points.
The Bobcats had a 25-20 lead at halftime. Idaho was still within six points, 56-50, with 6:11 to play. But MSU outscored the Vandals, 11-4, down the stretch.
With the win, Montana State finishes the regular season 27-3 and wrapped up the Big Sky regular season title, 17-1. Idaho ended the regular season tied for third in the league with Weber State at 10-8. The Vandals were 18-11 overall, and Moreira pointed out this was their first winning season in four years.
Men
Montana State 75, Idaho 60: The Bobcats (14-17, 9-9 Big Sky) used a 12-2 run late in the first half to pull away for a comfortable win over the Vandals (13-18, 8-10) at Worthington Arena in Bozeman.
Idaho was doomed by a poor shooting night, making 37% from the field and 5 of 22 3-point attemtps. Montana State made 56% of its tries and was 6 of 19 from 3.
Patrick McMahon paced the Bobcats with 23 points. Titus Yearout led four Vandals in double figures with 15 points, followed by Kolton Mitchell (12), Isaiah Brickner (12) and Julius Mims (10).
The win lifted Montana State over Idaho in the standings. The Vandals did, however, clinch a bye in the Big Sky Tournament via tiebreaker over Northern Arizona.