The Idaho Vandal women’s basketball team defeated North Dakota Saturday behind a historic night from junior guard Mikayla Ferenz by a score of 78-64.
The road win over the Fighting Hawks extends the Vandals win streak to four games.
Ferenz made history as the first Vandal since 1984 to record a triple double. Ferenz’s line read 15 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists.
“She was getting in on those defensive boards,” Idaho head coach Jon Newlee said in a news release. “That is the best rebounding I’ve seen from her and she is a good rebounder. She is athletic and can get up,” Newlee said. “She’s not afraid to get in there and battle. She got in there today. I thought she got some huge rebounds throughout the game and especially in the fourth quarter.”
The Fighting Hawks kept the game close through the first quarter of play. The Vandal lead was only 20-17 at the end of the first.
Although the game was kept close through the first quarter, the Vandals fortified their lead behind senior forward Geraldine McCorkell’s 34 points and Ferenz’s triple double.
McCorkell shot 10-19 from the floor, including 5-10 from behind the 3-point line.
After leading by just three points at the end of the first quarter, the Vandals then cruised to a 46-33 lead at the half time mark with a powerful 26-point second quarter.
The Vandals did not relent after the break. While the Fighting Hawks brought the game within seven points with 3:25 minutes left in the fourth quarter, the Vandals quickly took the hope of a late comeback away by scoring 10 points in the last in the last two minutes of the game.
“This place was full [today] and it did get loud in that fourth when they hit a few 3’s. But we kept them quiet for three and a half quarters. It was awesome,” Newlee said.
The Vandal’s come home and look to extend their win streak to five games against Portland State 6 p.m. on Thursday in the Cowan Spectrum.
Clay McKinley can be reached at [email protected]