Idaho took on Portland State for the 3rd time in seven days to start the Big Sky Conference Tournament.
The Vandals came into the tournament winning seven of their last eight, landing them the number six seed. Graduate student guard Allison Kirby was asked if she believes the Vandals are primed for a run. “We’re peaking at the right time like we wanted to,” Kirby said. It definitely looked as though Idaho was at their peak in this game.
It had been quite some time since the Vandals had to play a game on the first night of the conference, but they came prepared. Portland State went 0-20 in in-conference play, but it didn’t look like it to start the game. Within the first four minutes there were two lead changes and three ties. The Vikings held an 11-9 lead with six minutes left in the first quarter. The Vandals then went on a 16-4 run to end the quarter up 27-15.
The Vandals continued their tough defense and roaring offense in the second. Senior guard/post Tiana Johnson couldn’t miss from midrange, going 4-4 from inside the arc in the quarter. Idaho was also great on defense, holding Portland State to only eight points. Going into the locker room , Idaho led 43-23, more than both their halftime leads against Portland State, combined.
The third quarter was once again all Idaho. Junior guard/post Beyonce Bea had six points and nine rebounds coming into the quarter. Before three minutes had even gone off the clock, she had a double-double. Kirby added six for the Vandals, most coming from offensive rebounds that turned into putbacks, or the “Tiana special” as commentator Mariluz Cook described it. Johnson had two, and graduate student guard Louise Forsyth rounded out the quarter with five. Idaho led 62-34 going into the final quarter.
The fourth quarter would turn out to be only the second in which Portland State would outscore Idaho this season. Despite being outscored, the Vandals still looked strong. Although the Vandals only scored 13 to the Vikings 18, it was a good quarter for the Vandals, especially those that haven’t seen much playing time. Senior guard Chayse Milne was subbed in with five minutes left and ended with one assist. Senior guard/post Rylee Alexander also had an assist. With two minutes left in the game, freshman guard/post Skylar Bea, Beyonce Bea’s sister, subbed in. She pulled down two rebounds.
It was an all-around effort for the Vandals with four players reaching double digits. Forsyth, who received Big Sky Top Reserve and All-Conference Honorable Mention, had 20 points and three rebounds off the bench. Johnson had 18 points and six rebounds. Kirby had 14 points, seven assists and four rebounds. And Bea, who received First-Team All-Big Sky, had a double-double, scoring 12 points and pulling down 16 rebounds.
This win is Coach Jon Newlee’s 400th of his career. When it was mentioned to him, he didn’t even know. “It means I’ve had some great players,” Newlee said.
Idaho will play Southern Utah at 7 p.m. March 8th.
James Taurman-Aldrich can be reached at [email protected]