The Idaho Vandals held a slim 42-41 lead over Southern Utah heading into the final minute of the third quarter. The Vandals made some late-quarter magic happen to stretch the lead. Graduate Olivia Nelson started it off with a pair of made free throws.
Sophomore guard Hope Hassmann followed that up when she drove to her right, put up a highly contested layup that fell, and gave the Vandals a 46-41 heading into the fourth quarter.
The Vandals, using the burst of energy from the end of the third quarter, started the fourth quarter on a 9-2 run, capped off by a three-pointer by graduate forward Jenifer Aadland, which helped propel the Vandals to a 66-53 victory and their second straight victory.
For most of the game, the action was back-and-forth, with both teams trading baskets and leads. The Vandals held the edge after the first quarter; behind Aadland’s seven first-quarter points, the Vandals took a 17-15 lead.
The Thunderbirds did not go quiet, and behind a familiar face, caught fire to start the second quarter. Former Idaho Vandal guard Sydney Gandy showed off her range and nailed back-to-back three-pointers to give the Thunderbirds the lead.
Gandy, a standout for the Vandals for three seasons, showed flashes throughout the game, her first against them since transferring in 2023. Gandy ended the game with 12 points, knocking down four three-pointers on nine attempts.
The Thunderbirds took the momentum and ran with it. After another back-and-forth quarter with the game tied, Graduate guard Daylani Ballena knocked down a three-pointer that gave the Thunderbirds a 33-30 lead heading into the locker room.
The Thunderbirds outscored the Vandals 18-13 in the quarter and had their best quarter of the game, giving them the halftime lead.
Junior guard Anja Bukvic got the Vandals going early in the third with five quick points, but the Vandals still couldn’t get in front of the Thunderbirds. Nelson took care of that when she swished a three-pointer to give the Vandals their first lead of the second half, and from there, the Vandals turned it on.
The Vandals finished the game with a strong performance, outscoring the Thunderbirds 20-12 in the final quarter, led by Aadland and Nelson. The Vandals improved to 2-2 on the season and secured their first victory on the road.
Aadland was terrific once again for the Vandals, dropping a season-high 15 points. She added eight rebounds and three assists to help the Vandals. Nelson had her best game in a Vandal uniform. She posted 14 points, four assists and was 5/6 from the free-throw line, including late-game clutch free throws.
Hassmann was also key late in the game. She struggled throughout the game, shooting 4/11 from the field, but finished with 11 points. Hassmann was a key part on the defensive end, with three steals, and was extremely active all game, which was crucial for the Vandals down the stretch of the game.
The Vandals, as a team, had a fairly efficient shooting day. They finished the game shooting 24/59 from the field, 6/21 from beyond the arc, and an efficient 12/16 from the free-throw line.
Both teams had relatively good shooting performances, but turnovers and sloppy play kept this a low-scoring game. The Vandals turned the ball over 16 times, and the Thunderbirds 19, giving each team extra opportunities.
The Vandals look to keep the magic going as they continue their road trip and head to the bright lights of California, where they take on (1-3) University of California Riverside.
The Vandals and the Highlanders will tip-off from SRC arena on Nov. 20 at 11 a.m. as the Vandals look to get above .500 and continue their winning streak.
Jayden Barfuss can be reached at [email protected]