POCATELLO, Idaho – The Idaho State Bengals opened the 2023-24 women's basketball season with a 97-58 rout of the Park University Buccaneers in Reed Gym Wednesday evening.
Seven Bengal women scored in double-digit figures as the Orange and Black approached the century-mark final 97 points.
The Bengals started the game hot and kept it up as they shot 50.7 percent from the field over four quarters to secure the victory.
Bengal newcomer Tasia Jordan led the team with 16 points on seven-of-10 from the field.
Laura Bello followed with 15 points, Maria Dias scored 14 and Halle Wright and Sophia Covello added 12 points each to the stat line. The double-digit scorers were rounded out with Kacey Spink and Alyse Aby both tacking on 10 points each.
Spink continued her defensive dominance from her freshman year last season grabbing 14 rebounds including eight offensive boards. She also gave the Buccaneers fits on the floor with three turnovers and a block.
Spinks 10 pt, 14 rebound line is the first double-double this season for the Bengals. She didn't hold the top of the list for long as just minutes later, Halle Wright grabbed her 10th rebound of the night for a 12 pt, 10-rebound double-double of her own.
The Bengals controlled the ball for 39 minutes of play with the Bengals jumping out to the largest lead of the night at 39 points with 7:08 to play in the game.
Bengal Bites
· The 97 points scored is the most since Feb. 10, 2022 when the Bengals defeated the Idaho Vandals 103-68 in Reed Gym
· The Bengals had a +30 rebound margin over the Buccaneers out rebounding Park 57-27. The Bengals had 21 offensive boards to Park's 6
· The Bengals scored 56 of the 97 points in the paint hitting 20 of their 30 layup attempts in the game.
· The Bengals scored above 20 points in all four quarters with the second quarter being the highest with 26 points scored.
· Idaho State had 19 assists on 36 made field goals for 52 percent assist to field goal ratio.
· Spink's 14 rebounds is a career-high for the Bengal sophomore.
· The two teams combined for 51 fouls called and 63 free-throw attempts.
Up Next – Next Up, the Bengals head to Pullman, Wash., to take on the #24 Washington State Cougars on Sunday Nov. 12. Tip off is set for 3:30 PM .
