THE MATCHUP
Montana State at Idaho State, in a matchup between the top two teams in both preseason polls. The Bobcats went to the Big Sky semis a year ago and were No. 2 in both polls, while the Bengals were the consensus preseason favorite after winning the conference in 2020-21. Both were missing all-conference guards. Darian White wasn’t even on the bench for Montana State two days after scoring 29 points against Weber State. Dora Goles didn’t play for ISU as the Croatian point guard continues to recover from a hurt finger.
THE RESULT
Idaho State got a career-high 33 points from sixth-year senior Estefania Ors in a 67-57 win that meant a winless road weekend for Montana State after the Bobcats lost to Weber State on Thursday.
The Bobcats started hot, with an early 8-5 lead before Idaho State closed the first quarter on a 9-0 run. The Bengals stayed ahead from there until late in the third quarter, when Kola Bad Bear’s 3-point play gave MSU a three-point lead. ISU again closed the quarter on a run, with a 12-3 skein giving the hosts a six-point lead going to the fourth. The deficit grew as large as 15 points in the fourth quarter. Montana State went on a late 7-0 run after switching to a full-court press, but Idaho State adjusted to close the game out.
The Bobcats shot 34.6% from the field and made just 2 of 16 3-point attempts. Idaho State also had a 45-30 rebounding advantage, including 14 to 5 on the offensive boards.
THE STANDOUTS
With White out, Bad Bear was the center of Montana State’s offense, finishing with 17 points, seven rebounds and four steals. Nine of her points came in the third quarter to help MSU battle back. She shot just 3 of 14 from the field but made 11 of 13 free throws.
Katelynn Limardo nearly single-handedly brought the Bobcats back into the game with back-to-back-to-back steals and buckets from her spot at the top of MSU’s full-court press with under two minutes to go. The 6-foot-2 sophomore from New Mexico finished with eight points (fun fact: between Limardo, from Silver Lake, and ISU junior guard Carsyn Boswell, from Carlsbad, both teams roster a player from New Mexico, the Land of Enchantment.)
Ors, who’s been the Big Sky Freshman of the Year, Top Reserve and Tournament MVP at various points during her long career at Idaho State, added to her school 3-pointer record by hitting 7 of 11 shots from behind the arc, including five in a row after missing her first two attempts.
The sharpshooter from Valencia, Spain, tied her previous career-high of 23 points with a layup to cap ISU’s run at the end of the third quarter, and broke it with her first bucket of the final period, another 3-pointer. She added six rebounds and three assists.
Tomekia Whitman added 13 points, eight rebounds and six assists for Idaho State. The junior wing from Spokane hit one of the biggest shots of the game, canning a 3 to tie the game immediately after Bad Bear’s 3-point play gave Montana State the lead late in the third.
QUOTABLE
“Obviously it wasn’t enough on the glass. I thought the glass was really a big piece as far as possessions. When they get their sharpshooters going, it makes it a tough night, but being shorthanded and how hard we played, I was really proud of our kids.” – Montana State head coach Tricia Binford
“We really needed the 3-ball to go today and we didn’t get that component going. We got Kola going in the third quarter. She’s a big piece of what we do, but obviously Darien is a special player. But at the same time, those things are going to happen and other players need to step up.” – Montana State head coach Tricia Binford
“I thought the crowd really got involved. You could start feeling the energy in the gym. You get a couple O-boards back-to-back, you get some of those 3s falling and the crowd gets into it, you can just feel that momentum. I only have so many timeouts. I probably needed to use one more timeout in that stretch (at the end of the third quarter) to try to shorten that momentum.” – Montana State head coach Tricia Binford
BOX SCORE (CLICK)
SOCIAL
WHAT’S NEXT
Montana State falls below .500 at 7-8 overall and 2-2 in the Big Sky Conference. The Bobcats, who have lost three in a row and are 1-6 away from home, return to Bozeman to host Idaho and Montana next weekend. They’ll play the Vandals on Thursday as usual, but the rivalry game against the Lady Griz has been pushed from Saturday to Sunday with the football team in the national championship on Saturday.
Idaho State moved to 7-6, 3-1 in conference play. The Bengals have won five in a row since an overtime loss to Northern Arizona at Northern Arizona on Dec. 4, and travels to Weber State next week.
