One basketball team trying to build momentum before embarking on a three-game road trip takes on another attempting to dispel any rumors it can’t win anywhere but at home.
Idaho State (11-8, 6-4 Big Sky) has two nights left in Reed Gym before taking of to face Southern Utah, Montana State and Montana.
Its first game is against Northern Colorado (9-9, 6-3) tonight, a program that’s undefeated in Greeley, Colo., but 1-9 on the road.
One of its victims at home came Jan. 5 when the Bears beat ISU 71-63. For Northern Colorado that win severed a four-game losing streak to the Bengals and served as a little bit of retribution following last season’s three-point loss in the Big Sky Championship.
And it threw Idaho State in a hole it has been battling out of since.
“We got off to a rough start, and I think we’re trying to dig ourselves out of a hole right now,” said ISU head coach Seton Sobolewski. “But we’re moving in the right direction. I think we’re playing pretty good basketball.”
Since losing to the Bears and falling to 1-3 in the conference, the Bengals have won five of their last six — the lone loss last Thursday to Big Sky co-leader Montana.
But the hole ISU tripped into was as deep as a well. The Bengals are in fifth place and if the Big Sky championship is still within reach, it starts with beating the Bears.
Motivation will not be an issue.
“I’m really competitive, so just thinking back (to the loss), it makes me mad,” said Lindsey Reed, the Bengals’ second-leading scorer. “I think we’re all like that. ... Everyone is excited for these two games, just to get some revenge.”
Revenge, however, is no easy task against Northern Colorado, which allows a league-low 55.8 points per game. And while the Bears have struggled to find any wins on the road this season, Sobolewski says it’s just been a matter of bad luck.
“It seems like there’s always been some different issue,” he said. “Someone got in foul trouble, someone had an off night or something happened. There’s no consistent problem from what I see or reason why they haven’t won on the road.”
Still, though, in conference action, the Bears are averaging nearly 17 points more a game at home.
“They’re due,” Sobolewski said, “but hopefully they’re not due against us.”
Junior guard D’shara Strange — reigning defensive player of the year — leads the way for the Bears, averaging 13.2 points, 6.7 boards and 2.5 steals.
Strange is an absolute terror defensively for opposing point guards — ISU’s Kaela Oakes is 7-for-29 from the floor in her last four games against the Bears — and she’s an improving offensive threat, too.
“She’s gotten better every year,” said Kara Jenkins. “First year, she could get to the basket any time she wanted, but now she has a much better all-around game. She’s very, very skilled.”
Not only is Strange athletic, tenacious on defense and an improving offensive threat, the Fountain Colo., native is 5-foot-10 and part of a tall starting five the Bears take the floor with.
And Strange isn’t the Bears only offensive threat. Senior forward Lauren Oosdyke is the Big Sky player of the week after averaging 22.5 points in Northern Colorado’s two home wins.
In UNC’s nine league games, Oosdyke is shooting 48 percent from the field and averaging nearly 16 points a night. And she’s a major competitor on the floor.
“She presents the challenge of, can you out last a player who wants it just as much as you?” Jenkins said. “She’s definitely one of the big competitors in the conference.”
Oosdyke’s fiery play is a fair approximation of the type of game the Bengals and Bears will have, because while it’s not exactly like looking in the mirror for both programs, it’s something close.
“They’re a lot similar to us,” Sobolewski said. “They do emphasize defense and rebounding. They can be up tempo if you give it to them. If they have the opportunity to run, if they get a good steal, they’ll go. They’ve got a great point guard who can find people or score herself. We are a (very) similar (teams).”
Tipoff is 7 p.m. in Reed Gym. The winner has a chance to remain near the top with the Big Sky leaders. The loser starts digging.
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