The Idaho State women have been through the ringer this season — Thursday night was no different

Following a year where every break, loose ball or final shot seemed to fall in ISU’s favor, the Bengals — once again in 2012-13 — experienced nothing but a final note of frustration after falling in overtime to Eastern Washington Thursday night.

In many respects, it was a great college basketball game. One team (the Bengals) jumped out to a 7-0 lead, only to go cold later while the home squad caught its breath.

But a determined Idaho State — no doubt spurned on to not only claim the Big Sky’s postseason No. 3 seed, but also to avenge a home loss from earlier this season — regained an advantage (an eight-point lead) before half, holding Eastern, the Big Sky’s top-shooting team, to 22.7 percent from the floor.

The Eagles, however, behind the play of senior Carrie Ojeda and sophomore Lexie Nelson, stormed back with a 15-1 run to start the second half.

Ojeda, a senior, scored 10 of her 14 points in the first seven minutes after the halftime break, and from there, Nelson, the transfer from Montana, finished the game with 10 of Eastern’s final 16 points on the way to a game-high 24 on 7-of-10 shooting.

It was a night filled with momentum swings that vacillated like Jim Harbaugh’s moods on the 49ers’ sideline. In the end, and despite shooting a better percentage from the field, forcing more turnovers, dominating points in the paint and holding starting point guard Kylie Huerta to 1-of-10 form the field, the Bengals lost.

Four ISU players scored in double figures and they had their chances down the stretch — particularly to end the second half — but EWU made more free throws than Idaho State attempted, hitting a gaudy 81.8 percent from the charity stripe compared to ISU’s 68 percent.

Ultimately, the loss means that Idaho State won’t have the opportunity to slaughter Montana State in the first round of the Big Sky tournament in Missoula next week.


Instead, the Bengals will tangle with Sacramento State in the opening round, a squad they’ve handled twice this season — winning both games by a combined 30 points. But the Hornets’ shooting is as streaky as Manti Te'o’s dating history and Sac’s 34-point blowout against the ’Cats Thursday night was impressive.

Plus, and really this was the driving force for avoiding the fourth seed to begin with, beating the Hornets in the Big Sky tourney likely sets a date with top-seeded Montana in the semifinals (Unless second-seeded Northern Colorado loses to Southern Utah for a third time this year or Montana State stirs out of its coma and upsets Eastern Washington.)

But prognosticating about the postseason seems premature at this point. Today, Idaho State is in Portland for the last game of the regular season and even though the Big Sky tournament is only a matter of days away, I imagine the Eagles’ loss still looms.

It means Idaho State finishes the regular season 0-6 versus the conference’s top three teams.

It means Ashleigh Vella, Kaela Oakes, Lindsey Reed and the crew have to live with season sweeps from the likes of Eastern, Northern Colorado and Montana.

For a bunch as competitive as a 50-year-old Michael Jordan, that’s tough to swallow.

And we’re left to ponder if the six losses to the Big Sky’s upper echelon is a combination of chance and bad luck or something more.

Perhaps this season the Bengals’ ceiling is the No. 4 spot and moving up any higher is beyond their reach. At what time do the losses to those opponents build to a point where the Bengals’ self-confidence falls and they’re left grasping in the dark for what should have been?

Or did Idaho State lose a game on the road to a good team? After the nightmarish 1-3 start, Idaho State has gone 11-4 since. A few more jumpers and free throws here and there throughout the year and the 0-6 record is blown out of the water like the Lakers’ NBA Finals chances.

Heading into Thursday night’s loss, Idaho State had been playing — by my observation — its best, most carefree basketball this season.

With five seniors and a group of experienced juniors on the roster — and don’t forget head coach Seton Sobolewski — it’s hard to imagine that a strong performance against Portland State today can’t erase any negative momentum picked up in Cheney.

NOTES: Montana has clinched the regular-season women’s championship and the right to host the conference tournament. Northern Colorado is the No. 2 seed, and Eastern is at No. 3. If Idaho State beats Portland State, the Bengals will be the No. 4 seed, but ISU cannot fall any lower than No. 5. Montana State has secured the sixth seed and if Southern Utah can beat North Dakota today, the Thunderbirds wrap up the final spot. If the Thunderbirds do lose to North Dakota and Northern Arizona can beat Montana State then NAU takes the final spot.