Idaho St defeats W Montana 80-64

W Montana Stuns Idaho St at Reed Arena: A 16-Point Upset

In a thrilling non-conference matchup, the Idaho State University Bengals fell short against a determined visiting team, the Western Montana University Bulldogs, by 16 points at Reed Arena on Saturday night.

The home team, Idaho State, took an early lead into halftime, outscoring Western Montana 41-33. However, the Bulldogs came roaring back in the second half, eventually taking control of the game and securing a crucial road victory.

Connor Hollenbeck led Idaho State with 18 points, shooting 45.5% from the field and grabbing 8 rebounds to go along with 2 steals. Evan Otten chipped in with 8 rebounds and 8 points, while Jamison Guerra provided 4 assists and 14 points off the bench.

For Western Montana, Emanuel Steward was the bright spot, scoring 18 points on 3-for-7 three-point shooting. Kolter Merritt rounded out the top performers for the Bulldogs, tallying 10 points and 7 rebounds.

The disparity in field goal percentages between the two teams proved to be a deciding factor. Idaho State shot an impressive 50% from the field, while Western Montana struggled to find its rhythm at just 38%. The Bengals' strong performance was evident in their free throw shooting as well, where they converted 78% of their attempts.

Despite trailing by as many as 18 points, Western Montana managed to narrow the gap significantly in the second half. However, the Bulldogs' defense came up big when it mattered most, holding Idaho State to just 39 points after halftime.

In the end, the Bulldogs' determination and strong team play proved too much for the Bengals to overcome. The 16-point upset will be a significant momentum boost for Western Montana as they head into their next matchup.

Game Statistics

Idaho State (HOME)

* Field Goals: 28/56 (50.0%)

* 2-Point FG: 22/39 (56.4%)

* 3-Point FG: 6/17 (35.0%)

* Free Throws: 18/23 (78.0%)

* Rebounds: 37

* Assists: 11

* Turnovers: 12

* Steals: 7

* Blocks: 7

Western Montana (AWAY)

* Field Goals: 22/58 (38.0%)

* 2-Point FG: 12/34 (35.3%)

* 3-Point FG: 10/24 (42.0%)

* Free Throws: 10/16 (63.0%)

* Rebounds: 24

* Assists: 9

* Turnovers: 11

* Steals: 5

* Blocks: 7

The final score was Idaho State 80, Western Montana 64.