POCATELLO, Idaho - Dec. 21 - Southern Utah used counter runs all night to chip into the Idaho State lead, but eventually the runs were not enough as the Thunderbirds fell 61-48 on Monday night. The loss drops the T-Birds to 3-9 on the season while the Bengals move to 4-8.
Idaho State opened the game with the first baskets of the contest to build a 5-0 lead, but the output was quickly answered by the Thunderbirds on the following possessions as Chanel Thorley's layup brought the game back to within one (5-4). The Bengals held onto the lead, building the margin to as much as 12 (25-13) with 3:30 to play in the first half. However methodical trimming by the Thunderbirds down the stretch brought the game to within five at the break as Jadie Parsons' 3-point basket with seven seconds to play in the first half set the score at 29-24 as the teams went into the locker rooms.
ISU got off to a hot start as the second half opened, pulling together a 20-4 run over a span of ten minutes to build a lead of 21 (49-28). Southern Utah countered with its largest run of the game out scoring the Bengals 15-3 over the next six minutes to cut the margin back to single digits (52-43) with just over four minutes to play. However, Idaho State weathered the storm and put the lead back into double digits, including an advantage of 13 (61-48) at the final whistle.
Southern Utah was held without a double-digit scorer for the first time of the season as Thorley led the T-Birds with nine points. The true freshman added nine boards, narrowly missing the first double-double of her career. Challis Pascucci led all players with 14 boards during the night. Idaho State was paced by Chelsea Pickering with 14 points and a team-high five steals. Turnovers proved to be the Thunderbirds' demise as 26 giveaways by SUU led to 29 points for the Bengals.
The T-Birds will wrap up its recent four-game set with a home game against the Utah State Aggies on Wednesday afternoon before departing for the Christmas break. The game is set for an early tip-off with the two teams squaring off at Noon in the Centrum Arena.
