BOISE, Ida. - Four
players scored in doubles figures for Southern Utah University who rallied in
the second half to make it a three-point game in the final minutes before
dropping a 91-80 non-conference game at Boise State University Tuesday evening.
Senior Caitlyn Sears scored a game-high 22
points and freshman Desiree Jackson broke out with a 20-point effort for the
Thunderbirds (0-2). SUU outscored BSU (2-1) 47-44 in the second half and forced
21 turnovers but the Broncos used three-point shooting, 10-of-23 (43.5%), to
hold off the young Southern Utah club.
The Thunderbirds also had senior Challis
Pascucci notch her 18th career double-double with 13 points and 13
rebounds and sophomore Tayler Anderson chip in with 10 points. Freshman guard
Andrea Jones came off the bench to score six points, dish out five assists and
make two steals for the SUU who shot 42.5% and saw BSU receive 34 trips to the
foul line compared to the Thunderbirds 22.
The Thunderbirds opened the game with a
couple defensive stops that led to back-to-back buckets by Jackson. Southern
Utah then traded baskets with the Broncos as Anderson later made a strong move
to the basket and finished with the left hand and Pascucci layed one on an
inbounds play.
Jackson later added a three to notch seven of
SUU's first 16 points but Boise State stayed with the Thunderbirds by using the
three-ball. BSU hit five from long range in the opening minutes to own an early
23-16 lead.
Boise State used its 16-6 run to build a
36-22 lead before Sears drove the lane in finished on a nice lay in.
SUU would put together an 8-3 run in the
final minutes of the half as Jackson hit a three from the right corner, Jones
made a late steal and went coast-to-coast and Chanel Thorley knocked down a
couple free throws. BSU took a 47-33 lead into the half after shooting 7-of-14
(50%) from behind the arc while Jackson finished with 10 points and Sears added
eight through the first 20 minutes.
Southern Utah began the second half once
again playing stingy defense and had Anderson score six points. A 12-2 SUU run
started as Pascucci scored with a rebound put-back and later added a nice up
and under lay in to cut the Boise lead to 63-51. The next time down saw Sears
lay one in after making a nice back door cut to make it a 63-53 game, forcing a
Boise State time out.
The Broncos answered the run with the long
ball, extending its lead to 68-54 with a three following the time out. A Sears'
steal on the ensuing trip got the Thunderbirds off and running though. After
forcing the turnover, Sears took the ball all the way up the right side before
dishing to a streaking Pascucci for the lay in. Sears followed on the next
possession, grabbing a rebound and laying one to again make it a 10-point game.
SUU then made it an eight-point game as Anderson scored off an inbounds play at
the eight-minute mark. Sears then made another steal, dishing one off to DJ
Norman who answered a Boise bucket with a fast break lay in to make it a seven-point
game.
Minutes later, Jackson stole the Boise State
inbound pass and made a lay up to make it a five-point game, 69-64 with six
minutes left. Jackson then drove the lane on back-to-back possessions, got
fouled on both drives to put the Thunderbirds in the double bonus. She would
hit her free throws to make it 71-68 with 5:21 remaining.
As soon as SUU would make it a three-point
lead, Boise State hit another three to extend its lead to six then would pull
away at the free throw line as the Thunderbirds were forced to foul in the
closing minutes.
Boise State had all five starters finish in
double figures led by Kati Isham's 21.
The Thunderbirds will host Montana State
University for their home-opener on Friday at 7 p.m. in the Centrum Arena.
