MOSCOW, Idaho – Southern Utah struggled to get the ball through the net in the second half, resulting in a 49-76 Big Sky loss to the University of Idaho.
Brenna Gates led the Thunderbirds with 14 points as Ashleigh Munns added eight. Jessica Richardson led the team in rebounds with eight as Marquelle Funk and Gates each added six. Desiree Jackson snagged two steals for the Thunderbirds as Gates finished with two blocks.
Southern Utah shot 23.4% from the field with Idaho shooting 37.5%. The Thunderbird's bench finished with 22 points.
Southern Utah trailed the Vandals 2-7 to launch the game before a jumper from Funk and a layup from Richardson got the Thunderbirds rolling. Munns poured in a three-pointer to tie the game at nine before Gates put in a layup to give SUU its first lead of the game, 11-9.
A jumper from Sydnee Taylor and layups from Iva Georgieva and Gates gave the Thunderbirds a five-point lead before the University of Idaho battled back to tie the game at 20. The Vandals took a seven-point run before Southern Utah cut the gap to four with 2:36 remaining in the first half.
Idaho extended its lead to 10 before Jackson finished a jumper with :05 to play in the opening half to enter halftime trailing the Vandals, 29-37.
Gates led Southern Utah in the first half with nine points as Munns added six. Jackson led in assists with two as the Thunderbirds rounded out the opening half shooting 29.4% from the field.
The Vandals began the second half with a five-point run before extending its lead to 15 with 12 minutes to play. Sarah McGee and Taylor Baird each put in layups to keep Southern Utah in the game before Idaho took a six-point rally to extend its lead to 19.
Gates put in a layup and Richardson drained a jumper to cut Idaho's lead before Southern Utah suffered a scoreless final five minutes to give the Vandals a 76-49 victory.
Southern Utah will return home for its final two games of Big Sky play to face Northern Colorado on Feb. 26 at 7 p.m. and North Dakota on Feb. 28 at 7 p.m.
