BOISE, Idaho - Despite impressive performances from sophomore Sierra Chambers and junior Ava Uhrich, the Southern Utah women's basketball team fell to Boise State, 81-66, on Dec. 13. The Thunderbirds drop to 7-3, while the Broncos take the lead in the Mountain West at 9-2.

Head Coach Tracy Mason Said:

"I was proud of our fight. We got down to start the third but continued to battle. We needed to execute the game plan better defensively and shoot the ball better than we did, but Boise State is a good team, and we'll learn from this one."

Top T-Birds

• Chambers led SUU in scoring with a 19-point game on 58.3% shooting from the field. She also went five of five from the charity stripe, extending to 40 straight makes and retaining the title of longest streak in the nation.
• Dominating the boards, Uhrich reeled in 16 rebounds to go with her 17 points. The strong outing marks her fourth double-double of the year.
• Acting as a spark off the bench, Idaho native Ashley Banks racked up seven points, four rebounds, and three assists. The junior also defended the paint with great success, contributing a season-high four blocks.

Game Recap

First Half

Southern Utah tipped off to a rough start, allowing a 12-4 Boise State run to open the first quarter. However, the Thunderbirds' first set of subs rose to the occasion. A triple from sophomore Denver Anderson and back-to-back baskets from senior Ashley Banks cut the Broncos' lead to 20-17.

Boise State pulled back ahead to open the second quarter, leading by 10 with five minutes until halftime. Southern Utah once again battled its way back into range, buoyed by a six-point spree from Chambers and a three from freshman Devyn Kiernan. The Thunderbirds entered the break down five in a 39-34 shootout.

Second Half

The Broncos burst to an 8-0 run after half, earning a 13-point lead and forcing a timeout from Head Coach Tracy Mason. Sophomore Kortney Doman finally stopped the drought with a clean jumper. Uhrich and junior Brooklyn Fely each added a pair of scores to close the quarter, but their Idaho foes clung to a 56-45 lead.

While the Thunderbirds continued to score just enough to stay in it, Boise State held them barely out of comeback range for the rest of the game and secured an 81-66 win.

Up Next

The Thunderbirds will conclude their preseason at the LMU Christmas Tournament in Los Angeles, Calif. They'll kick off the weekend with a 2:00 p.m. matchup on Dec. 20 against the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

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