Nov. 21, 2007

Final Stats

Pocatello, ID --- Idaho State University picked up their first win of the season, draining 50.0% of their shots and surviving another three-point onslaught, this time as Montana State-Northern hit 12-of-23 threes, but ISU never was seriously threatened in winning 76-69 at Holt Arena on Wednesday night.

The Bengals got sparked by a big night from senior Logan Kinghorn, who scored 13 points and hit 6-of-8 shots and set the tone early crashing into the scorer's table trying to save the opening tip. Idaho State took the lead about six minutes in at 12-11 when Chron Tatum scored from inside, and ISU never trailed again. It looked to be a blowout early as Austin Kilpatrick scored four points sandwiched around a Donnie Carson breakaway dunk for a 36-21 lead, but the Lights hit four threes in the final four minutes, the final of which by Travis Noble made it 41-37 at the break.

However, Kinghorn set the second half tone, scoring the first seven Bengal points of the half, and the game wobbled between three and nine for most of the rest of the way, although Matt Stcuki put ISU up 12 with 3:36 to go after a pair of free throws. ISU limited the Lights to just five threes in the second half, and greatly increased their perimeter defense, which according to head coach Joe O'Brien led the way for ISU.

"It's hard having 6-5 guys run around chasing 6-foot shooter like there, but we stepped it up in the second half, and made them do some things they didn't want. Give them credit, they are a great shooting team, and when you get outscored at the three by 33, you normally don't win."

"I think we improved in some areas tonight, and now we have to take those areas and make them last longer as we go right back on the road and face a Pac-10 team in Oregon State on Friday," added O'Brien.

The Bengals were led by Lucas Steijn, who had 15 points and eight rebounds. Along with Kinghorn, Matt Stucki added 12 for ISU, along with a game-high five assists. Austin Kilpatrick had a career-high five blocks.

The Lights were led by Travis Noble who scored 18, Delvaughn Tinned, who had 14, and Andrew Sellars, who chipped in 11. ISU outrebounded MSUN 34-29.

The Bengals now face Oregon State and Portland on back-to-back nights, starting on Friday at 8:07 pm Mountain Time in a game being broadcast on FSN Northwest.

NOTES: This was the first meeting between the two schools ... the game counted as an exhibition for the Lights ... Amorrow Morgan, who had the only three-pointer, had his double-figure scoring streak snapped at two, as he finished with nine points.