Idaho State University’s women’s basketball team concluded its non-conference schedule with a 7-4 record after a close 59–56 win against Utah Valley at the UCCU Center in Orem. The Bengals overcame multiple deficits and finished strong in the fourth quarter to secure their third road victory of the season.
“It seems like every time we play UVU it’s a grind,” said Head Coach Seton Sobolewski. ” [I’m] proud of our effort especially on the defensive end.”
Utah Valley started quickly, building an early lead before Idaho State closed the gap by the end of the first quarter. The second quarter saw Idaho State briefly take the lead following key plays from Piper Carlson and Tasia Jordan, but Utah Valley regained control before halftime.
After trailing by eight points in the third quarter, Idaho State responded with a 10–2 run to cut Utah Valley’s advantage to two entering the final period. Early in the fourth quarter, Idaho State went on a decisive 12–0 run that turned a three-point deficit into a five-point lead. Maeva Gauffrenet and Aspen Caldwell contributed important three-pointers during this stretch, while Jordan added crucial free throws late in the game.
“I thought maeva and Aspen had some very timely threes to help separate us away from Utah Valley,” Sobolewski continued. “Tae was really big in supplying steady scoring to keep us in the game”
Despite committing 30 turnovers—a rare occurrence for wins within program history—Idaho State managed to hold off Utah Valley. Since 2000, it is only their second win when turning over the ball at least 30 times; previously achieved on December 9, 2000, against UC Riverside.
The Bengals forced 16 turnovers from Utah Valley and scored 12 points off those opportunities. Tasia Jordan led all scorers with 26 points and reached double figures for her ninth game this season, including six points in the fourth quarter alone. Kacey Spink provided double-digit assists along with critical defense late in regulation, while Piper Carlson led with ten rebounds.
Idaho State held Utah Valley to just over 33 percent shooting from the field and limited them to twelve points in the final quarter.
The team’s non-conference campaign featured several notable achievements: victories over Grand Canyon and Portland—both teams that won at least thirty games last season—and multiple comeback wins including rallies from significant second-half deficits against Portland and Utah Valley. The Bengals also set a program record with twenty-eight offensive rebounds against Omaha and maintained consistent scoring inside throughout non-league play.
Looking ahead, Idaho State will begin Big Sky Conference competition after returning from holiday break, starting with Sacramento State on January 1 followed by Portland State on January 3.
