Idaho State University’s women’s basketball team is set to return home for the second week of Big Sky Conference play after a stretch of six consecutive road games. The Bengals, currently holding a 9-4 overall record and a 2-0 mark in conference play, will host Northern Colorado on Thursday, January 8 at 7:00 p.m., followed by a matchup against Northern Arizona on Saturday, January 10 at 2:00 p.m. Both games are scheduled to be streamed on ESPN+, with radio coverage provided by KISU 91.1 FM and play-by-play from Mark Liptak.
The Bengals have performed strongly so far this season, entering their Thursday game with a winning percentage of 69.2%, which ranks them second in the Big Sky Conference. Idaho State leads the all-time series against Northern Colorado with a record of 27–15 over 42 meetings.
Returning to Reed Gym for the first time since December 3 marks the end of a long period away from home for Idaho State. The team has built its success largely on defense, ranking first in the conference and 40th nationally by allowing just 56.6 points per game. Opponents are shooting only 36.1 percent from the field against them, placing Idaho State first in the Big Sky and among the top teams nationally in field-goal percentage defense.
Rebounding has also been an area of strength; Idaho State averages 40 rebounds per game, third-best in the conference and among the top-100 nationally, while their rebounding margin (+9.4) is second in the league and ranked within the top-30 nationwide. The team averages nearly ten steals per game and forces over eighteen turnovers per contest.
On offense, Idaho State is averaging 65 points per game with an average scoring margin of +8.4 points—fourth in the conference standings. Key contributors include Tasia Jordan (16.1 points per game), Piper Carlson (8.4 rebounds per game), and Kacey Spink (averaging across multiple categories including steals).
Northern Colorado comes into Thursday’s contest with a record of 10–5 overall and is currently 1–1 in Big Sky play. The Bears have relied on strong defense—allowing just under sixty points per game—and rebounding advantage due to their size advantage inside.
Northern Arizona arrives for Saturday’s match under new head coach Laura Dinkins with a record of five wins and nine losses as they adjust following significant roster changes from last season’s successful campaign under former coach Loree Payne. Despite being in transition, NAU maintains one of the highest-scoring offenses in the league but also allows as many points as it scores each game.
Idaho State’s recent history against these opponents shows mixed results: they have won six out of their last ten games versus Northern Colorado but have lost five straight meetings to Northern Arizona despite holding an edge over longer-term series history.
The upcoming games will provide opportunities for Idaho State to build on its early-season momentum as it seeks to remain competitive within both conference standings and national rankings.
