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Idaho to play for Big Sky title

| March 10, 2018 12:00 AM

RENO, Nev. — Taylor Pierce hit nine 3-pointers and scored a career-high 31 points as the No. 2 seed Idaho Vandals outlasted the sixth-seeded Portland State Vikings 102-99 in the semifinals of the Big Sky Conference women’s basketball tournament Friday afternoon at the Reno Events Center.

The Vandals (19-12) advance to their second championship game in the last three seasons, and will take on top-seeded Northern Colorado (25-6) today at noon for a spot in the NCAA Tournament.

Pierce’s nine 3s tied the school and conference record and set a Big Sky Tournament record, passing teammate Mikayla Ferenz. Ferenz finished with 22 points, nine rebounds and a career-high 10 assists.

Idaho connected on 16 of 31 from beyond the arc, including 9 of 13 in the second half.

“What a shootout,” Idaho coach Jon Newlee said. “I loved our start. I thought that was the key to what we were doing. It built our confidence out there. We like playing against zones, there is no question about that. We came into the game with a lot of confidence. It was a matter of could we stop them? I wouldn’t say we stopped them but we got the stops when we needed them.”

The Vandals set a Big Sky Tournament record with a season-high 31 assists, doing so on 36 made baskets. Allison Kirby, a freshman from Timberlake High, recorded a career-best with nine assists, to go with five points and five rebounds.

Four Vandals finished in double-figures. Geraldine McCorkell went 8 for 8 at the free-throw line and totaled 20 points. Isabelle Hadden recorded a career-high 18 points in her 14 minutes off the bench.

Idaho used an 11-3 run in the fourth that put the Vandals up 90-79 with 4:29 to play. PSU (19-13) answered with a 9-0 run that cut the Idaho advantage to 90-88, with 2:17 to go.

Pierce and Ferenz struck back with two key 3s to go back up by eight with just over a minute remaining. The Vandals closed 6 for 6 from the free-throw line to secure the win.

“Shooters shoot,” said Ferenz, like Pierce a junior. “That is what we always say. Taylor and I have short memories when it comes to shooting. If we miss one we forget about it. I saw an opportunity and luckily it went in.”