CHENEY, Wash. — The Idaho women’s basketball team just found itself overpowered by its regional rival Saturday.
Jaydia Martin had 16 points and eight rebounds to lead a balanced attack as Eastern Washington handed the Vandals their third consecutive loss in Big Sky Conference play, a 74-59 setback at Reese Court.
Milly Knowles chipped in 14 points, five rebounds and three assists for the Eagles (9-6, 2-3), who finished 17-for-36 (47.2%) from the field in the second half, including 5-of-7 (71.4%) on 3s. Jamie Loera had 12 points and 14 rebounds. Jaleesa Lawrence tallied 12 points, eight rebounds and three assists.
Junior guard Sydney Gandy had 21 points and seven rebounds for the Vandals (6-10, 2-3), who have lost three in a row since starting 2-0 in conference play. Senior forward Beyonce Bea added 20 points and eight rebounds. Freshman guard Rosa Smith had 11 points and three assists.
Neither team led by more than four points in the first half. After a 3 from Gandy with 1:27 left before halftime, Idaho took a 34-30 lead. The Vandals went into the locker room up 37-35.
It was 40-35 Idaho after Smith hit a 3 to open the third quarter, but Eastern Washington started to slowly assert itself. The Eagles tied it at 40 on a Knowles layup at the 7:22 mark and took a three-point lead with 5:24 to go on another Knowles shot from inside. The Vandals tied the game at 48 with 2:13 left in the period on Gandy’s 3, but Eastern Washington scored the final seven points to take a 55-48 lead to the fourth.
After Idaho scored the first basket of the fourth, the Eagles reeled off eight consecutive points, capped by a Martin 3, to take a 63-50 advantage at the 6:50 mark. The Vandals could get no closer than 10 the rest of the way.
Idaho shot just 9-for-32 (28.1%) in the final 20 minutes and was 4-of-14 (28.6%) from distance.
Eastern Washington had advantages in rebounding (51-29), second-chance points (14-2), points off turnovers (18-14), bench points (13-2), points in the paint (38-22) and fast-break points (17-7).
The Vandals next play at 6 p.m. Pacific on Monday at Montana State.
IDAHO (6-10, 2-3)
Gandy 6-14 3-3 21, B. Bea 7-18 4-4 20, Smith 5-14 0-0 11, Johnson 1-3 0-0 3, Phillips 1-7 0-0 2, Wallace 1-2 0-0 2, Brans 0-1 0-0 0, J. Bea 0-1 0-0 0, Kilty 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 21-61 7-7 59.
EASTERN WASHINGTON (9-6, 2-3)
Martin 5-15 2-2 16, Knowles 7-12 0-0 14, Loera 4-13 3-4 12, Lawrence 5-13 2-2 12, Buckley 3-10 0-0 7, Pettis 4-7 0-0 8, Zylak 1-1 0-0 3, Gallatin 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 30-72 7-8 74.
Idaho 15 22 11 11—59
Eastern Washington 14 21 20 19—74
3-point goals — Idaho 10-27 (Gandy 6-9, B. Bea 2-5, Johnson 1-3, Smith 1-5, Walllace 0-1, Brans 0-1, Kilty 0-1, Phillips 0-2), Eastern Washington 7-16 (Martin 4-8, Buckley 1-1, Zylak 1-1, Loera 1-2, Lawrence 0-2, Pettis 0-2). Rebounds — Idaho 29 (B. Bea 8), Eastern Washington 51 (Loera 13). Assists — Idaho 9 (Smith 3), Eastern Washington 14 (Knowles, Loera, Lawrence, Buckley 3). Total fouls — Idaho 9, Eastern Washington 10. A — 841.
