With the 2023-2024 regular season ending, the Idaho women’s basketball team looks to end on a high note and take momentum into the Big Sky tournament.
“We’re still focused on one game at a time and trying to win the game in front of us,” Eighmey said. “But again, there’s a difference between the six-seed and the seven-seed. We think there’s still an opportunity to earn the six-seed, but we’ll have to do some work here in the next three games.”
Montana State
Idaho will begin their last road trip in the Brick Breedan Fieldhouse on Thursday, Feb. 29, at 6 p.m. against the Montana State Bobcats (15-13, 9-6). The Bobcats defeated the Vandals 51-46 in Moscow on Feb. 3 behind a strong game from fifth-year guard Madison Hall, who led MSU with 15 points.
In the last matchup, Idaho turned the basketball over 22 times.
“Defensively, they’re very good, one of the best defensive teams in the league,” she said. “They have good length, and they switch a lot of screens. They do a good job of flying around and covering each other up, and it’s disruptive.”
Idaho looks to improve on its impressive 9-3 record away from ICCU Arena and get a win over the Bobcats as they push for the always coveted sixth seed.
Montana
The Vandals will then head to the Adams Center to take on the red-hot Montana Grizzlies (19-7, 11-4). The game will tip off Saturday, March 2, at 1 p.m. The Grizzlies defeated the Vandals 79-68 the last time they met and led by as much as 26 points.
With players like graduate forward Carmen Gfeller and Big Sky MVP candidate sophomore guard Mack Konig, Montana’s offense looks to show out like they did in the first meeting. Gfeller led the Griz with 24 points while Konig put up 18. Montana is one of the best offensive teams in the conference and will give the Vandals fits all day.
“They have a lot of firepower offensively. They’ve got six or seven players that can score it,” Eighmey said. “It’s going to be one of those games where you got to be really on point defensively, making sure that we understand who was guarding and very detail-oriented with the scout.”
Portland State
Idaho will return home for its final game of the season against Portland State (7-21, 2-14) on Monday, March 4 at 6 p.m. The Vandals will honor their four seniors, Jenna Kilty, Sarah Schmitt, Hope Butera and Amalie Langer, as they play their last home game.
“We’ll be super sad to have to honor them and happy at the same time,” Eighmey said. “But (they’re) all incredible people that I’m fortunate to have had the opportunity to coach.”
Idaho, who defeated Portland State 61-55 back in December, is looking to finish the season on the right note as they head into Boise.
Portland State, led by junior guard Esmeralda Morales, may not look like a threat on paper, but Eighmey notes they have been playing better of late.
“They’re playing much better, I think over the last couple of weeks, they’ve made significant progress,” she said. “When you have a scorer like Morales, you (always) have a chance every night to be in a game, and she’s a special player.”
With Boise in their sights, the Vandals look to finish the 2023-2034 regular season off strong and take some much-needed momentum into the Big Sky tournament next weekend.
Jayden Barfuss can be reached at [email protected] or on X @JaydenBarfuss10