LAHAINA, Hawaii — The trip to the Hawaiian Islands certainly was not the paradise the Idaho women’s basketball team was looking for.
The Vandals found themselves down by 22 points after one half of play Saturday, and couldn’t dig out of the hole in falling 75-64 to Northern Iowa in the Maui Jim Maui Classic.
As it has all season, it was shooting and turnovers that doomed Idaho (1-9), which now has lost nine in a row. In this one, the Vandals were just 7-for-35 (20 percent) in the first 20 minutes, including 1-for-8 (12.5 percent) from beyond the arc, in trailing the Panthers (7-3) by a score of 37-15 at halftime.
Senior guard Allison Kirby finished with 19 points and nine rebounds before fouling out for Idaho. Sophomore guard Sydney Gandy added 13 points and freshman guard Ashlyn Wallace, a former Clarkston High School standout, chipped in 10 points.
Four Northern Iowa players hit double figures, led by 21 points and five assists from Karli Rucker. Bre Gunnells finished with 11 points and 13 rebounds, and Kam Finley and Emerson Green each had 10 points.
The Vandals tried to work their way back into the game in the second half, as they shot 17-for-36 to finish at 24-of-71 (33.8 percent) overall for the game, including 6-of-22 (27.3 percent) from 3-point range. But the early hole was too much to overcome.
Idaho next plays at 6 p.m. Dec. 30 at home against Northern Arizona.
IDAHO (1-9)
Wallace 3-11 1-1 10, Bea 2-13 1-2 5, Kirby 7-10 4-4 19, Johnson 2-7 0-0 4, Allred 1-1 0-0 2, Atchley 2-4 2-5 7, Forsyth 1-8 0-2 2, Alexander 0-1 2-4 2, Gandy 6-16 0-0 13. Totals 24-71 10-18 64.
NORTHERN IOWA (7-3)
Rucker 8-12 2-2 21, Kroeger 1-5 0-0 2, Gunnels 5-9 1-2 11, Finley 2-7 5-6 10, Boffeli 2-5 5-6 9, McDermott 2-5 2-2 7, Morgan 0-1 0-0 0, Green 3-8 2-4 10, Laube 1-3 0-0 3, McCullough 1-3 0-0 2, Barney 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 25-60 17-22 75.
Idaho 9 6 25 24—64
Northern Iowa 23 14 17 21—75
3-point goals — Idaho 6-22 (Wallace 3-7, Kirby 1-1, Atchley 1-2, Gandy 1-7, Johnson 0-5), Northern Iowa 8-29 (Rucker 3-4, Green 2-5, McDermott 1-3, Laube 1-3, Finley 1-4, Gunnels 0-1, Boffeli 0-1, Morgan 0-1, Barney 0-1, McCullough 0-2, Kroeger 0-4). Fouled out — Kirby. Rebounds — Idaho 37 (Kirby 9), Northern Iowa 49 (Boffelli 19). Assists — Idaho 6 (Kirby 2), Northern Iowa 14 (Rucker 5). Total fouls — Idaho 18, Northern Iowa 18. A — 212.
