SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Interstat) — Idaho State opened a commanding early lead and never looked back, defeating Sacramento State 61-46 in a Big Sky Conference women’s basketball game Thursday at Colberg Court.

The Bengals (8-4, 1-0) raced to a 20-9 lead after the first quarter and maintained a double-digit advantage throughout. Kacey Spink led Idaho State with 11 points. The Hornets (6-8, 0-1) struggled offensively, shooting just 28.6% from the field and 16.7% from 3-point range. Rubi Gray scored a game-high 16 points for Sacramento State.

Idaho State’s defense forced 22 turnovers and held the Hornets to an offensive rating of 64.7. The Bengals shot 46.3% from the floor. An announced crowd of 412 watched the New Year’s Day contest.