CALDWELL, Idaho (Interstat) — Idaho opened its women’s NCAA Division I basketball season with a 71-47 victory over non-divisional visiting opponent Saint Martin’s on Monday at Idaho Central Credit Union Arena in Caldwell, Idaho. The Vandals were the home team and improved to 1-0. Attendance was 2,591. Idaho led 17-11 after the first quarter, 29-15 at halftime and 48-38 through three quarters before pulling away in the fourth.

Saint Martin’s opened the scoring when Laiken Hill made a layup with 8:13 left in the first quarter. Ana Pinheiro tied the game for Idaho on a jump shot off a turnover, and Katlin Kangur followed with a jump shot to give the Vandals a 4-2 lead. Jada Travis made a jump shot off a turnover to tie the game at 4, but Aniyah Riddell answered with a layup. Harper Wagner hit a 3-pointer to put Saint Martin’s ahead 7-6, and Idaho responded with a Hope Hassmann layup and a Keanna Salave’a layup. Alexia Araujo-Dagba made a free throw, Salave’a added another layup, and Ana Pinheiro made a layup as Idaho took a 17-11 lead after one quarter. Libby Nelson made two free throws for Saint Martin’s late in the quarter, and Pinheiro closed the first-quarter scoring with a jump shot.

In the second quarter, Keanna Salave’a made a layup at 6:51, Jacey Boesel scored inside at 5:06, and Ella Uriarte added layups on either side of a Saint Martin’s basket by Avery Oaster. Salave’a scored again at 2:12 and Uriarte made another layup at 1:38 for a 27-13 lead. Aniyah Riddell made two free throws late in the half, and Jada Travis hit a floating jump shot for Saint Martin’s before halftime. Idaho took a 29-15 lead into the break. The Vandals’ first-half scoring included baskets from Pinheiro, Kangur, Riddell, Hassmann, Salave’a and Uriarte.

Saint Martin’s made a push in the third quarter. Jada Travis made a layup at 9:34, Laiken Hill made a layup and a 3-pointer, Avery Oaster made two jump shots and a layup, and Daeja Hollands hit a 3-pointer. Idaho answered with Ella Uriarte layups, Hope Hassmann jump shots and free throws, a Brynna Pukis 3-pointer and another Keanna Salave’a layup. Karyss Lacanlale also made a jump shot for Saint Martin’s, while Hill added a late jump shot. Saint Martin’s entered the fourth quarter trailing 48-38.

The decisive stretch came at the start of the fourth. Idaho scored the first 17 points of the quarter, holding Saint Martin’s without a point until the 4:40 mark. Aniyah Riddell made free throws at 9:52, Jacey Boesel scored at 9:25 and 9:00, Ella Uriarte added layups at 7:24 and 5:36, Brynna Pukis hit a 3-pointer at 6:35 and made a layup at 5:05, and Hope Hassmann made a layup at 6:01 during the run. Pukis later made another 3-pointer, and Idaho’s lead reached 65-38 before Saint Martin’s closed with late baskets from Laiken Hill, Harper Wagner and Jaylah Brown. Idaho finished the game with a 71-47 advantage.

Aniyah Riddell had 10 points, eight rebounds and one assist in 14 minutes for Idaho. Ella Uriarte, a 5-foot-8 guard from Folsom, Calif., who previously played at Folsom High School, finished with 12 points, four rebounds, one assist and one block in 30 minutes. Keanna Salave’a had 11 points, nine rebounds and one block in 22 minutes. Ana Pinheiro, a 6-foot guard, added six points, six rebounds, one assist and two blocks in 27 minutes. Jacey Boesel contributed six points, one rebound and one assist in 16 minutes.

Hope Hassmann, a 5-foot-8 guard who previously played at Tahoma, scored 11 points with two rebounds and two assists in 30 minutes. Brynna Pukis added 11 points and two rebounds in 25 minutes. Katlin Kangur, a 5-foot-7 guard, had three points, three rebounds and two assists in 20 minutes. Alexia Araujo-Dagba had one point, one rebound and one assist in nine minutes. Reese Degroot, a 5-foot-11 forward who previously played at Clarkston High School, grabbed one rebound in two minutes.

Idaho scored 71 points from 71 possessions, an offensive rating of 100.6. The Vandals had 13 offensive rebounds, 11 assists, four blocks and 16 turnovers. Saint Martin’s finished with 47 points and was paced in the play descriptions by Laiken Hill, Jada Travis, Harper Wagner and Avery Oaster.

Idaho’s upcoming schedule includes games against Gonzaga, Washington State, Nevada, California Baptist, Cal State Northridge, Northern Colorado, Portland State, Long Beach State, Wyoming and Utah State. No projection, point spread, betting line or over-under information was provided.