Lady Badgers close regular season with four big victories in a row

The Snow College Badgers closed out the regular season with momentum, winning four straight games and locking up a spot in the Region 18 Tournament after road victories over North Idaho College Cardinals and sixth-ranked College of Southern Idaho Golden Eagles in Idaho.

Snow entered the final weekend needing a win over North Idaho to secure postseason play. The Badgers responded with a 71-52 comeback victory, then followed it up with a 78-68 win over CSI to finish the regular season on a high note.

Slow start, strong finish against NIC

The Badgers struggled early against North Idaho. Snow did not score until Sydnee Smith knocked down a jumper with 4:32 left in the opening quarter. The offense stalled through the first 10 minutes, and Snow trailed by 17 points entering the second quarter.

The game shifted in the final minutes before halftime. Snow went on a 14-3 run, cutting the deficit to 33-31 at the break. Smith added four points during the stretch, and Avery Allred chipped in three as the Badgers clawed back into contention.

Snow grabbed its first lead early in the third quarter on back-to-back jumpers from Lala Baldwin to move ahead 37-35. The teams traded baskets the rest of the period, with North Idaho holding a narrow 45-42 edge entering the fourth.

Megan Johnson delivered the decisive blow midway through the final quarter. Her three-pointer — Snow’s only shot from beyond the arc in the game — ignited a 17-0 run that broke the contest open. Snow’s defense held the Cardinals to limited scoring down the stretch, sealing the 71-52 win and punching a ticket to the regional tournament.

Baldwin and Allred each scored 13 points to lead Snow. Smith finished with 11 points and nine rebounds, narrowly missing a double-double. Sara Aoki added 10 points.

The win secured Snow the No. 4 seed in the Region 18 Tournament.

Statement win over No. 6 CSI

With postseason play secured, the Badgers carried that energy into their regular-season finale against CSI.

Snow set the tone early, jumping out to a 10-4 lead behind a pair of Baldwin three-pointers. The Badgers built a double-digit cushion by the end of the first quarter and continued to stretch the lead in the second.

Aoki scored 10 points in the second quarter alone, helping Snow push the advantage to 42-23 at halftime. Dalana Jakovljevic scored the team’s final four points of the half to cap the surge.

CSI mounted pressure in the second half, trimming the deficit with an 11-2 run late in the third quarter. Snow still led by 15 entering the fourth.

Johnson answered early in the final period with a three-pointer and a layup, fueling a 10-3 run. CSI countered with a 15-0 surge of its own, but Snow did not fold. Aoki scored four of the Badgers’ final nine points to secure the 78-68 victory.

Aoki finished with 26 points, four rebounds and four steals to lead all scorers. Jakovljevic recorded her third double-double of the season with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Baldwin added 13 points, and Johnson chipped in 10.

Region 18 next

Snow heads to Twin Falls, Idaho, for the Region 18 Tournament March 12-13, hosted by CSI. As the No. 4 seed, the Badgers will open tournament play against the top-seeded Golden Eagles.

Tipoff times will be announced.