Bengals release full 2024-25 schedule, which will be highlighted by a home game against BYU

It doesn’t happen often; it is a very rare occurrence.

But head coach Seton Sobolewski and the Idaho State women’s basketball team were able to corral a Power 4 program into coming to Reed Gym as the BYU Cougars make an appearance on November 16.

It was one of the highlights of the 2024-2025 schedule that was released on Saturday afternoon.

It’s only the third time sine the turn of the new century that BYU has played in Pocatello. In late December 2000, ISU won the game 58-56 as Chris Urbanski nailed a 3-ball at the buzzer. The Cougars returned in January 2003 winning the game 69-59.

But they haven’t been back since.

“BYU will be the first Power 4 school we’ve ever had at home in the 17 years I’ve been at Idaho State,” Sobolewski said. “I’m sure this game will draw a lot of attention and we should have very good attendance for this one.”

It wasn’t for lack of trying.

Several seasons ago, Michigan State came very close to playing at Reed Gym before negotiations fell through. As has been stated before, because of economics and geography, teams are very reluctant to make the trek to Southeast Idaho to play any of the Bengal athletic teams. So this truly is a special circumstance.

ISU’s season opens with an exhibition game against Northwest Nazarene on November 1. The “official” first game is November 4 when they host Arizona Christian University.

The first road game is at Cal-Berkley on November 7.

ISU heads off to Cancun, Mexico for the Cancun Challenge over Thanksgiving weekend. It will be the fifth time the Bengals are playing in that tournament. They drew Rhode Island on the holiday itself and then the next day they’ll take on Vermont. Idaho State has never played either of those school before.

Year two of the Big Sky-Summit League Challenge series takes place on December 4 and December 7. The University of Denver comes to town on the fourth. The last time those two tangled was back in 2016. ISU won a double-overtime thriller 65-64 on a last second shot by Bianca Thacker at Reed Gym.

On the seventh, ISU will play at Missouri-Kansas City. But that trip is posing some challenges. According to Sobolewski, hotel accommodations are proving to be difficult because it is a home weekend for the defending Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs.

Big Sky Conference play starts on January 2 when ISU hosts a very good Northern Arizona club. They’ll finish the regular season against NAU as well. Only that game will be in Flagstaff.

The postseason conference tournament will again be held in Boise March 8-12.

The schedule breaks down with 14 road games, 13 home games and two neutral site contests. Like with the men, only four of the 11 nonconference games are at home, but having BYU and Denver come to Reed Gym makes it a little more enticing for the fan base.

“We have a very fun and challenging schedule for 2024-2025 that includes three Power 4 schools and several mid-major powerhouses,” said Sobolewski.

ISU has gone 11-19 the past two seasons, very different for a program that has been one of the most consistent winners in the Big Sky. The last time the Bengals had three straight losing seasons was 1993-96.

The full schedule is listed down below:

11/1 − vs. Northwest Nazarene (Exhibition), TBD

11/4 − vs. Arizona Christian University, TBD

11/7 − at Cal-Barkley, TBD

11/11 − at San Diego State, TBD

11/16 − vs. BYU, TBD

11/21 − vs. Westminster, 7 p.m.

11/24 − at TCU, TBD

Cancun Challenge

11/28 − vs. Rhode Island, Cancun, Mexico, 2 p.m.

11/29 − vs. Vermont Cancun, Mexico, 2p.m.

Big Sky/Summit League Challenge

12/4 − vs. University of Denver, TBD

12/7 − at UMKC, TBD

12/20 −at Northern Illinois, TBD

1/2 − vs. Northern Arizona, 7 p.m.

1/4 − vs. Northern Colorado, 2 p.m.

1/11 − at Weber State, TBD

1/16 − at Montana State, TBD

1/18 − at Montana, TBD

1/23 − vs. Sacramento State, 7 p.m.

1/25 − vs. Portland State, 2 p.m.

1/30 − at Eastern Washington, TBD

2/1 − at Idaho, TBD

2/3 − at Northern Colorado, TBD

2/8 − vs. Weber State, 2 p.m.

2/13 − vs. Montana, 7 p.m.

2/15 − vs. Montana State, 2 p.m.

2/20 − at Portland State, TBD

2/22 − at Sacramento State, TBD

2/27 − vs. Idaho, 7 p.m.

3/1 − vs. Eastern Washington, 2 p.m.

3/3 − at Northern Arizona, TBD

Big Sky Conference Tournament

3/8-12 − at Boise, TBD