Idaho State, up by double-digits in the third quarter, let Utah State come all the way back and ended up losing, 69-61, in Logan, Utah, on Thursday night.

In their final non-conference game of the season, the Bengals took control early and led by as many as 13 points, at 47-34 with 5 minutes, 18 seconds left in the third quarter.

But their offense stagnated from there. ISU (4-5) scored 14 points over the last 15 minutes of the game, allowing Utah State to comfortably win a game that the Aggies could have been run out of.

Freshman Tomekia Whitman scored a career-high 20 points, including a leaning free-throw-line jumper with 3:04 left to give the Bengals their last lead of the game at 56-55 and, after a Utah State 3, a layup to tie the game at 58-58.

But Utah State, which outscored ISU 23-11 in the final quarter, just kept coming. Hailey Bassett went all the way to the rim with her left hand for a 3-point play, Idaho State threw the ball away, and Lindsey Jensen-Baker, who led all scorers with 22 points, made two free throws for a 63-58 lead with 1:32 left.

Utah State kept making free throws, and the Bengals, pressing, didn’t score again until Montana Oltrogge made a 3-pointer to cut it to 67-61 with 18 seconds left.

Idaho State got a deflection on the ensuing inbounds pass and the ball fell to Bengals center Ellie Smith, igniting a brief hope of a miracle comeback that lasted for about one second, long enough for Jensen-Baker to steal the ball from Smith, who was frantically looking to pass.

The loss was Idaho State’s third in a row to close non-conference play, and dropped the Bengals below .500 for the first time this season.

Whitman was the bright spot. Making her second start, she equaled her career high with 12 points by halftime, attacking the basket well. Idaho State led 37-30 at the break after shooting 51.7%.

Whitman spun her defender and hit a turnaround jumper in the lane to give her a new career high with 14 points and ISU a 45-32 lead midway through the third quarter, but the Aggies closed the period on a 14-5 run to get back in the game.

Idaho State then shot just 30.8% (4 of 13) in the fourth quarter as Utah State completed the comeback.

Diaba Konate had 13 points in support of Whitman as two freshman guards (redshirt freshman, in Konate’s case) took center stage. It was Konate’s third-straight game in double figures.

Up next: Idaho State opens Big Sky Conference play on Dec. 28 at Idaho.