Pocatello, ID- The Idaho State men's basketball team returns home from their two-game road trip to begin the back half of Big Sky play and will face the Weber State Wildcats for the second time this season on Saturday February 4th at 6 p.m. in Reed Gym. In the teams' first matchup on January 7th, we saw the Bengals go into Ogden and defeat the Wildcats by 10, 67-57. Idaho State will be looking to complete their first season sweep of Weber State in 19 years.
Weber State comes into the contest with an 11-11 record on the season and 6-3 in Big Sky Conference play, losing their latest matchup against Eastern Washington last Saturday by four. The Wildcats are averaging 66.7 points per game on 44.7 percent shooting from the field and 34.8 percent from beyond the arc.
Idaho State will look to lock the Wildcats down behind their lights-out defense. The Bengals' defense has been shutting their opponents down this year holding opponents to just 30.8 percent from three-point territory (1st in the Big Sky), 44.2 percent shooting from the field, and average 6.3 steals per game (3rd in the Big Sky).
The tip will be at 6 p.m. in Reed Gym. Jerry Miller will call the game on KISU and Dylan Carder will call the game on ESPN +.
Weber State University (11-11)
Home (6-2), Away (4-7), Neutral (1-2)
ISU Recent Series vs. WSU
1/7/2023 A W 67-57
1/20/2022 A L 95-63
1/17/2022 H L 78-61
3/2/2020 A W 78-70
1/16/2020 H L 76-68 (OT)
University of Idaho Recap
The Idaho State men's basketball team traveled to Moscow, Idaho Saturday afternoon to face off with their rivals, the University of Idaho Vandals. The Bengals were able to take an early first-half lead and stretch it to eight points, however the Vandals responded and took a one-point lead into halftime as the Bengals trailed 37-36. The second half was nothing short of a spectacle. The Bengals and Vandals went back and forth all 20 minutes exchanging buckets down low, however after layup with four seconds remaining the Vandals tied the game at 81 and sent it to overtime. In OT we saw Brock Mackenzie and Maleek Arington take over as they combined for 10 of the Bengals' 14 overtime points and take home the win, 95-91. After the win the Bengals improve to 8-14 on the year & 5-4 in Big Sky Conference play, the Idaho Vandals will fall to 8-15 on the season and 2-8 in conference play.
Brock Mackenzie led the Bengals tonight as he put up a career high 30 points making a career high 11-of-19 shots from the field, and tying a season high five rebounds. Brayden Parker tallied 16 points five rebounds, and one steal after fouling out late in the second half, and Austin Smellie also had 11 points on 4-of-5 shooting from the field, a perfect 3-of-3 from deep, and two assists, and two steals. We also saw Miguel Tomley finish with 10 points, four rebounds, and three assists.
Idaho State finished the game shooting 56.3 percent from the field and 45 percent from deep finishing 9-of-20 from deep. The Bengals tallied 13 assists, 33 rebounds, and 5 steals. The University of Idaho finished with shooting 50.9 percent from the field and 36.4 percent from beyond the arc.
The Returning 6
0 AJ Burgin G So. 6-3 205 San Diego, Calif.
2 Tommy Ball G Fr. 6-0 175 El Dorado Hills, Calif.
5 Austin Smellie G Sr. 6-5 200 Preston, Idaho
13 Daxton Carr F Jr. 6-7 215 Pocatello, Idaho
22 Jared Rodriguez F Sr. 6-8 215 Glendale, Ariz.
25 Brayden Parker C Jr. 6-8 250 Preston, Idaho
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1 Jay Nagle F Sr. 6-9 215 Vacaville, Calif.
3 Ronnie Stapp G Jr. 6-6 185 Bakersfield, Calif.
10 Miguel Tomley G So. 6-3 200 Surrey, BC
11 Brock Mackenzie G Sr. 6-2 185 Sammamish, Wash.
12 Turner Livingston F Fr. 6-4 195 Spokane, Wash.
14 Jordan Hansen G Fr. 6-6 215 Seattle, Wash.
20 Briggs Ranstrom F Fr. 6-6 205 Eagle, Idaho
23 Maleek Arington G Fr. 6-3 200 Lake Tapps, Wash.
24 Ed Chang F Jr. 6-8 215 Papillion, Neb.
32 Kolby Lee C Sr. 6-9 240 Meridian, Idaho
44 Louis Stormark C Fr. 6-9 250 Alleroed, Denmark
Bengal Bites
- Brock Mackenzie is currently 8th in the Big Sky in three-pointers made (44) and 9th in the Big Sky three-pointers per game (2)
- Miguel Tomley is currently 13th in the Big Sky in both three-pointers made (40)
- The Bengals' defense is currently 1st in the Big Sky and 54th in the country in three-point percentage defense, holding opponents to just 30.8 percent from three this season
- The Bengals' defense ranks 3rd in the Big Sky in steals per game (6.3)
- Idaho State's 95 – 91 OT victory over Idaho on Saturday was the first win in Head Coach Ryan Looney's career with ISU when allowing 90 or more points
- Austin Smellie became the 6th Bengal ever to go perfect from behind the three-point line with a minimum of 3 attempts (Shot 3-3 on Saturday at Idaho)
