POCATELLO, Idaho - The Bengals men's basketball team will wrap up their four-game road trip this week as they travel to Northern Colorado on Thursday, February 1st and Northern Arizona on Saturday, February 3rd. The Bengals split their season series with Northern Colorado last year, and have not won in Greeley since the 2020-21 season. Idaho State is 3-2 against UNC in their last five matchups. Idaho State was able to take the season series 2-0 against NAU last year, winning their last seven in a row when in Flagstaff and have an 11-3 record against the Lumberjacks in their last 14 meetings. Be sure to follow along as Scott Gross will have the call on KISU and both games will be available to stream on ESPN+.
Northern Colorado (12-8)
Home (7-1), Away (4-6), Neutral (1-1)
ISU Recent Series vs. UNC
2/27/2023 A L 72 – 87
12/31/2022 H W 90 – 83
2/21/2022 A L 70 – 77
2/17/2022 H W 61 – 58
12/23/2020 A W 71 – 56
The Bears come into their game with Idaho State with a 12-8 overall record and 5-2 record in conference play. Northern Colorado won their most recent game on Saturday against Idaho, 89-68, and are winners of three of their last four games.
Northern Arizona (10-11)
Home (5-0), Away (4-10), Neutral (1-1)
ISU Recent Series vs. NAU
2/6/2023 A W 75 – 70
12/29/2022 H W 79 – 53
2/24/2022 A W 70 – 66
12/4/2021 H L 70 – 73
1/9/2021 A W 76 – 70
The Lumberjacks enter the game with the Bengals with a 10-11 overall record and 3-4 record in conference play. Northern Arizona lost their most recent game on Saturday to Big Sky leaders, Eastern Washington, 85-70, but prior to this had won their last three in a row.
Weber State Recap
The Bengals and Wildcats would both come out battling and exchanging buckets early, with Weber State gaining their largest lead in the game, 10-6 at the 13:39 mark of the first half. Shortly after, the Bengals would regain the lead and then some, as they would go on a 10-2 run to take their own four-point lead, 16-12, with 10:10 remaining in the first half. However, the Bengals weren't done in the half just yet. After finding themselves up 20-19, Idaho State would explode on a 14-1 run that would be capped off by a gorgeous Miguel Tomley three-pointer, to give the Bengals a 34-21 edge with the first half winding down. Weber State would find some magic late in the first, as they closed the half on their own 9-1 run, giving the Wildcats some life as both teams headed in the halftime break with Idaho State in front, 35-29.
In the second half we would open with both teams trading easy layups, but the Wildcats would fight their way back into it, knotting the game up at 44 apiece with 14:42 remaining in the game. As both teams looked to gain an edge late, the Bengals did just that, once again they would find a way to go on a run, this time a 10-0 run to give themselves a double-digit cushion over the Wildcats, 58-48, with 9:40 to play. Weber State, however, would refuse to go away, as they would come crawling all the way back to tie the game at 64 all with just 3:22 left in regulation. It was once again the Bengals' turn to respond, and they did just that. After a tough finish in the paint and free-throw to convert an and-1, Maleek Arington would give Idaho State a three-point lead and help fuel the Bengals down the stretch. Isaiah Griffin would convert on a layup attempt, followed by another Maleek Arington jaw-dropping and-1 finish at the rack as he would not be denied this win. Idaho State would shut Weber State down on the defensive end and Miguel Tomley would close the game out at the charity stripe, knocking down both of his last-second free-throws to give the Bengals a 74-64 win in Ogden. After picking up the big win, Idaho State improves their record to 8-13 overall and 3-5 in Big Sky play. Following the loss, Weber State drops to 12-9 overall and 3-5 in Big Sky play.
Maleek Arington came to play for the Bengals in this one as he, and three other Bengals, would finish with 14 points. Arington also tied a career-high with seven assists (5th time this season), while also pulling down five rebounds, and coming away with one steal as he would play all 40 minutes for the seventh consecutive game. Kiree Huie put up 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting from the field, three rebounds, two assists, and one steal, and fellow big man, Brayden Parker, would total 13 points, a season-high 11 rebounds, a career-high five assists, and one block. This is Parker's fourth career double-double and first since the Bengals game vs Sacramento State on January 19th, 2023. Isaiah Griffin finished with 14 points on 5-of-10 shooting from the field, four rebounds, and one steal, and Miguel Tomley would end the game with 14 points on 4-of-6 shooting from the floor, four rebounds, one steal, one block, and one assist. This marks the first game this season for ISU where all five starters have scored in double-figures. Off the bench for the Bengals, AJ Burgin and Briggs Ranstrom would provide Idaho State with some valuable minutes. Burgin would finish with five points, two rebounds, and two big steals in 14 minutes, and Ranstrom would tally three rebounds and an assist in 21 minutes of action.
Following the win Head Coach, Ryan Looney, earns career win number 47. Needing just three more W's this season to earn his 50th career win as Head Coach of the Bengals.
Idaho State finished the game shooting 50 percent from the field, and 20 percent from three-point territory, going 3-of-15 from behind the arc. The Bengals tallied 16 assists (T-4th most in a game this season), 38 rebounds (4th most in a game this season), and 6 steals.
Weber State finished the game shooting 43.1 percent from the field and 28.6 percent from three-point land (6-for-21). The Wildcats finished with 26 rebounds, 8 steals, and 8 assists.
The Returning 8
3 Maleek Arington G So. 6-3 200 Auburn, WA
10 Miguel Tomley G So. 6-3 200 Surrey, BC
12 Turner Livingston F R-Fr. 6-4 195 Spokane, WA
13 AJ Burgin G Jr. 6-3 205 San Diego, CA
14 Jordan Hansen G So. 6-6 215 Seattle, WA
20 Briggs Ranstrom F R-Fr. 6-6 205 Eagle, ID
25 Brayden Parker C Gr. 6-8 250 Preston, ID
44 Louis Stormark C R-So. 6-9 250 Alleroed, Denmark
Hello my name is
0 Kolton Mitchell G Fr. 6-1 175 Coeur d' Alene, ID
4 Jaedyn Brown G Fr. 6-4 175 Pullman, WA
5 Laolu Kalejaiye G Fr. 6-0 160 Los Angeles, CA
15 Kiree Huie F Jr. 6-9 220 Grayson, GA
21 Isaiah Griffin F Jr. 6-6 210 Knightdale, NC
22 James Bodily G Fr. 6-3 200 Bancroft, ID
30 Evan Otten C Fr. 6-11 220 Redmond, OR
31 Trent Johnson F Jr. 6-7 205 Cambridge, ON
32 Gavin Gilstrap C Jr. 6-11 270 Spokane, WA
Bengal Bites
- Brayden Parker is now 4th on the ISU career Blocks list with 104, passing Jeff Cook after recording 5 blocks in the Bengals game vs Eastern Washington on Jan. 20th
- Brayden Parker became the 25th player in Idaho State history to reach the 1,000-career point mark after dropping a season-high 24 points in the Bengals' game vs Montana on Dec. 30th
- Parker moved into 20th place on the ISU All-Time scoring list, now with 1,116 career points, passing Matt Stucki (1,079) after recording 18 points vs Idaho on Jan. 18th
- Brayden Parker is 2nd the Big Sky in Field Goal Percentage, making 55.3% of his shots (58th in the country)
- Kiree Huie is 4th in the Big Sky in Field Goal Percentage, making 53.5% of his attempts (74th in the country)
- Brayden Parker is 3rd in the Big Sky in Blocks (30) & BPG (1.43)
- Kiree Huie is 5th in the Big Sky in Blocks (26) & BPG (1.24)
- Maleek Arington is 2nd in the Big Sky and 59th in the nation in Assists (95) & 3rd in APG (4.5)
- Maleek Arington is 2nd in the Big Sky in Steals with 48 (14th in the nation) & 2nd in the Big Sky in SPG with 2.29 (24th in the country)
- Miguel Tomley is 5th in the Big Sky in 3-Point FGM (45) & 7th in 3-Point FGM Per Game (2.14)
- ISU has had a big defensive presence down low, averaging 3.7 blocks per game (T-1st the Big Sky)
- Idaho State has been stingy on defense, plucking 7 steals per game (2nd in the Big Sky)
- The Bengals defense is only allowing 68.7 PPG to opposing teams (2nd in the Big Sky)
Looking Ahead
Following their games at Northern Colorado and Northern Arizona, Idaho State will return home to Reed Gym for the first time in nearly three weeks. The Bengals will be hosting Sacramento State on Thursday, February 8th at 7 pm, followed by Portland State on Saturday, February 10th at 6 pm.
Follow the Bengals
Follow along at ISUBengals.com to keep up to date with the team. Fans can also follow the Bengals on social media (Twitter: @IdahoStateMBB | Instagram:@Idahostatembb | Facebook:@IdahoStateMensBasketball)
