BOISE, Idaho –The Idaho State men's basketball team played in the semi-final round of the Big Sky Men's Basketball Tournament Tuesday night. Taking on the Montana Grizzlies for the third time on the season. The Griz swept the Bengals in their season series. The Bengals come into the game dropping their last 5 in a row to Montana and are 1-27 vs UM since 2009.
The Griz would open the game on a 5-0, and extend their lead to 17-7 early in the ball game, at the 12:27 mark in the first half. Idaho State would follow that up with their own 8-0 run, cutting the Grizzlies' lead to just two points, 17-15. Montana would have a response for Idaho State's run, going on their own 10-0 run to push their lead to the largest of the first half at 12, 29-17. The Bengals would head into the halftime break trailing by 12 to the Griz, 33-21.
In the second half the Bengals and Grizzlies would exchange blows until Montana was able to blow the game open, surging to a 20-point lead, 54-34 with 12:03 to play. The Bengals would refuse to let this get them down, as they would respond with an 11-0 run, cutting the Griz lead back down to single digits at nine. However, this is the closest the Bengals could get to within reach of Montana. Following a missed three-point attempt that would have cut the Grizzly lead to just six, the Griz would storm back out to a double-digit lead and hold off the Bengals' comeback attempt, defeating Idaho State 72-58. Following the semi-final round loss Idaho State will fall to 14-20 overall and 9-12 in conference play. After the win Montana will improve to 23-10 overall and 14-6 in Big Sky play.
Miguel Tomley would lead the game in scoring for the Bengals, finishing with 22 points on 7-of-15 shooting from the field and 4-of-7 from three-point land and three rebounds. Kiree Huie would tally 10 points on 4-of-8 shooting from the field, four rebounds, one block, and one steal, and fellow big man, Brayden Parker, would suit up for the final time in his illustrious Idaho State career, and finish with six points, three rebounds, and one steal. Maleek Arington would cap off one of the best seasons the Bengals have seen from the point guard position in a very long time with seven points, six rebounds, five assists, and three steals while playing in the entire game for the for the 16th game this season. The final starter for Idaho State, Isaiah Griffin, would finish with six points and four rebounds. Off the bench for the Bengals Trent Johnson and AJ Burgin would play crucial roles in this one, as Johnson would record four points, tie his season-high with five rebounds, two assists, and one block in 21 minutes, and Burgin would provide the Bengals with three points and three rebounds, going 1-of-1 from beyond the arc in 16 minutes of action.
Brayden Parker will end this his ISU career and this season in the record books. Big Country will end this season T-5th in blocks and T-9th in BPG in a single-season in ISU history, and will end his career 3rd All-Time in Blocks, 8th All-Time in BPG, 9th All-Time in Rebounds, 10th All-Time in Scoring, 9th All-Time in FGM, and T-8th All-Time in Field Goal Percentage. Parker will go down as one of the greatest ever to represent the Orange & Black.
Maleek Arington will end this season in the single-season and career record books. Arington will finish this season 2nd in Steals, 5th in SPG, and 5th in Assists. Arington will end this year T-6th on the ISU All-Time Steals list.
Following making 4 more three-pointers tonight Miguel Tomley now holds the Idaho State Single-Season 3PM record. Tomley will end the season with 85 made three's, passing Tim Erickson's record (82) set 23 years ago during the 2000-01 season.
Idaho State finished the game shooting 40 percent from the field, and 35.7 percent from three-point territory, going 5-of-14 from deep. Idaho State tallied 7 assists, 29 rebounds, and 5 steals.
Montana finished the game shooting 55.3 percent from the field and 40 percent from three-point land (8-for-20). The Griz ended the game with 26 rebounds, 3 steals, and 14 assists.