MOSCOW, Idaho – With the regular season just over one month away, the Idaho men's basketball team has taken to the court for the first official practice of the year.
 
"What we hope to accomplish is to set the tone for the entire year, of how hard we play and what we're trying to get done," said head coach Don Verlin following the opening practice.  "It's a really comforting thing as a coach, because I have 12 guys back this year and so I thought our practice went very well for a first day."
 
The Vandals return much of last year's squad that went 21-13 and earned a spot in the College Basketball Invitational.  In all, Idaho brings back its top-six scorers, led by Second Team All-Big Sky honoree Victor Sanders.  Sanders led the team in scoring a season ago at 15.9 points per game while shooting nearly 42 percent from beyond the arc.
 
Mixing in with the veterans are three newcomers.  Idaho added junior college transfer Brayon Blake, as well as freshmen Trevon Allen and Chance Garvin, to keep competition fierce in practice and training.
 
The team won the most games by a Vandal squad since the 1992-93 season, eclipsing the 20-win plateau for the first time under Verlin.  Idaho also defeated local, Pac-12 rival Washington State for the second straight season.
 
The regular season kicks off at home against Corban University on Saturday, November 12 at 8 p.m., as part of a double-header with Idaho Volleyball.  The non-conference schedule will be challenging, but this veteran Vandal team is surely ready for the tough path ahead.
 
Fans can stay up-to-date on all things Idaho men's basketball by following the team on twitter, @VandalHoops.

For more information on Idaho Athletics, visit GoVandals.com.  Fans can also find Idaho on Twitter and Instagram, @Idaho_Vandals, or on Facebook by searching Idaho Vandals