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University of Idaho Athletics

Men's Basketball

Idaho hangs with #7 Gonzaga; can't pull off upset

 

 

 

SPOKANE, Wash.- The University of Idaho men's basketball team fought the #7 ranked Gonzaga Bulldogs to the wire but came up short as they fell, 69-60 at the McCarthey Center.

 

"I do not get any solace out of losing or coming close," Idaho head coach Leonard Perry said.  "I'm disappointed in this loss.  I'm not going to settle."

 

Gonzaga got off to a quick start as they turned a 6-6 tie into a 20-11 lead with 12:58 left in the first half.  The Vandals fought back with an eight point run, and the help of Gonzaga turnovers, to get within one at 20-19.  The Bulldogs scored four straight points off Vandal turnovers before Idaho closed the gap to three at 24-21.

 

The Bulldogs pushed their lead back to seven at 30-23 before a put back from David Dubois and a Brett Ledbetter 3-pointer cut it to two points, 30-28.  The Vandals took their first lead of the game at 32-31 with 1:28 left in the half when Ledbetter nailed a free throw to complete a three-point play.

 

Tanoris Shepard made good on two free throws with 5.7 seconds remaining to give Idaho the 34-33 lead heading into halftime.

 

The Bulldogs were led by J. P. Batista in the first half with 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting.  Ledbetter led Idaho with 12 points and was 3-of-4 from behind the arc.  Gonzaga shot 48 percent from the field while Idaho shot 41 percent.  The Bulldogs out rebounded the Vandals, 20-16, including five offensive rebounds.

 

"Batista is a good player and he is hard to deal with," Perry said.  "Our kids battled and the best defense was to keep it out of his hands."

 

Keoni Watson scored on Idaho's opening possession to give UI its biggest lead, 36-33.  Gonzaga responded with four second chance points to take back the lead, 39-36.  The two teams traded buckets, and turnovers, before the Bulldogs pushed their lead to 10 points at 53-43 behind the hot shooting of Derek Ravio and Adam Morrison.

 

Idaho slowly climbed back into the game and two 3-pointers from Shepard put the Vandals within two at 59-57 with 4:41 left to play.  Gonzaga turned to Batista in the final minutes and the Vandals couldn't contain him as he scored six of his game high 23 points in the last four minutes.  Ravio gave Gonzaga a seven point lead after hitting two free throws, 67-60, with 53 seconds remaining.  Morrison added two more free throws at the end of the game to give the Bulldogs the 69-60 win.

 

Gonzaga scored 38 points in the paint compared to 18 for Idaho.  The Bulldogs also won the rebound battle, 40-31.

 

Ledbetter led Idaho with 14 points while Shepard added 11.  Mike Kale led the team in rebounds with eight.

 

"I expect a lot and we can't come into a place like this and give up 50 percent shooting," Perry said.  "We competed hard but if we don't execute we are going to come up short."

 

Idaho shot 37 percent from the floor for the game while Gonzaga shot 50 percent.  The Vandals had the hot hand from 3-point range as they shot 32 percent to the Bulldogs' 21 percent.

 

"Our basketball IQ has improved," Perry said.  "Now we have to get ready for Washington."

 

Idaho (0-1) travels to Washington on Nov. 22nd.  That game begins at 6 p.m.

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