MOSCOW, Idaho - The University of Idaho men's basketball team picked up its first win of the season Saturday afternoon with a 75-60 defeat of Southern Utah University at the Cowan Spectrum.

"We are a young team and we've been out of sync in the last three games because of that youth," Idaho head coach Leonard Perry said. "Today we stuck with what we do, got better at rebounding and took care of the ball."

Southern Utah led for the first 12 minutes of the game before a three pointer from Tanoris Shepard tied the game at 20.  A steal and lay-in from Keoni Watson gave Idaho its first lead of the game, 22-20.

The Vandals pushed their lead to 10 at 35-25 before taking a 37-28 lead into halftime.

Both teams found success from behind the 3-point line as they each shot 50 percent in the first half.  The Vandals held a 19-11 rebounding edge through the first half, including eight offensive rebounds.

Idaho opened the second half with two quick Brett Ledbetter 3-pointers and used a 16-6 run for its biggest lead of the game at 53-36.  The Vandals kept up their intensity down the stretch on their way to the 15 point win.

"We defended very well and made it difficult for them to get shots," Perry said.  "We beat a good basketball team today, in my opinion."

The Vandals out-rebounded the Thunderbirds, 32-20, the first time this season that Idaho has out-rebounded an opponent.  Idaho grabbed 14 of its rebounds on the offensive glass.

"We paid more attention to rebounding in practice after the Eastern game and worked on blocking out," Perry said.  "We'll try our best not to regress on what we did on the glass."

The Vandals shot 52 percent from the floor for the game (27-52) and recorded 10 3-pointers on 53 percent shooting from behind the arc.

Tanoris Shepard led Idaho with 14 points while Brett Ledbetter and David Dubois added 13 and 12 points, respectively.  Igor Vrzina and Mike Kale were very active in the key for the Vandals as they combined for 16 points and 13 rebounds.

"We finally figured it out and got on the same page," Shepard said.  "It's like we got the monkey off our back.  I knew it was coming it was just a matter of time."

"We are a good team, we just haven't been playing up to our potential.  We've figured it out and there is no looking back from here."

Idaho (1-4) hosts Idaho State on Wed., Dec. 7 beginning at 7:05 p.m. at the Cowan Spectrum.