MOSCOW, Idaho ? Four starters scored in double figures, but the University of Idaho men's basketball team could not slow down a hot-shooting Boise State team in a 95-84 loss at home Saturday.
Jordan Brooks led the Vandals (3-10, 0-2) with 22 points and eight assists, Mike Hall added 20 points and hit 5-of-6 3-pointers, Michael Crowell scored 16 points and Darin Nagle chipped in 13 points and seven rebounds. Boise State (11-3, 2-0) hit 37-of-60 (.617) shots from the floor and the 95 points were the most allowed by Idaho since 2000.
“Defense and transition,” Idaho coach George Pfeifer said. “Those things weren't a surprise to use, we just didn't get back. We shot well enough, we made more free throws than they attempted, we won the turnover war, and we scored 84 points. If we score 84 points we should capture the game, but we just didn't defend anyone all night long.”
The game began like a heavyweight fight as Idaho connected on its first four shots and Boise State hit its first six. The lead changed four times in the first five minutes before the Broncos were able to build a 29-21 advantage at the 11:52 mark. The Vandals fought back to pull within one at 40-39 with 6:16 remaining in the half, but Boise State held off the charge and eventually built a seven point margin on two occasions. Idaho scored the final two points of the half and cut the margin to 54-49 at halftime.
Idaho finished the half shooting 17-of-29 (.586) and Boise State hit 21-of-33 (.636) attempts after both teams were shooting better than 70-percent midway through in the half. Idaho hit 6-of-8 (.750) 3-pointers in the first half, led by Hall's 4-of-4 performance.
Boise State scored the first basket of the second half, but Idaho scored the next nine to take a 58-56 advantage at the 18:01 mark. The Vandals then missed their next three shots and the Broncos hit their next four as Boise State regained the advantage for the final time. Idaho's offense then hit a hurdle as the Vandals scored just nine points in nearly eight minutes and allowed Boise State to build an 87-69 lead with 7:11 remaining. Idaho cut the lead to 91-81 with two minutes remaining, but then missed three shots and three free throws in the final minutes and Boise State free throws allowed the Broncos to earn the 95-84 victory.
“Early in the season we had trouble scoring. Now we seem to be making baskets, it's just putting it all together,” Pfeifer said.
The Vandals continue WAC play at home Thursday vs. Louisiana Tech at 7:05 p.m.
