MOSCOW, Idaho – The final minute moved a little bit quicker than has been the case in recent weeks, as Idaho (20-11, 12-6 BSC) defeated Idaho State (16-14, 11-7 BSC), 82-68, on Senior Night in Cowan Spectrum. With the win, Idaho takes the No. 3 seed in the upcoming Big Sky Tournament.
“I thought we played pretty well,” head coach Don Verlin said. “Idaho State is a good basketball team. They're scrappy, they play that matchup-zone all night long. It wasn't the prettiest game, but we did what we had to do to get it done tonight.”
The Vandals used hot shooting in the second half from Victor Sanders to secure their 20th win of the season. It is the first time under Don Verlin that the Vandals reached the 20-win plateau. The last time Idaho won 20 games was 1992-93, when the Vandals went 24-8 and won the Big Sky.
Verlin has made the most of senior nights, as he is now 8-0 when celebrating his graduating athletes.
Sanders went 4-of-7 from beyond the arc in the second half, going on a 10-point run on his own midway through the frame. Chad Sherwood spotted up for a pair of 3's in the second half as well, helping the Vandals grow their lead.
Yet again, the Vandal defense came up with the stops it needed down the stretch, forcing the Bengals into bad situations. In the end, Idaho forced 16 turnovers, including nine from Player of the Year candidate Ethan Telfair.
Sanders finished the night with a game-high 25 points. Nate Sherwood added 13 off the bench, Perrion Callandret scored 11 and Chad Sherwood finished with 10.
Paulin Mpawe got the Vandals going in the opening minutes of his senior night. He scored three points, grabbed two offensive rebounds and drew a charge all before the first media timeout.
Chris Sarbaugh only took two shots, but connected on both. Sarbaugh finished with four points, one rebound and two assists. He got in foul trouble, forcing him to spend extra time on the bench, and eventually fouled out in the closing minutes.
Nahshon George grabbed four boards on the night, two offensive, and finished with three points.
Idaho earns the No. 3 seed in the upcoming Big Sky Tournament in Reno. The Vandals will face the winner of the Eastern Washington-Northern Arizona.
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
