MOSCOW, Idaho – The Idaho men's basketball team defeated Portland State University, 72-61, on Thursday evening. The Vandals (5-9, 1-2 BSC) led by four at halftime and went on to take down the Vikings (7-8, 1-2 BSC) for their first conference win of the season.

THE GAME
The Vikings jumped out to a 4-0 lead, but the Vandals responded and took a one-point lead, 5-4, when Scott Blakney had an old-fashioned three-point play with 17:14 to play. Each time Idaho would try to stretch out the lead, PSU fought back to tie it up. With 4:27 remaining until half, the Vikings took their first lead, 32-31, since the opening minutes of the game, but a three-pointer by Chance Garvin immediately gave the lead back to the home side, who led, 42-38, at halftime.
 
PSU opened the second half on a 14-4 run, taking a 52-48 lead. However, the Vandals would not back down, storming back to take a 53-52 lead with just over 11 minutes to play. The score was tied, 55-55, with 9:26 remaining in the game, but Idaho would outscore the Vikings, 17-6, down the stretch to secure the win.
 
Trevon Allen led the Vandals with 20 points, while Scott Blakney chipped in 13 points. Marquell Fraser tallied nine points and four assists. Jack Wilson, in his first home game for the Vandals, scored seven points and pulled down at team-high five boards.
 
THE NOTES
The Vandals got their first Big Sky Conference win, and now sit 1-2 in league play.
 
Idaho is 1-0 in 2020.
 
Allen surpassed 20 points for the sixth time this season. He also led the team in scoring for the ninth time.
 
Senior Allen now sits at 979 career points.
 
The Vandals were outrebounded, 40-30. They are now 2-6 when being outrebounded and 2-8 when recording fewer than 40 boards.
 
Idaho forced 21 Viking turnovers, scoring 16 points as a result. Conversely, Idaho turned the ball over just 11 times.
 
THE NAME
Trevon Allen. Allen led the Vandals with 20 points. The senior also added four rebounds and two steals to his stat line as he led the team playing 38 minutes. Scoring in double figures for the 41^st time of his career, and 11^th time of the season, Allen now has 979 career points scored for Idaho.

THE QUOTES – Zac Claus
 



UP NEXT
The Vandals have a week off before hosting Montana State on Thursday, January 9. The game against the Bobcats is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. in Cowan Spectrum.