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University of Idaho Athletics

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University of Idaho
84
South Dakota St. SDSU 8-3,0-0 Summit League
98
Winner Idaho UI 2-7,0-1 Big Sky
South Dakota St. SDSU
8-3,0-0 Summit League
84
Final
98
Idaho UI
2-7,0-1 Big Sky
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
South Dakota St. SDSU 41 43 84
Idaho UI 43 55 98

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Idaho Shoots Past South Dakota State, 98-84

MOSCOW – The Vandals (2-7, 0-1) led for over 32 minutes of action and shot 54.9 percent from the field to help snap South Dakota State's (8-3) three-game winning streak, defeating the Jackrabbits 98-84 on Wednesday night at ICCU Arena.

The output on the offensive end was the most points scored by an Idaho team against a Division 1 opponent since 2008 when Idaho scored 101 against UC Irvine.

"These guys have continued to buy into what we are doing," said head coach Zac Claus. " They have leaned on one another. We are missing one of our key components and they didn't skip a beat. Good results come from it."

 
 
Senior guard Mikey Dixon continued his hot shooting after dropping 27 points last Saturday against Southern Utah, as the senior guard delivered an encore performance with a career-high 35 points, eight assists, and five rebounds. Dixon also went 16-of-16 from the foul line, tying him for the most free throws made in a game by an Idaho player since Ed Haskings made 16 at Oregon State back in February of 1964.

"I am just in that mode right now," said Mikey Dixon. "I credit our coaching staff because it starts at practice. After we came back from North Dakota State, coach Claus cracked down on all of us. He held all of us accountable, one by one. He told us what we need to do and I feel like we have picked up our level of intensity at practice. It all started at practice. As far as for me, I am just out there playing confident. My teammates are doing a great job of getting me the ball in the spots that I like. I feel like as a team we are flowing offensively."

Three other Vandals scored in double figures, including junior Rashad Smith who had arguably his best game as a Vandal with a career-best 16 points on 7-of-10 shooting. Tanner Christensen also eclipsed a career-high effort on the offensive end with 14 points while Trevante Anderson notched his seventh double-figure performance with 15 points. 

After South Dakota State raced out to a quick 4-0 lead, the Vandals would answer with a run of their own to take an early 7-4 advantage. Idaho contained that lead throughout much of the first half until the Jackrabbits retook the edge with a little over 2 minutes left to play. Idaho was able to use excellent shooting from the line to head into the locker room with a 43-41 lead. 

The Vandals shot 11-12 from the charity stripe and went 6-of-11 from behind the arc in the first 20 minutes of action.

Out of the break, Dixon continued to cause problems for the Jackrabbit defense, drilling one of his two four-point plays on the night to make the score 47-41. 

 

The game hung in the balance for much of the second half until the 9:37 mark with the Vandals leading, 74-72. A 13-2 run led by Dixon (eight points) and Christensen (five points) transpired as Idaho saw its first double-digit lead, 87-74 with 5:26 remaining. 

The Vandals would not relinquish their double-figure advantage the rest of the way and take down the Jackrabbits, 98-84.

"We did what we set out to do in terms of taking away as many quality looks from three as we could," said Claus. "We knew how well they scored the ball. That is as good of a shooting and passing team that we will play all year. We fully expect them to win the Summit League and I think they are a team that will win an NCAA Tournament game." 

South Dakota State came into the game winners of seven of its last eight games with their only losses coming to power five foes Washington and Alabama. 

The Vandals earned it from the foul line, shooting 85.3 percent on 29-of-34 attempts. Idaho also controlled the glass, outrebounding South Dakota State 39 to 31. 

The Vandals will make a return back to California when they head to Bakersfield to take on California State-Bakersfield on Saturday at 7 p.m.
 
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