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MOSCOW, Idaho - The Idaho Vandals are set to play in the first round of the Big Sky Championship in Boise. Idaho will meet Montana on Wednesday, March 10, with tipoff set for 3 p.m. mountain time/2 p.m. pacific time.

FOLLOW: Fans can follow the Vandals all season long on Twitter and Instagram, @VandalHoops, and with the Voice of the Vandals, Chris King, at GoVandals.com/Listen. The game will air on PlutoTV Channel 1050.

SCOUTING THE GRIZ (13-12, 7-9 BSC): Montana has won its last four games but is 2-3 in its last four Big Sky games. Most recently, Montana won two games against Warner Pacific. Prior to that, they beat Idaho State twice, the second a 59-58 victory.

As a team, the Griz are scoring 71.3 ppg while allowing 66.4 ppg. Kyle Owens leads the squad in scoring, with 10.8 ppg, and rebounding, with 5.7 rpg. Brandon Whitney (10.2 ppg) and Robby Beasley III (10.0 ppg) also average double figure scoring. Josh Bannan tallies 5.7 boards per game.

SCOUTING THE VANDALS (1-20, 1-17 BSC): The Vandals average 60.9 ppg, allowing 76.8 ppg. Damen Thacker averages 10.9 points per game to lead the Vandals while Scott Blakney (10.4 ppg) also averages in double figures. Tanner Christensen pulls down 4.4 rpg to lead the team.

LAST TIME OUT: The Vandals split a pair of games with Montana State. Idaho won, 74-69, on Friday evening, with Thacker scoring 22 points to lead the way. The Bobcats won the rematch, 71-61, on Sunday.

SERIES HISTORY: Idaho is 111-90 all-time against Montana. The two teams have not played this year, but Montana took both games last season.

NEW FOE
When Idaho and Montana meet in the First Round of the Big Sky Championship, it will be the first time the teams are playing this year. In a normal year, the Vandals would have played each Big Sky team two times, however, the series with Montana was canceled last week.

STEADY SENIORS
Senior Damen Thacker is leading the Vandals in scoring, tallying 10.9 ppg. He has had two 20-point games, including a 22-point performance in Idaho's win over Montana State (Feb. 28). He has scored in double figures in 10 of this year's 21 games.

Senior Scott Blakney is second on the team in scoring, averaging 10.4 points per game. He scored a career-high 23 points against NAU (Jan. 2) and then tied that total against UNCO (Jan. 16). He has scored in double figures in 10 of this year's 21 games. Overall, Blakney is shooting 59.2 percent from the floor.

FREE THROW FUN
Damen Thacker is 56-for-64 (87.5 percent) from the charity stripe this season which is second best in the Big Sky and puts him 31st in the nation. The senior had a streak of 32 straight makes earlier this season. In conference only games, Thacker is shooting 88.9 percent from the line.

ALWAYS THERE
Gabe Quinnett leads the Vandals, and is 10th in the league, in minutes played with 31.7 minutes per game. The sophomore is third on the team scoring 9.6 points per game. His 1.7 three-point field goals per game are eighth most in the Big Sky.

NEW HIGHS
Damen Thacker set a new career-high in points against SUU (Jan. 7). He led the team with 27 points, going 11-for-11 from the free throw line.

Scott Blakney and Gabe Quinnett both set new career-highs for points in the overtime loss to NAU (Jan. 2). Blakney scored 23 points to lead the team. He also tallied a team-high five rebounds. Quinnett scored 18 points, going 6-for-10 from the field and 4-for-6 from beyond the arc. Blakney reached 23 points again against UNCO (Jan. 16), while Quinnett got to 18 again against EWU (Feb. 4).

Babacar Thiombane set a new career-high against Eastern Washington (Feb. 4) with 12 points.

CHRISTMAS GIFTS
Ja'Vary Christmas had a career-high six assists against SUU (Jan. 7) and then dished out six again against EWU (Feb. 4). The senior is currently averaging 2.6 assists per game, good for 14th in the conference. He has tallied at least four assists in eight different games.

Damen Thacker also recorded six assists against NAU (Jan. 2). The total was a new career high.

Hunter-Jack Madden became the third Vandal to tally six assists when he reached the mark against PSU (Feb. 18).

As a team, the Vandals average 12.1 assists per game which is sixth in the Big Sky.

START AGAIN
The Vandals have used 12 different starting lineups this season.

YOUNG GUN
Tanner Christensen earned his first career start against WSU (Jan. 30). The freshman leads the Vandals in rebounding, pulling down 4.4 boards per game. He has a team-high 33 offensive rebounds on the year.

Christensen pulled down a career-high eight rebounds against ISU (Feb. 13). He set a career-high in points (12) against Montana State (Feb. 28).

Christensen has the team lead in blocks, swatting 14 shots. His 0.7 blocks per game puts him 15th in the league.

I'LL TAKE THAT
Damen Thacker recorded a career high four steals against Weber State (Jan. 30). On the season, the senior is averaging 1.1 steals per game which is 15th most in the Big Sky.

SIGNED
Two players have signed to join the Vandals next season. RJ Walker is from Decatur, Ill. He is a guard who averaged 17 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 3.5 spg, and 3.2 apg his junior season. Yusef Salih, from Richmond, Va., averaged 14.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 4.1 apg, and 2.3 steals per game in 2019-20. He was named First Team All-Conference.

Fans can stay up-to-date on all things Idaho men's basketball by following the team on twitter and Instagram, @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.