MOSCOW, Idaho – The Idaho men's basketball team (3-8, 0-1) returns to the hardwood after an 18-day layoff as the team gets suited up to face Big Sky foes Montana State (10-5, 2-2) and Eastern Washington (8-6, 2-1). The Vandals will first host the Bobcats on Thursday at 6 p.m. before traveling to Cheney to take on the Eagles on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. 
 
FOLLOW: Both games can be watched live on ESPN+ while fans can also listen over the airwaves with the Voice of the Vandals, Chris King, on the Vandal Radio Network and GoVandals.com/Listen.

TICKETS: Thursday night's matchup against the Bobcats will include a 'Hero Night' ticket promotion, offering a free ticket to Veterans, military, first responders, health care workers, and teachers. Heros will be able to also purchase up to eight more tickets for $9 each. Fans can email the Ticket Office at tickets@uidaho.edu or call at (208) 885-6466 to take advantage of the deal. 

 

We welcome Veterans, military, first responders and health care workers to our game against MSU Thursday. Heros get a free ticket and can purchase up to eight more for $9 each.

Email: tickets@uidaho.edu or call: (208) 885-6466 to take advantage of the deal. #GoVandals pic.twitter.com/wH9rM5ikdr

— Idaho Basketball (@VandalHoops) January 2, 2022

 
The Vandals are eager to return to action as the team hasn't competed since their 84-55 win over SAGU American Indian College back on Dec. 18. Idaho held the Warriors to 32.7 percent shooting from the field while forcing 16 turnovers to help secure the victory. The 55 points allowed was the lowest output by an opponent since the Vandals held Walla Walla to 50 points back in 2019.

Four Vandals scored in double digits, including a team-high 16 points from Mikey Dixon on 6-of-9 shooting. Gabe Quinnett had a breakout performance from behind the three-point line, dropping 15 points on a career-high five 3-pointers. Forward Tanner Christensen recorded his third game in double figures with 12 points and eight boards while Trevante Anderson added 10 points and eight rebounds. 

SCOUTING THE BOBCATS: Montana State has won six of their last seven games while most recently splitting a pair of home games against Weber State (75-85) and Idaho State (60-40). Overall, the Bobcats hold a 3-4 record on the road. 
  
MSU is scoring 76.9 ppg while allowing 68.7 ppg. The Bobcats lead the conference in total blocks with 51 while finding themselves ranked second in the Big Sky in a handful of categories including, scoring margin (8.2), scoring offense (76.9), blocked shots ppg (3.4), and field goal percentage (45.8). 

Montana State delivers a balanced attack from the offensive end with five players scoring over eight points per game. Forward Jubrile Belo leads all scorers with 13.7 ppg while also getting it done on the defensive end with a Big Sky best 20 blocked shots. Guard Xavien Bishop and fellow teammate Amin Adamu feature a talented backcourt for MSU with the two averaging double figures on the season. Bishop is scoring 11.7 points while Adamu adds 10.7 per contest. 

SERIES HISTORY: Idaho is 51-67 overall against MSU and 4-3 at home since 2014-15. The two programs last met in Moscow a season ago for back-to-back games, where the Vandals earned a 74-69 victory and surrendered a 71-61 loss.

SUCCESS FROM THREE

• On the season, Idaho sits second in the conference and No. 32 in the nation in team three-point percentage (37.6). The Vandals have shot 43 percent or better in four games so far, including a season-high 54 percent on 13-of-24 shooting against South Dakota State (12/8). 
• Mikey Dixon has knocked down shots from behind the arc at a consistent rate this season, leading the team with 48.9 percent from three and hitting an average of two per game.

MONEY MIKE

• Grand Canyon transfer Mikey Dixon has been one of Idaho's most consistent performers on the offensive end, scoring in double figures 10 out of 11 games this season.
• Dixon has delivered at home this season, averaging 20.3 ppg on 48 percent shooting from the field. That scoring mark is the highest home per game average amongst any Big Sky player this year. 
• His 35 points against South Dakota State (SDSU) is a personal best and season-high for a single game in the Big Sky Conference. 
• The New Castle, Del. native is leading the team in points per game (16.3), free throw percentage (.846), and three-point percentage (.489). In the conference, Dixon ranks fourth in free throws made (55) and free throw percentage (84.6), and sixth in points per game (16.3). 
• Dixon's 16/16 performance from the line against SDSU tied him for 5th most free throws made without a miss in a single game in conference history. The perfect mark also ties him for the most in a single game in school history - Ed Haskings made 16 at Oregon State (1964). 
• Dixon's perfect night from the foul line placed him atop the list in program history for free throw percentage in a single game, passing Kashif Watson's 15 for 15 performance against Cal State Northridge (2009).

GETTING TO THE LINE 

• Mikey Dixon leads the team when it comes to scoring from the foul line, placing fourth in the conference and No. 44 nationally with 55. 
• Backcourt teammate Trevante Anderson has also been productive from the charity stripe, knocking down 47 shots which is good enough for ninth-best in the Big Sky.  

SALIH FOR THREE

• True freshman Yusef Salih has found success from three to start his collegiate career, going 15 for 31 (48.4) and hitting three shots from behind the arc in three different games this season. 
• The Gainesville, Virginia native went a perfect 3 for 3 against Fresno State and Cal State Bakersfield which is tied for the best single-game three-point percentage marks in the conference.  
• In 11 games, Salih's 15 threes have moved him up to No. 13 on Idaho's all-time freshman records list for most three-pointers in a season. Cameron Tyson is first with 106.  

FLOOR GENERAL

• Trevante Anderson has been an all-around performer for the Vandals since the start of the season, recording eight double-figure performances in 11 games, five games with seven or more rebounds, and six games with six or more assists.  
• Anderson, a transfer from San Francisco, has increased his scoring average by 11.7 points from last season (1.3 ppg).  
• Anderson leads the team in rebounds (5.4) and assists (4.5). His assist average has him rated third-best in the conference. 
• The junior guard added his third 20-plus point game against NDSU, tallying a team-high 21 points. He also led the team with nine rebounds and six assists. It was the most rebounds recorded by Anderson in his career.
• Anderson opened the season with back-to-back 20+ point outings, scoring a career-high 26 against Long Beach State and 22 in a win over George Fox. 

CAREER HIGHS

• Gabe Quinnett knocked down a career-best five shots from behind the three-point line against SAGU American Indian College to finish with a season-high 15 points.  
• Mikey Dixon eclipsed his previous career-high of 29 points set as a freshman at Quinnipiac (2017) when he dropped 35 in a win over SDSU. He also posted a new career-best in assists with eight.
• Junior Rashad Smith shot 7-of-10 from the field and 2 for 5 from three to record a new personal best 16 points against SDSU.  
• Tanner Christensen made the most of his time on the floor against SDSU, scoring a career-best 14 points in just 18 minutes of action.
• Trevante Anderson set new career marks in the opening game of the 2021-22 season versus Long Beach State, scoring 26 points and dishing out eight assists. The junior guard also pulled down a career-best nine rebounds against NDSU.