MOSCOW, Idaho – The Idaho men's basketball team looks to stay perfect in the month of December when playing host to the Highlanders of UC Riverside on Sunday at 2 p.m.
How to Follow
Idaho vs. UC Riverside // Dec. 11 at 2 p.m.
Watch:
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Listen:
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Tickets:
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Theme: Holiday with the Vandals // Coat Drive
Last Time Out
The Vandals (4-5) won their third in a row after handling North Dakota (5-6) last Tuesday at home, in a 76-66 win. After trailing at halftime the Idaho squad rallied, using a crucial 14-3 second half run, shooting 50 percent from the field and sinking 14 of their 20 free throws to secure the victory.
All five Idaho starters added double-digit scoring efforts including a game-high 19 points from forward/center
Isaac Jones. The 6-9 junior also collected 10 rebounds and six blocks stamping his third double-double this year and the most blocks by an Idaho player since 2012.
Scouting the Highlanders
UC Riverside (5-3) look to bounce back after dropping a visit to cross-town rival Cal Baptist (60-65). Before the loss, UC Riverside carried a four game win streak scoring an average of 81 points during the run.
Riverside is anchored by guards Zyon Pullin (18.5 ppg) and Flynn Cameron (12 ppg). Cameron also leads the team in rebounds with an average of 6.5 per game. Freshman forward Lachlan Olbrich also contributes 9.8 ppg and 5.5 rebounds per game.
Series History
Idaho is 7-5 overall and 3-2 at home against the Highlanders. The two programs were conference foes for four seasons in the Big West from 2001-05 before Idaho moved to the Western Athletic Conference in 2006. The Vandals last met UC Riverside in 2019, where Idaho dropped a road game (51-58) at SRC Arena in Riverside.
Efficient Offensive Bunch
- The Vandals are making over half of their shots from the field (50.5%), ranking 10th in the nation and best in the Big Sky in field goal percentage.
- The Silver and Gold have shot at least 53 percent in five games this season.
- Idaho's 37-point win over NIU (84-47) was the program's largest margin of victory over a Division l opponent since 2008 (UC Irvine, 101-47).
- Idaho still holds the Big Sky's top two spots in field goal percentage behind Isaac Jones' 71.8% and Divant'e Moffitt's 53% shooting. Joneses mark ranks sixth in the country.
Big Man On Campus
- Forward/center Isaac Jones enters the weekend as one of two players (Oumar Ballo, Arizona) in the nation to average at least 19 ppg, 7 rpg and shoot 70 percent from the field.
- The 6-9 transfer leads the conference in four statistical categories. He ranks first in points per game (19.6), field goal percentage (71.8), total blocks (11) and blocks per game (1.38).
- In eight appearances this season, Jones has scored in double figures in each game and posted 20-plus points in three contests, including a career-high 31 over Pacific. He has shot at least 67 percent from the field in seven of eight games and over 83 percent in two contests.
- His six block performance against North Dakota was the most by an Idaho player since 2012 (Djim Bandoumel, 2/9/12) and tied for the fifth most in program history.
- Jones leads the team on the glass, securing an average of 7.6 rebounds per game - the sixth highest in the Big Sky. His 19-point and 10-rebound performance against UND was the third double-double for Jones this season.
Three Point Success
- Idaho is shooting the highest 3-point percentage in the Big Sky at 36.9. The Vandals have shot over 47 percent in four of the nine contests.
- Yusef Salih's 19 three-pointers are the most on the squad, making them fall 38.8% of the time. He has made two or more shots from behind the arc in seven games.
- Freshman Nigel Burris is averaging the highest clip from three, shooting 50 percent (13-of-26). His four 3-point makes against Pacific was the most by a true freshman since 2020 (Gabe Quinnett, 4 vs. Montana)
Three In A Row
- Idaho is playing its best basketball so far this season, rattling off three wins in a row over Pacific (84-81), Northern Illinois (84-47) and North Dakota (76-66).
- During its three game stretch, Idaho is holding opponents to 64.7 points and 42 percent shooting from the field. Offensively, the Vandals are averaging 81 points per game on 52 percent from the field.
- The Vandals will go for its fourth straight win Sunday - the last time an Idaho team has secured four consecutive victories was in 2018.
PG13
- Point guard Divant'e Moffitt is leading the Vandals in the backcourt with an average of 16.9 points per game, which ranks sixth highest in the conference. He's scored 20 or more points in four games and posted at least 10 points in eight of nine contests.
- Moffitt continues to dish it out at a high rate, ranking first in the conference with 49 total assists and second in assists per game at 5.4. In five games, he has recorded five or more assists while posting a career-high 10 against Walla Walla (11/10)
Burris Don't Play like a Freshman
- Through nine games, true freshman Nigel Burris is averaging 8.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and shooting 57.1 percent (32-of-56) from the field and 50 percent (13-of-26) from three in an average of 19.8 minutes of action.
- The 6-7 forward from San Francisco, California is playing his best basketball during Idaho's three-game winning streak. He's recording an average of 14 ppg, 7 rpg and shooting 69% from the field and 64% from three.
Locking It Down
- Idaho held NIU to 47 points in a 84-47 win (12/2) at ICCU Arena last week - the fewest points allowed to a Dl foe in the Zac Claus era and lowest since 2016 (44 vs. Southern Utah).
- The Vandals have held three opponents to under 38 percent shooting and under 52 points this year. Idaho ranks third in the Big Sky in scoring defense at 67.1.
Up Next
Idaho wraps up its four game homestand against Northwest Indian College on Friday, Dec. 16 at 6 p.m.
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