MOSCOW, Idaho – The Idaho men's basketball team will play in its final home contest of 2022 and end a four game home stretch, when they take on Northwest Indian College on Friday at 6 p.m.
How to Follow
Idaho vs. Northwest Indian // Dec. 16 at 6 p.m.
Watch:
ESPN+
Live Stats:
SIDEARM Live Stats
Listen:
The Varsity Network or
GoVandals.com/Listen
Tickets:
GoVandals.com/Tickets
Last Time Out
Idaho (4-6) dropped its first game in the month of December in a nailbiter against UC Riverside, 76-74. Despite shooting 54 percent from the field and tying the game in the final 10 seconds, UCR's guard Zyon Pullin was able to deliver the game winning bucket to seal the victory.
Idaho was able to keep within striking distance the entire game despite junior forward
Isaac Jones only playing in 18 minutes of action. It was point guard
Divant'e Moffitt who had another sharp performance on the offensive end with a career-high 31 points on 11-of-21 from the field and 9 for 9 from the foul line to lead the Vandals. Senior
Rashad Smith scored in double figures for his second consecutive game with 13 points while freshman
Nigel Burris added 12 points and seven rebounds.
Series History
Idaho and Northwest Indian College will face each other for the first time in the two programs' history come Friday.
Efficient Offensive Bunch
- The Vandals are making over half of their shots from the field (50.7%), ranking fifth in the nation and best in the Big Sky in field goal percentage.
- The Silver and Gold have shot at least 53 percent in six games this season, including in five of the last six games.
- 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 holds the Big Sky's top two spots in field goal percentage behind Isaac Jones' 70.5% and Divant'e Moffitt's 52.9% shooting. Jones has the fifth highest mark 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 18 ppg, 7 rpg and shoot 70 percent from the field.
- The 6-9 transfer leads the conference in three statistical categories. He ranks first in field goal percentage (70.5), total blocks (11) and blocks per game (1.22).
- In nine appearances this season, Jones has scored in double figures in eight games 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 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 7.2 rebounds per game - the sixth best 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 37.6. The Vandals have shot over 47 percent in five of the 10 contests.
- Yusef Salih's 20 three-pointers are the most on the squad, making 40% of his shots from behind the arc. He has made two or more shots from three in seven games.
- Freshman Nigel Burris is averaging the highest clip from three on the team, shooting 50 percent (14-of-28). His four 3-point makes against Pacific was the most by a freshman since 2020 (Gabe Quinnett, 4 vs. Montana)
PG13
- Point guard Divant'e Moffitt is leading the Vandals in the backcourt with a Big Sky best 18.3 points per game. He's scored 20 or more points in five games and posted at least 10 points in nine of 10 contests.
- Moffitt continues to dish it out at a high rate, ranking second in the conference with 51 total assists and 5.1 per game. In five games, he has recorded five or more assists while posting a career-high 10 against Walla Walla (11/10)
Burris Doesn't Play like a Freshman
- Through nine games, true freshman Nigel Burris is averaging 9.0 points, 5.1 rebounds and shooting 57.4 percent (35-of-61) from the field and 50 percent (14-of-28) from three in an average of 21.2 minutes of action. His points per game average is second highest by a freshman in the Big Sky (9.7, Northern Colorado's Caleb Shaw).
- The 6-7 forward from San Francisco, California is playing his best basketball over the last four games. He's recording an average of 13.5 ppg, 7 rpg and shooting 68% from the field and 63% 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 68.
Up Next
The Vandals wrap up non-conference play with a two game road trip in Southern California. Idaho will first play Cal State Northridge (Monday, Dec. 19) before going up against Long Beach State (Wednesday, Dec. 21).
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