MOSCOW, Idaho - The Idaho men's basketball team battled back from down 17 to make it a one-point game but the Idaho State offense was able to use hot shooting to close out the Vandals, 79-70 on Thursday night at the Idaho Central Credit Union Arena. 

Senior Mikey Dixon tallied a team-high 22 points to lead Idaho. Dixon shot 7-of-14 from the field, grabbed four rebounds and added two assists. 

Junior guard Trevante Anderson didn't fall far behind, with 19 points on 50 percent (7-14) shooting from the floor. Tanner Christensen was crucial inside the paint, recording 12 points and securing a game-high eight rebounds. 

The Bengals were off to a hot start from the beginning of the game with an early 21-4 lead with 13:32 remaining in the first half. The Vandals began to claw their way back with timely baskets and defensive stops. A crucial 18-7 run to end the first period had Idaho within one possession, 37-34 heading into halftime.

Idaho made it a one-point game out the break, 46-45 before the Bengals went on an 11-2 run to push their lead to double digits (57-47). The Silver and Gold weren't able to get back within striking distance as Idaho State earned a 79-70 victory. 
             
The Vandals benefitted from the Bengal's turnovers, receiving 17 takeaways that were turned into 11 Idaho points.

The ISU offense knocked down 11 threes throughout the game and shot 51 percent from the floor to help maintain momentum over the course of the game. 

The Vandals will look to bounce back when they tip-off against Weber State on Feb. 12 at 2 p.m. at ICCU Arena.

Follow along the rest of the 2021-2022 season by following @VandalHoops on Twitter and Instagram.