MOSCOW, Idaho – The Idaho men's basketball team opens 2023 with a pair of Big Sky home matchups this week, when the squad hosts Sacramento State on Thursday, Jan. 5 and Portland State on Saturday, Jan. 7 at ICCU Arena. 
 
How to Follow 
Idaho vs. Sacramento State // Jan. 5 at 6 p.m.
Watch: ESPN+
Live Stats: SIDEARM Live Stats 
Listen: The Varsity Network or GoVandals.com/Listen
Tickets: GoVandals.com/Tickets
 
Idaho vs. Portland State // Jan. 7 at 2 p.m.
Watch: ESPN+
Live Stats: SIDEARM Live Stats
Listen: The Varsity Network or GoVandals.com/Listen
Tickets: GoVandals.com/Tickets
 
Heroes Day
Saturday's matchup against the Portland State Vikings will include Heroes Day, welcoming all our local active-duty military, reserve veterans and first responders. Fans must show ID/credentials when buying the day of the game to get one free general admission ticket, while other family and friends can buy general admission tickets at a discounted rate of $9 each.

Last Time Out
The Vandals (6-9, 0-2 BSC) closed out a four-game road trip last week, falling to Montana 67-56 on New Year's Eve. After trailing by 16 points, Idaho pulled back within two possessions, but an off-shooting night by the Vandals and stout defensive effort by the Grizzlies stopped any chance of a comeback for Idaho.
 
Idaho shot 34.8 percent (16-of-46) from the field, including 30 percent (6-of-20) from three-point range. Montana forced the Vandals into 11 turnovers and rejected nine Idaho shots.
 
Junior forward Isaac Jones led with a game-high 25 points on 9-of-14 shooting from the field, seven rebounds and two blocks. Jones did a majority of his work in the second half to help Idaho get back into the game, scoring 19 of his 25 points.
 
Scouting the Hornets
Sacramento State is 8-6 overall and started Big Sky play last week with a 74-63 win over Portland State. The Hornets have won five of their last six games and hold a 3-3 record away from Sacramento. Out of non-conference action, Sac State earned impressive wins over Long Beach State (76-74) and Denver (73-69, 87-85 OT) twice.
 
The Hornets enter Thursday's matchup rated as the top team in the Big Sky in scoring defense (67.6) and three-point percentage (36.6). They have also been one of the better teams on the glass, ranking second with 36.4 rebounds per game and a 4.7 rebound margin.
 
Senior guard Zach Chappell leads the Hornets offensively with an average of 15.1 points per game. One of those players that clean up the glass for Sac State is 7-1 center, Callum McRae. He nearly averages a double-double with 11.8 points and a Big Sky-best 9.9 rebounds. Akol Mawein rounds out double-figure scoring for the Hornets with an average of 10.4.
  
Series History 
Idaho and Sacramento State will meet for the 32nd time on Thursday, as the Vandals carry a 21-10 overall record. The two programs faced each other three times last year, with Sac State earning two of the three victories, including a 57-54 win in the first round of the Big Sky Tournament last year. 
 
Scouting the Vikings
Portland State is 6-8 overall with a 2-5 record on the road. The Vikings have lost four of their last five, including most recently falling in their Big Sky opener to Sacramento State. Despite recent struggles, PSU showed bright spots early in the year with non-conference wins over Oregon State (79-66, 83-71) twice, Air Force (68-64) and California Baptist (74-72).
 
Three Vikings average in double figures, including a team-high 15.2 ppg by Jorell Saterfield. He has also been one of the team's top shooters with 34 makes from behind the arc and an average of 2.43 a game - both marks that rank third best in the Big Sky. Point guard Cameron Parker follows with an average of 14.2 points per game on 49 percent shooting from the field. Parker is not only one of Portland State's top scorers, but he also is one of the league's top passers with a Big Sky best 5.6 assists per game. Hunter Woods also fills it up for the Viking offense, as he posts 10.2 points per game. 
 
Portland State has been impressive on both ends of the floor, ranking first in the Big Sky in bench points (32.3), fast break points (17), scoring offense (78.7), steals per game (8.3) and turnovers forced per game (17.7). PSU's 17 points on the break is rated 13th nationally while its turnovers forced are 15th most amongst D1 teams.
 
Series History 
The Vikings own an 18-16 all-time record over the Vandals. Over the last 10 games, each team has picked up five wins. The two programs split in last season's matchups, with both teams earning a win on the road.
 
Fans can stay up-to-date on all things Idaho men's basketball by visiting GoVandals.com or by following the team on Twitter and Instagram, @VandalHoops. Tickets are on sale at GoVandals.com/Tickets or by calling the Idaho Ticket Office at (208) 885-6466. 
 
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