MOSCOW, Idaho -- Idaho men's basketball will make its first true road trip of the season, traveling to the West Coast to compete in the Seattle U MTE. The Vandals will play two games in three days inside the Redhawk Center, starting with host Seattle U on Nov. 22 and UC San Diego on Nov. 24.
How to Follow
Idaho vs. Seattle U // Nov. 22 at 5 p.m.
Watch:
ESPN+
Live Stats:
StatBroadcast
Listen:
The Varsity Network or
GoVandals.com/Listen
Idaho vs. UC San Diego // Nov. 24 at 3 p.m.
Watch:
ESPN+
Live Stats:
StatBroadcast
Listen:
The Varsity Network or
GoVandals.com/Listen
Last Time Out
Idaho closed out a three-game homestand last week with a 96-52 win over Pacific Lutheran to move to 2-2 on the season. Idaho's 44-point win showcased a complete team effort right from the tip to the final buzzer sounding. Eleven of the thirteen Vandals who made an appearance got into the box score with at least two points, while four Vandals secured double-digit scoring efforts, including season highs from
Julius Mims and
Quinn Denker with 16 points each.
Terren Frank continued to be a consistent presence off the bench, recording 14 points, five boards and two blocks. Second-year guard
Titus Yearout played his best game as a Vandal recording 12 points.
For the second straight game, Idaho was dominant on the defensive end, holding its opponent to 33 percent (16-48) shooting from the field, zero transition points and only 14 paint points. The Vandals also dominated the glass, outrebounding the Lutes, 43-21. Idaho took advantage of 17 second-chance opportunities and turned them into 27 points.
Scouting the Redhawks
Seattle U enters the third week of the 2023-24 with a 2-2 overall record and 2-1 at home. The Redhawks have earned wins over Prairie View (71-60) and Montana State (71-68), and lost a pair to Northern Arizona (60-62) and VCU (56-60).
The Redhawks scoring attack is led by guard Cameron Tyson, who averages 15.5 points per game and has recorded double figures in all four games. Five years ago, Tyson started his collegiate basketball career at Idaho where he became one of the most successful first-year players in Vandal history. He broke the single-season freshman scoring record with 432 total points while notching the second-most three-point makes (106) in program history and the most three-pointers in a single season in Big Sky history for a freshman.
Backcourt teammate Alex Schumacher also fills it up with a 14-point average while Kobe Williamson posts 10 points per game. Williamson leads the team in multiple stat categories, including rebounds per game (6.8), blocks (8) and steals (6).
Seattle U prides itself on the defense end, holding opponents to 62.5 points per game and forcing them to shoot 38.8 percent from the field and 24.4 percent from three - all three marks rank top two in the WAC.
Series History
The two programs meet for the 33rd time in series history on Wednesday and the first time since 2019 as Seattle U holds a narrow 18-14 advantage. The Vandals will look to snap a four-game losing streak and earn their first win over the Redhawks since March 9, 2013 (76-72).
Scouting the Tritons
UC San Diego matches its best Division l start in program history with a 4-0 overall record. The Tritons opened the season with wins over Denver (95-87), San Diego (69-63), La Verne (116-57) and Navy (73-55).
Four Tritons average double figures in scoring, including a team-high 19.5 points per game from Bryce Pope. Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones follows with 17.3 while Francis Nwaokorie adds 15.3 per game and Hayden Gray records 12.5. Tait-Jones also leads the team in rebounds (7.5) and assists per game (4.3).
As a team, UC San Diego is scoring 88.3 points per game while holding its opponents to 65.5. The Tritons' shooting numbers have stood out as well, posting 53 percent from the field, 36 percent from three and 78 percent from the foul line.
Series History
Idaho is 1-0 all-time against UC San Diego dating back to their first meeting on Dec. 23, 1989, where the Vandals earned a 95-54 victory at home.
Vandal Notables
- Head coach Alex Pribble and assistant coach Matt Jones reunite with some familiar faces this week when the Vandals take on Seattle U on Wednesday. The two were a part of the Redhawk staff a season ago before Pribble was named the 31st head coach in Idaho history this past spring, bringing along coach Jones to take over as an assistant. Pribble spent four seasons as the associate head coach while Jones was a graduate assistant and director of operations for five seasons. In a short time, the pair achieved a great amount of success helping lead Seattle U to consecutive 20-win seasons and a WAC regular season title.
- The Vandals held Evergreen State (42) and Pacific Lutheran (52) to 52 points or fewer in back-to-back games, marking the first time an Idaho team has allowed such scoring output in consecutive games since 2004 (Santa Barbara, 45 points and Cal Poly, 44 points).
- Idaho posted a 46-point win (88-42) over Evergreen State on Nov. Nov. 14 to give first-year head coach Alex Pribble his first victory as a Vandal. Idaho's defensive effort stood out in the win, holding its opponent to 42 points or fewer for the first time since Dec. 18, 2014 (Walla Walla, 39). Idaho forced 13 turnovers, seven steals, and five blocks while allowing the Geoducks to shoot just 23 percent (14-61) from the field.
- Idaho got it done on the glass in its win over the Geoducks, outrebounding Evergreen State, 60-27. The Vandals' rebound total was just the second time (Dec. 16, 2022 vs. Northwest Indian, 60) over the last 18 years that an Idaho team has secured at least 60 rebounds in a single game.
- Over the first four games, Idaho has enjoyed an all-around effort on the offensive end with six players averaging at least seven points a game - Terren Frank (12.0), Tyler Mrus (10.5), Julius Mims (10.3), Quinn Denker (10.0), Kyson Rose (8.8) and Titus Yearout (7.5).
- All 14 Vandals who have made an appearance this season have scored at least three points. Eight different players have scored 10 or more in a single game this season - Quinn Denker, Terren Frank, Tyler Mrus, Julius Mims, D'Angelo Minnis, EJ Neal, Kyson Rose and Titus Yearout.
- Mims name is amongst the top of multiple stat categories for Idaho, as he leads the way in rebounding (6.8), steals (8) and blocks (5). He also sits second in shooting percentage at 67.9 and third in scoring at 10.3 ppg. Not only has Mims been highly effective on the offensive end, but he also prides himself on the defensive end creating havoc for opposing players. The Billings, Montana native leads the team with five blocks and eight steals, which ranks Mims third and fourth in the Big Sky, respectively.
- Taking on more of a sixth-man role in his second season at Idaho, Frank has shined over the first four games, averaging 12 points, 4.8 rebounds and shooting 45 percent from the field, 50 percent from three and 80 percent from the foul line. The Los Angeles native has scored in double figures in two out of four games to begin the season.
- Fifth-year guard D'Angelo Minnis is an integral part of setting up the Idaho offense, as he ranks third in the Big Sky with 3.8 assists per game and fourth with a total of 15 assists.
- As a team, the Vandals rank first in the Big Sky in bench points (37.3) and blocks per game (4.8).
- Idaho has proved to be one of the better passing teams in the conference, ranking second in assists per game at 16.8. In four games, the Vandals have recorded 17 or more assists in three games and 20-plus in two.
Up Next
The Vandals return to Moscow next week to start their second three-game home stretch of the season, beginning with Denver on Wednesday, Nov. 29 before rounding out the week against Cal Poly on Saturday, Dec. 2.
Tickets
Single-game and season tickets are available now. For more information, call the Vandal ticket office at (208) 885-6466 or visit GoVandals.com/tickets.
Follow
Fans can follow the Vandals all season long on Facebook, Instagram, and X at @VandalHoops, and with the Voice of the Vandals, Chris King, at GoVandals.com/Listen. All home and conference contests will be streamed live through ESPN+.
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