MOSCOW, Idaho – Idaho men's basketball heads to Stockton, Calif. to face the Pacific Tigers (5-8) to close out a two-game California road trip and non-conference play.
How to Follow
Idaho vs. Pacific // Dec. 18 at 1 p.m. PST
Watch:
ESPN+
Live Stats:
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Listen:
The Varsity Network or
GoVandals.com/Listen
Last Time Out
The Vandals fell to UC Davis on Wednesday Dec. 19, 66-74. Redshirt freshman
Kolton Mitchell led all players with a career-high 26 points, shooting 8-12 from the field.
Takai Hardy came off the bench for his first double-double as a Vandal, with 13 points and 10 rebounds, both career-highs.
Jojo Anderson added 13 more points off the bench in his second double-figure effort of the year.
Down as much as 15 with three minutes remaining, Idaho stormed back, pulling within four with under a minute on the clock, before UC Davis iced the game from the free throw line in the closing moments.
Scouting the Tigers
Pacific heads into Saturday's game carrying a 5-8 record and a four game losing streak, with their last win coming at home against Cal State Fullerton, 64-55.
Forward Elias Ralph leads the Tigers in scoring, averaging 17.2 points a game on 50 percent shooting, scoring in double-figures in every game this season. The senior from Okotoks, Alberta, Canada has posted six double-doubles, one of only 12 players in the nation to do so. Ralph pulls down 8.2 rebounds per game, third best in the West Coast Conference.
Elijah Fisher has been the second option for the Tigers on offense, scoring 16.4 points per contest with four 20 point performances. The transfer from DePaul also ranks fifth in the WCC in shot blocking, with 1.38 blocks per game.
Pacific has been one of the strongest teams in the nation on the boards, pulling down 39.6 rebounds per game, 27.9 of which are on the defensive end, 45th best in the country. The
Tigers have struggled from beyond the arc, only converting 27.7 percent of their three pointers, 13th worst in Division I.
The Tigers were picked to finish 10th in the West Coast Conference Preseason Coaches Poll. Pacific turned over the entire roster from last year, bringing in 14 newcomers for head coach Dave Smart's first season.
Series History Vs. Pacific
The Vandals and Tigers will meet for the 21st time on Saturday, with Idaho going 4-16 in the previous 20 matchups. They last met on Dec. 5, 2023 in Moscow, where the Vandals took a 30 point victory, 83-53. This marks the largest D1 win in Coach Pribble's tenure as a Vandal. Idaho has won two straight, last falling to Pacific on the road in the 2009 CIT, 59-69.
Notables
In Wednesday's game at UC Davis,
Kolton Mitchell scored 26 points, the most in a game for an in-state Vandal since Damen Thacker scored 27 at Southern Utah on Jan. 7, 2021.
Mitchell and fellow Idahoan
Jack Payne have been defensive threats this season, with both ranking in the top-10 in the conference in steals per game. Idaho joins Eastern Washington as the two Big Sky schools to have two players averaging 1.5 or more steals per contest.
Idaho has made five or more threes in 25 straight games, the longest streak in the Big Sky. The Vandals are averaging 9.3 threes a game in 2024, on a 36.3 percent clip, both top three marks in the conference.
Tyler Mrus continues to power the Vandal attack from beyond the arc, leading the Big Sky in three point percentage (42.6), ranking second in threes per game (2.9), and third in total three pointers made (29).
Up Next
The Vandals begin Big Sky Conference play with two home games, with the first against reigning conference champions Montana State on Thursday, Jan. 2 at 6 p.m., and the second versus 2024 tournament runners-up, Montana on Saturday, Jan. 4 at 2 p.m.
Follow
Fans can follow the Vandals all season long on Facebook, Instagram, and X at @VandalHoops, and with the Voice of the Vandals, Dennis Patchin, at GoVandals.com/Listen. All home and conference contests will be streamed live through ESPN+.
