FINAL SCORE
Idaho Vandals - 83
Boise State Broncos - 89
SEASON RECORDS
Idaho - 0-0
Boise State - 0-0
VANDAL LEADERS
PTS - Kolton Mitchell (18)
AST- Kolton Mitchell (5)
REB- Kolton Mitchell/Jackson Rasmussen (7)
BLK- Brody Rowbury/ Jackson Rasmussen (1)
STL- Payne/Rasmussen/Blassingame (2)
NOTABLES
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First game between the Vandals and Broncos since 2014
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Four of the starting five for the Vandals hail from the Gem State
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Making their debuts in a Vandal uniform were Brody Rowbury, Biko Johnson, Jackson Rasmussen, and Seth Joba
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Trevon Blassingame made his return to the court after a redshirt year in the 24-25 season.
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Unofficially, the Vandals have now made at least five threes in a game for the 47th straight time. Stats will not count for the exhibition matchup, but the number will become cemented if Idaho can do the same vs. Washington State on Nov. 3.
BOISE, Idaho - Since March, Idaho Basketball has provided all the reason to be excited about the future of the program. Starch Madness wins, semifinal appearances, and more eyes on the program than there has been in some time. With that all behind them, it was time to take the next step.
The team's performance vs. Boise State, while not counting or amounting to anything official, left much to be excited about when the games become real.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Of the five Idaho natives on the roster this year, four took the court as starters in Idaho Central Arena. Kolton Mitchell got the scoring started for the game and the season with a hustle play, rebounding his own missed jumper outside the paint and securing the putback.
Returning to his hometown for the first of three opportunities this season,
Jack Payne picked up where the Vandals left off last season, knocking down a contested three for the first such make of the year and the 309th since the start of the 24-25 campaign.
True freshman
Jackson Rasmussen made his Vandal debut in the starting lineup, living up to his billing as the #1 recruit out of the Gem State, grabbing four shots off the glass and tallying five early points. The Vandals went into the break down 32-47, a deficit largely provided by the Broncos leading the way from beyond the arc, going 9-15 (60%) compared to 2-7 (28.6%) from UI.
Despite playing from behind, the Vandals came out of the half sticking to what had worked, creating looks on the outside while utilizing the size of senior
Brody Rowbury to expose mismatches. Rowbury's physicality in the paint provided a spark as the brave and bold would finish the night out-scoring their in-state rival on that part of the floor, 34-28.
The threes would begin to fall for Idaho in the second frame as junior
Kristian Gonzalez dropped a trio, Mitchell and
Biko Johnson each added a pair, and
Trevon Blassingame tallied a make in his return to the court after a redshirt year. Ultimately, however, Boise State took advantage of more second chance opportunities to fend off a vigorous comeback attempt by the Vandals, holding just a six point lead by the time the clock ticked to zero.
Just an exhibition, season stats and records will remain zeroes across the board for both teams, but Idaho provided a lot of hype for the season to come, holding a 26-win Mountain West team from a year ago to just a two possession contest.
UP NEXT
Idaho will officially tip off the 2025-26 campaign on Nov. 3, playing its first "road" game just across the street in Pullman, WA, renewing the annual "Battle of the Palouse" with the Washington State Cougars. Idaho Athletics announced earlier in the offseason that the last contest between UI and WSU would feature a doubleheader, as the women's team will take on their crimson and grey counterpart the same day.
TICKETS
Idaho Athletics announced that all student tickets for football, basketball, volleyball, and soccer home events are free of charge. To claim your tickets, visit
govandals.com/tickets
FOLLOW THE VANDALS
To stay up to date with Vandal Hoops, follow the team on
Instagram,
X, and visit
govandals.com
