FARMINGTON, Utah – For the first time since the 2017-18 season, Idaho men's basketball has been picked to finish in the top half of the Big Sky Conference, with the Vandals claiming the fourth spot in both the coaches and media polls.
Idaho was one of only three teams to receive first-place votes in each poll, their first since being selected to win the conference prior to the 17-18 campaign. Two media members selected the squad to finish atop the league standings, and a third vote was added in the coaches poll, which is notable as the league's coaching staffs are not permitted to vote their own teams at #1.
The Black and Gold return the most minutes of any team in the conference this season, with over 60% of their minutes from the 2024-25 season remaining on the roster for the 25-26 campaign.
Idaho's top three scorers from a season ago remained in Moscow. Kristian Gonzalez averaged a team-leading 11.4 points per contest last year, the fifth-most of any returner in the Big Sky. Redshirt sophomore Kolton Mitchell was the only Vandal to start all 33 games last season. During his rookie season in Moscow, the Lake City High graduate was one of only 57 freshmen in DI basketball to average north of 11 points a game, and his 114 assists was the most by a freshman in the conference. Fellow Idahoan Jack Payne was the lone Vandal to receive an all-conference nod following the regular season, claiming a place on the honorable mentions list. The Boise native showed out in his hometown for Starch Madness, averaging 19 points and 6.5 rebounds in the Vandals' two tournament games, earning a spot on the conference's All-Tournament team.
Big offseason additions for the Vandals include Meridian natives Brody Rowbury and Jackson Rasmussen, and Vermont's Seth Joba. All three add much-needed size to Idaho's roster, with each towering over 6'7". Rowbury arrives in Moscow with 82 DI starts under his belt at Southeastern Louisiana, where he averaged 8.8 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. Rasmussen was the top recruit in the Gem State's class of 2025 according to 24/7 Sports, and was the highest-rated commit to a Big Sky school, per the outlet's rankings. In September, he was tabbed as Mid-Major Madness' Big Sky Freshman of the Year.
LOOKING AHEAD
The Vandals kick off the regular season on November 3, with the 280th Battle of the Palouse at Washington State. Idaho's home slate begins with Whitman on Friday, November 7. Highlights on UI's non-conference slate include Big Sky-Summit League Challenge matchups with North Dakota and South Dakota State, a trip to the ACC's Notre Dame, a meeting with the reigning Big West Champion UC San Diego Tritons, and the return of the Holiday Hoops Classic in Boise the week of Thanksgiving. All of this leads to the opening of Idaho's 18-game conference schedule on January 3, at ICCU Arena versus Eastern Washington.
TICKETS
Tickets are available for Idaho's Holiday Hoops Classic on November 26 and 28. Watch the Vandals and Idaho State take on CSUN and Sam Houston State in downtown Boise. Tickets can be purchased through the Idaho Central Arena box office today!
Season tickets are on sale now! For more information, call the Vandal ticket office at (208) 885-6466 or visit GoVandals.com/tickets.
FOLLOW THE VANDALS
To stay up to date with Vandal Hoops, follow the team on Instagram (vandalhoops), X (VandalHoops), and by visiting govandals.com.
