MOSCOW, Idaho - "This season has absolutely flown by."

This quote from head coach Alex Pribble at Monday's press conference perfectly sums up how the 2024-25 campaign has gone for Idaho Basketball. In his second year at the helm, the Vandals have seen highs and they've seen lows, but all-in-all, it's gone by in a flash.

With only two home games to go, and three overall, it's crunch time for Idaho. There's still so much to be decided in the Big Sky. UI currently sits at fifth in the conference after a split road weekend and can finish anywhere between third and seventh after next Monday.

But as they've done all year long, Pribble and his men are taking it one game at a time. On Thursday, Feb. 27, Idaho State will make the trip to Moscow for round two of the king spud rivalry. With the Bengal men and women both securing wins in the first round of the series, one more on either side will return the trophy to Pocatello, where it has resided since it's return in 2022.

LAST TIME OUT
In the first matchup of the Vandals and Bengals in Pocatello, Idaho State could do no wrong, shooting 16-26 (62%) from three-point range alone to roll to an 87-71 victory. Kolton Mitchell led Idaho with 17 points in his return to his former institution, but ISU's Dylan Darling was a man on a mission, collecting 28 points off of six made threes and shooting 8-16 (50%) from the field.

The Bengals are coming off of a pair of wins at home last weekend, first with a statement 82-74 victory against third-place Portland State and then dominating Sacramento State 83-66. 

Idaho is coming off of a split weekend on the road where the team collected a convincing 83-78 win over Northern Arizona in Flagstaff, then falling on the road to Northern Colorado, 92-74.

SCOUTING THE BENGALS
Dylan Darling has become a name that needs no introduction in the Big Sky Conference, as the R-So. point guard has emerged as a dynamic threat for the Bengals. Darling has scored 20 or more points in eight of his last ten games, including two outings of 30+ and has secured three of the last four nominations for Big Sky Player of the Week in that span. 

Idaho State remains one of the top rebounding teams in the conference, thanks in large part to     Jake O'Neil, whose 9.8 grabs off the glass per game rank second in the Big Sky behind only Northern Arizona's Carson Towt.

6'10" center Evan Otten is a wall in front of opposing shooters averaging 2.4 blocks per game, which not only leads the Big Sky by a mile, but is also 14th in all of D1 basketball.

SERIES HISTORY
The Idaho-Idaho State rivalry is a long and storied one. UI holds a 66-55 lead in the all-time series since 1933, but ISU has been the team to beat in recent memory,  claiming 12 of the last 14 contests.

The game will be broadcast on SWX and Vandal fans are encouraged to tap in to The Varsity Network and hear the Voice of the Vandals, Dennis Patchin, calling the action.