FINAL SCORE 
Idaho Vandals - 92
Montana State Bobcats - 89

SEASON RECORDS
Idaho - 10-6, 2-1 Big Sky
Montana State - 9-8, 3-1 Big Sky

VANDAL LEADERS
PTS - Kolton Mitchell and Biko Johnson (23)
AST - Kolton Mitchell (4)
REB - Jackson Rasmussen (8)
BLK - Seth Joba (2)
STL - Biko Johnson and Isaiah Brickner (2)

NOTABLES

• Down 46-25 in the first half, 21 points is the largest deficit the Vandals have overcome this season
  • Idaho is now 5-2 in games that were decided by five or fewer points
• Idaho's 62-point second half is the most points scored in a single half since a 125-51 victory against Northwest Indian on December 16, 2022. 
• This marks the tenth time in sixteen games that the Vandals have had four or more players in double figures
• Kolton Mitchell scored 23 points, marking his seventh double-figure scoring performance over the last eight games.
• With 11 points tonight, Brody Rowbury is rapidly approaching the 1,000-point threshold for his career.
  • The senior sits at 933, needing 67 to hit that mark.

MOSCOW, Idaho. -  After being down 21 in the first half, Idaho pieced together a massive second half comeback behind 23 point efforts from Kolton Mitchell and Biko Johnson to take a 92-89 win over Montana State for the Vandals' 10th win of the season.

HEAR FROM COACH
"The first thing that needs to be said is just how grateful I am for the fans tonight," Coach Pribble said postgame. "You know, people are starting to believe that every game in the Big Sky Conference is going to come down to one possession. Our last five games in a row have been a one possession game. Last minute of the ball game. So the fact that so many Vandal fans are coming out and supporting us this year means the world to me. It means the world to our guys, and I really believe that you had an impact on the game tonight. You know, when the energy is low and the momentum is not in our favor, our guys' ability to rely on the fans for a little bit of extra juice really helped us get over the top."



HOW IT HAPPENED 
Montana State pushed the pace early, jumping out to a 13-4 lead after the opening five minutes. The Bobcats continued to grow their lead following the first media timeout, building a 21-point advantage by the 6:21 mark as the Vandal attack struggled against MSU's top-tier defense. UI began to string together some shots heading into the break, cutting the difference to 18 at the half. 

The Vandal offense came flying out of the locker room, starting the second period on a 16-3 heater. A Brody Rowbury and one layup at the 16:53 mark brought the 1,878 in attendance in Moscow to their feet as Idaho cut the gap to single digits for the first time since 13:28 in the first half. 

BRODY ROWBURY. AND ONE. 😤

VANDALS ON A RUN! pic.twitter.com/NATyLI2yXL

— Idaho Basketball (@VandalHoops) January 10, 2026

Kolton Mitchell would take over from there. Following a scoreless first 20, the sophomore found his groove, posting 23 points on 8-12 shooting in the second half. Mitchell converted timely shots down the stretch, including an underhand floater below the basket with just under nine to play to pull the Vandals within three. 

it's kolton mitchell's world and we are just living in it 🤩 pic.twitter.com/OvZUg5EfvT

— Idaho Basketball (@VandalHoops) January 10, 2026

Both sides traded buckets, and the lead, over the next seven minutes. The Black and Gold found themselves down one with 1:39 on the clock after a set of MSU free throws. This would be the final time Idaho would trail. On the Vandals' next possession, Mitchell would find a pocket of space for a step-back three, nailing it from 22 feet to give UI the lead for the final time. 

Idaho would outscore the 'Cats 6-5 in the final minute to claim a 92-89 victory and improve to 2-1 in conference play and 6-1 at home. 

UP NEXT
Next week, Idaho will hit the road for its first trip of the 2026 conference campaign. The Vandals are set to take on Idaho State in the Battle for King Spud on Thursday, January 15, before heading to Odgen to face Weber State on Saturday. Both games are set to tip-off at 6 p.m. PT, and will air on ESPN+, the Vandal Radio Network, and the Varsity Network app. 

TICKETS
Idaho Athletics announced that all student tickets for football, basketball, volleyball, and soccer home events are free of charge for the 2025-26 academic year. 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