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KG Three
Idaho Athletics
72
Idaho UI 0-0,0-0 Big Sky
82
Winner Boise St. Boise 0-0,0-0 Pac-12
Idaho UI
0-0,0-0 Big Sky
72
Final
82
Boise St. Boise
0-0,0-0 Pac-12
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Idaho UI 29 43 72
Boise St. Boise 32 50 82

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Vandals Battle in Exhibition Contest Against Boise State


FINAL SCORE 
Idaho Vandals - 72
Boise State Broncos - 82

VANDAL LEADERS
PTS - Kristian Gonzalez (24)
AST - Miles Klapper (3)
REB -  Mo Diao (6)
BLK - Diego Trejo-Delgado, Seth Joba, Mo Diao (1) 
STL - Miles Klapper (2)

NOTABLES BOISE, Idaho - Inside a high-energy Idaho Central Arena, Kristian Gonzalez made a statement in his return to the floor for Idaho men's basketball, scoring 24 as the Vandals played a back-and-forth exhibition contest against in-state rivals Boise State.  

HOW IT HAPPENED 
Both teams struggled to score in the opening four minutes, with only three combined buckets prior to the first media timeout. Returning Vandal Kristian Gonzalez wasted no time getting Idaho on the board during their first possession, splashing a triple on UI's first shot of the night after he worked himself open late in the shot clock. 

The physical nature of two of the best rebounding teams in college basketball showed through in the first half, with six total fouls called in the opening five minutes, making it difficult for either team to find a rhythm. Idaho was able to use its size to its advantage during this span, with Vandal newcomer Mo Diao powering home a massive put-back dunk and a big block on the defensive end in back-to-back possessions. The ball kicked out to Hudson Ward, who cashed in a transition three, pushing the Vandals ahead 10-6.

BSU would wrestle the lead back before Kase Wynott hit a tough floater to keep Idaho up. The Broncos would respond, outscoring UI by four over the next six minutes. Brady Kennison knocked down his first triple in Black and Gold off a Boise State turnover with less than five to play in the half, giving the Vandals a two-point lead. 

The Broncos posted a 12-7 run to finish the opening 20, but Gonzalez hit a pull-up three as time expired, drawing Idaho within three at the break. 


Boise State scored two quick buckets to open the second half, before Wynott rattled off five points to keep the gap a possession. The Gem State squads traded buckets over the next four minutes, before back-to-back Bronco dunks saw the difference grow to 10 for the first time. Idaho had a big answer moments later in the form of Miles Klapper, who splashed an and-one three to make the score 46-52 with under 13 to play. 

The next five minutes saw BSU rip off an 11-5 run. UI battled back again, with a deep Gonzalez three at the 4:40 mark serving as the exclamation mark of a 13-6 Vandal scoring streak.

Less than a minute later, Hudson Ward cashed in his third triple of the night, before four straight points from Gonzalez at the free throw line drew Idaho back within just one.

The Broncos immediately answered with a critical three-pointer from Julian Bowie to push the lead back out. Idaho got that momentum right back when a Boise State defender picked up his last foul, sending Klapper to the charity stripe, narrowing the deficit to three points.

Following a massive offensive rebound by Seth Joba to keep the possession alive, the Vandals worked through the clock looking for an equalizer, but with nothing materializing through lengthy passing sequences, Boise State closed out the game on a 7-0 run to seal the 82-72 final score.

UP NEXT
UI's regular season slate includes 17 games inside ICCU Arena, including the November 2 season opener against George Fox, and marquee road matchups with Colorado State, Nevada, Washington State, and Arizona State. 

FOLLOW THE VANDALS
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