MOSCOW, Idaho - Idaho men's basketball opens its 2026-27 season with an exhibition game against Boise State on Oct. 10 at Idaho Central Arena, the second exhibition meeting between the two teams in as many years. 

The in-state showdown dates back to 1933, when the Vandals beat the Broncos 75-21 in the City of Trees. The last of the series' 93 regular season matchups came in 2014 inside Idaho Central Arena, a 75-86 BSU win.  

Tip-off is set for 5 p.m. MST/4 p.m. PST, with the game airing on KTVB Channel 7.2 in the Boise area and the KTVB+ app. The KTVB+ app is available for free on Roku, Apple TV, and Amazon Fire TV, as well as at KTVB.com/Watch.Tickets are on sale now through the Idaho Central Arena box office.

Idaho's returning core is led by Kristian Gonzales, who started 29 of 32 games in 2024-25, leading the Vandals with 11.4 points per game on 44.7 percent shooting from the field. Gonzalez appeared in only one game during UI's title-winning 2025-26 campaign, posting a team-high 18 points in 18 minutes off the bench in the Vandals' season-opening win over Washington State, before missing the remainder of the season due to injury.

Senior forward Seth Joba returns after appearing in all 36 games off the bench last season, averaging 5.2 points and three and a half rebounds, while leading Idaho in total blocks with 24. Joba posted a double-double against Whitman, scoring 10 points and a season-high 13 boards. Miles Klapper played in 30 games for the Vandals last season, averaging 3.7 points and 1.9 rebounds while shooting 42.9 percent from three-point range. He started Idaho's final three regular season games and set his season high with 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting against Eastern Oregon on Nov. 22. Sophomore forward Will Jenson, a 6-foot-9 product of Caldera High School in Bend, Ore., also returns after redshirting last season. 

Alex Pribble's Vandals had one of the most improved defenses in the nation, moving up more than 200 spots in KenPom's Adjusted Defensive Rank and allowing the fifth-lowest offensive rebound rate in the nation. Idaho took steps towards maintaining this new identity in the offseason, with a focus on adding size through transfers and other key additions. 

The class is headlined by junior Kase Wynott, a 6-foot-6 product of Lapwai High School who arrives after two seasons at Washington State. The most decorated high school player in Idaho history, Wynott played in 24 games as a true freshman for the Cougars in 2024-25, before playing five of Washington State's first six games last season, shooting 50 percent from the field. 

Wynott is joined by former St. Thomas guard Ryan Lafferty, a Spokane native. Lafferty set the Tommies' Division I single-game rebounding record with 13 in a 13-point double-double against Crown in Dec. 2024, and shot 51.5 percent as a freshman, while setting the Mt. Spokane school assists record during his senior season. Forward Diego Trejo-Delgado, a 6-foot-7 native of Camargo, Mexico, arrives from Saint Martin's, where he averaged 15.2 points and 6.9 rebounds, third most in the GNAC, and earned First Team All-GNAC honors in 2025-26. Brady Kennison made 111 3-pointers at North Platte CC during the 2025-26 season, the most of any player in the NJCAA, while averaging 18.5 points. Junior forward Mo Diao, a 6-foot-9 native of Dakar, Senegal, averaged 11.4 points and a team-high 7.3 rebounds at McCook CC. 

Hudson Ward joins the Black and Gold after a season at Western Michigan, where he appeared in 13 games with six starts. The 6-7 Leduc, Alberta native had a decorated prep career, representing Team Canada at the 2022 FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup, and being named a two-time BioSteel All-Canadian All-Star. 

SCOUTING THE BRONCOS
Boise State put together a winning season in 2025-26 under head coach Leon Rice, finishing 20-12 overall and 12-8 in conference play. Rice is entering his 17th season, as the Broncos now move to the Pac-12 for the 2026-27 season. 

THE SEASON AHEAD
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.  
 
TICKETS
Seats are available for Saturday's exhibition against Boise State through the Idaho Central Arena ticket office at idahocentralarena.com.