Idaho (13-12, 5-7) vs. Idaho State (10-16, 6-6)

• ICCU Arena (4,200) | Moscow, Idaho

• 2 p.m. PT: Tip-off on ESPN+

• Listen: Vandal Radio Network | The Varsity Network App (Dennis Patchin)

• Live Stats

• Tickets

• Game Notes

MOSCOW, Idaho - In-state rivalries always bring the energy. With a historic piece of hardware on the line and two teams looking to get back in the win column, it's safe to say this is one of the more enticing King Spud finales in recent memory. 

Idaho State and Idaho played for the prized potato annually in the 60s and 70s before it was misplaced in 1979 and, to this day, hasn't been found. A replica was created in 2022 and Idaho State has held it ever since. Should the Vandals take care of business on Saturday, they will claim King Spud for the first time since 1969. 

After dropping a tough contest to Weber State on Thursday, The Black and Gold are looking to snap a cold streak of three in a row where their normally electric offense has averaged less than 70 points a game. Idaho State is coming in even more hard-pressed for a win, having dropped their last eight straight, with only one of those being within a single possession. One thing that will be on the minds of the Bengals, however, is that their last win was over the Vandals.

Jamison Guerra put up 21 in Reed Gym in the last King Spud Matchup and has been among ISU's best scorers at an even 10 PPG. Connor Hollenbeck continues to lead the charge for the Bengals at 13.8 a game, and Evan Otten continues to be a top defender at a league-best 1.8 blocks per contest.

BLACKOUT THE BENGALS
Idaho's matchup vs. Idaho State has been dubbed the annual "Blackout the Bengals" matchup. Vandal fans are encouraged to dress in black to showcase their school pride. 

IDAHO NOTES

• The King Spud Trophy is awarded to the school who wins three or more of the four contests between Idaho and Idaho State's men's and women's programs across the season. In the event of a tie, the trophy is decided by the point differential.

  • After round one, the win total is tied at 1-1, but UI currently holds the edge in point differential (+5). 

• Idaho features five players on the roster that hail from the Gem State for the first time since the 1971-72 season

  • Brody Rowbury (Meridian), Jack Payne (Boise), Titus Yearout (Lapwai), Kolton Mitchell (Coeur D'Alene), and Jackson Rasmussen (Meridian)

• Idaho's February 19, 2026 game at Portland State was selected to air on ESPNU as part of the Big Sky's distribution deal with the Worldwide Leader in Sports.

  • This will mark the first time the Vandal men have had a regular season game appear on a linear ESPN channel since the 2010-11 season.

• The Vandals have had scoring success from everywhere on the roster. 14 of 25 box scores this season have featured four or more players in double figures.

• A renewed emphasis on physicality in the paint has paid off for Idaho this year, as the team is +2.8 in rebounding margin and has won the battle on the glass in 15 of 25 games to date. The Vandals finished -1.9 in that margin last season.

NUMBERS TO KNOW

• 120: The 2025-26 season marks the 120th year of Idaho men's basketball. In the first 119 seasons, the Vandals won five conference titles, made four NCAA tournament appearances, and had five All-American players.

• 100: All season long, Idaho Basketball is remembering the life and legacy of the legendary Vandal, Don Monson. Monson was a three-time basketball letterman as a student, but his biggest honor was as head basketball coach from 1978 to 1983, where he led the Vandals to a Sweet Sixteen appearance and earned 100 wins over five seasons

• 5: Five Idaho natives are on this season's roster, the most since the 1971-72 season

• 60: Idaho's streak of games with 5+ made threes came to an end vs. Montana, having previously accomplished the feat in 60 straight contests.

• 137: Idaho was 137th in the Dec. 8 NET rankings, the highest mark in program history since the rankings debuted in time for the 2018-19 season.

• 6: Following Jack Payne's outing at Montana State, six Vandals have now crossed the 500-point threshold for their careers (Payne, Kolton Mitchell, Kristian Gonzalez, Brody Rowbury, Biko Johnson, Isaiah Brickner)

• 1000: Senior forward Brody Rowbury is closing in on 1,000 career points in his final collegiate season. With 991 under his belt so far, he needs 9 to hit that mark.

  • Rowbury would be the first to hit that milestone in Black and Gold since Kyson Rose did the same in the 2024-25 season. 

• 4: Idaho's preseason ranking in both Big Sky Preseason Polls, its highest since 2017

• 62.7: The Vandals return the most minutes in the Big Sky, with three out of their five most common starters staying in Moscow for the 2025-26 season

• 14: Head Coach Alex Pribble led Idaho to 14 regular season wins last year, the most since the 2017-18 season.

• 2: Two of Idaho's regular season games are set to take place in Boise this season, the first time the Vandals will play a regular contest in the state capital since the fall of 2018

• 308: The 2024-25 Vandals relied heavily on play from beyond the arc, setting a new school record for made triples at 308.

• 17: Kolton Mitchell has put up double-figures in 17 of Idaho's 24 games so far.

• 20: Biko Johnson has put up 20 or more points in eight games this season. The Vandals are 6-2 when he crosses that threshold.

• 21: The Vandals earned the program's largest comeback win of the 21st century vs. Montana State in January, trailing by 21 points just before halftime and coming back to win 92-89 at the final buzzer.

UP NEXT

The Vandals' hit the road for the penultimate week of the regular season, traveling to Portland State on Feb. 19 and Sacramento State on Feb. 21. The matchup with the Vikings will air on ESPNU, the first regular season game broadcast on a linear ESPN network since the 2010-11 season.

TICKETS 

Season tickets are on sale now! For more information, call the Vandal ticket office at (208) 885-6466 or visit govandals.com/tickets. 

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