Idaho college basketball roundup: Vandals knock off Bengals
The Vandal men won 82-68 Saturday in a game that was tight early to clinch the No. 3 seed in the Big Sky Conference Tournament in Reno. Idaho State is No. 4.
The Vandals (20-11, 12-6) have their first 20-win season in eight years under coach Don Verlin. They play at 9:05 p.m. MT Thursday against the winner of Tuesday’s opener between No. 6 Eastern Washington and No. 11 Northern Arizona.
Idaho State (16-14, 11-7) plays its quarterfinal game at 3:35 p.m. Thursday against the No. 5 North Dakota/No. 12 Southern Utah opener.
Vic Sanders led Idaho with 25 points, and Nate Sherwood added 13.
Ethan Telfair had 24 points and was 11-of-11 from the free throw line for the Bengals. Gary Chivichyan had 17 points and hit five 3-pointers.
The Vandals held the Bengals to 41.5 percent shooting from the field, while shooting 48.3 percent.
The Vandals hit five 3-pointers over the final five minutes to put the game away.
▪ Also Saturday, Weber State defeated Eastern Washington 79-77 on a late 3-pointer in Cheney, Wash., to clinch the Big Sky championship and the No. 1 seed to the Big Sky Tournament in Reno. Montana is seeded No. 2.
Saturday’s Mountain West games
▪ John Gillon scored 22 points as Colorado State (16-15, 8-10) beat Air Force (14-17, 5-13) 87-73 in Fort Collins, Colo.
▪ Fresno State (22-9, 13-5) rallied from 18 down to win its sixth straight, beating Utah State (15-14, 7-11) 86-85 in Logan.
▪ San Diego State (23-8, 16-2) crushed UNLV (17-14, 8-10) at home 92-56.
▪ New Mexico (17-14, 10-8) secured a No. 4 seed with a 71-66 win at Nevada (18-12, 10-8).
MOUNTAIN WEST MEN’S TOURNAMENT
Wednesday’s games
▪ No. 8 Wyoming vs. No. 9 Utah State, noon
▪ No. 7 UNLV vs. No. 10 Air Force, 2:30 p.m.
▪ No. 6 Colorado St. vs. No. 11 San Jose St., 5 p.m.
Thursday’s games
▪ No. 1 San Diego State vs. Wyoming/Utah State, 1 p.m. (CBSSN)
▪ No. 4 New Mexico vs. No. 5 Nevada, 3:30 p.m. (CBSSN)
▪ No. 2 Fresno State vs. UNLV/Air Force, 7 p.m. (CBSSN)
▪ No. 3 Boise State vs. Colorado State/San Jose State, 9:30 p.m. (CBSSN)
▪ Semifinals are 7/9:30 p.m. Friday (CBSSN); championship is 4 p.m. Saturday (CBS).
MOINTAIN WEST WOMEN’S TOURNAMENT
Monday’s games
▪ No. 8 San Diego State vs. No. 9 Wyoming, 3 p.m.
▪ No. 7 Utah State vs. No. 10 Nevada, 5:30 p.m.
▪ No. 6 UNLV vs. No. 11 Air Force, 8 p.m.
Tuesday’s games
▪ No. 1 Colorado State vs. San Diego State/Wyoming; 1 p.m.
▪ No. 4 San Jose State vs. No. 5 New Mexico, 3:30 p.m.
▪ No. 2 Fresno State vs. Utah State/Nevada, 7 p.m.
▪ No. 3 Boise State vs. UNLV/Air Force, 9:30 p.m.
▪ Semifinals are 7:30/10 p.m. Wednesday; title game is 1 p.m. Friday. ... Both tournaments at Thomas & Mack in Vegas.
This story was originally published March 5, 2016 at 11:52 PM with the headline "Idaho college basketball roundup: Vandals knock off Bengals."