Idaho opens with statement win over WSU

From local reports

PULLMAN — The Idaho Vandals couldn’t have picked a much better start to Year 3 under coach Alex Pribble. 

The Vandals led by as much as 16 points, then weathered a late Washington State comeback to escape with an 83-81 victory over the Cougars in the season opener for both teams Monday night before 3,588 at Beasley Coliseum.

“It was huge for us,” Pribble said on the Idaho postgame radio show. “All eight guys really contributed on both sides of the basketball.”

Kristian Gonzalez scored a game-high 18 points off the bench for Idaho, which scored the game’s first five points and never trailed en route to its first victory over WSU since 2017, also in Pullman. 

The Vandals led 78-62 before WSU chipped away, pulling to within 82-79 on a 3-pointer by Jerone Morton with 40.3 seconds left. 

Idaho’s Kolton Mitchell, a redshirt sophomore from Lake City High, then drew a foul and hit one of two free throws to increase the Vandal lead to 83-79 with 22.2 seconds left. 

WSU missed two 3-pointers in the waning seconds. But on the second miss, Idaho’s Brody Rowbury, who was battling for position in the paint, was whistled for a Flagrant 1 foul, giving WSU two free throws and the ball with 7.9 seconds left. 

Simon Hildebrandt, a transfer from High Point, hit the second of two free throws to pull the Cougs within three. 

Kase Wynott, the former Lapwai High star, missed a 3-pointers, but Emmanuel Ogbo of the Cougs was fouled on the rebound with 1.3 seconds left. He made the first and intentionally missed the second, and the ball went out of bounds off Idaho with .2 left.  

WSU went for the lob to the rim on the out-of-bounds play, but was unsuccessful at the horn. 

“We definitely hit some tough things (late), but the guys made the right plays when they needed to,” Pribble said. “I think the guys built a little confidence with the way they played against a physical Boise State team in the exhibition.” 

Mitchell finished with seven points, four assists and three rebounds for Idaho. Rowbury had 13 points and six rebounds. 

Ugbo, Ace Glass and Tomas Thrastarson each scored 17 points for WSU. 

With the Idaho women winning at WSU earlier in the day, it marked the first time Idaho’s men and women beat WSU in the same season since 1981. 

Idaho plays host to NAIA Whitman College of Walla Walla, Wash., on Friday. 

WSU plays at Davidson on Friday. 

IDAHO 83, WASHINGTON ST. 81

IDAHO (0-0)

Rasmussen 5-10 0-1 12, Rowbury 5-6 3-3 13, Johnson 4-11 2-4 11, Mitchell 1-7 4-6 7, Payne 3-7 2-2 11, Joba 5-9 0-0 11, Blassingame 0-0 0-0 0, Gonzalez 6-8 3-3 18. Totals 29-58 14-19 83.

WASHINGTON STATE (0-0)

Okafor 1-3 2-2 4, Yalaho 1-5 0-0 3, Morton 6-12 1-2 14, Rodriguez 0-4 1-4 1, Thrastarson 3-7 11-12 17, Ugbo 5-8 5-7 17, Glass 7-11 2-2 17, Hildebrandt 0-3 3-5 3, Wynott 2-4 0-0 8, Gerrits 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 25-57 25-34 81.

Halftime_Idaho 43-34. 3-Point Goals_Idaho 11-27 (Gonzalez 3-4, Payne 3-7, Rasmussen 2-3, Johnson 1-4, Mitchell 1-4, Joba 1-5), Washington State 6-28 (Ugbo 2-4, Wynott 1-3, Glass 1-4, Morton 1-4, Yalaho 1-5, Rodriguez 0-2, Hildebrandt 0-3, Thrastarson 0-3). Fouled Out_Rowbury. Rebounds_Idaho 31 (Payne 7), Washington State 31 (Ugbo 8). Assists_Idaho 13 (Mitchell 4), Washington State 9 (Morton, Rodriguez 3). Total Fouls_Idaho 23, Washington State 19.