Isu, Bsu At Idaho

Idaho (5-6) tips off Big Sky play in the Kibbie Dome against a bruising pair - Idaho State (9-2) at 7:05 tonight and Boise State (9-2) at 7:05 on Saturday. Most conference forecasters rank ISU and BSU 1-2, or vice versa.

At a glance

Idaho faces matchup problems. ISU guards Lorenzo Watkins and Shabaka Lands have edges in quickness over Idaho’s Mark Leslie and Ben Johnson. And the guards aren’t UI coach Joe Cravens’ biggest concern. “They have two of the top players in the league (in forwards Donell Morgan and Jim Potter),” he said. “They play hard and they have the ability to rebound their mistakes. We have to try to fight through their half-court pressure and try to have some success offensively.”

Yet, in some ways, ISU resembles Washington State, which prodded Idaho’s best performance of the season. ISU has an athletic perimeter and the gifted 6-foot-9 Potter is the Big Sky’s parallel to WSU’s Mark Hendrickson.

BSU won’t overwhelm UI with athletic ability. But the Broncos are proof that offensive patience and defensive tenacity can carry a club. Seven-foot center John Coker has led BSU in scoring in 10 of 12 games and all but one game in rebounding. “They get 10-12 points a game off their defense. They count on holding you to 60 points,” Cravens said.

Idaho: Harry Harrison, 13.5 ppg, 9.9 rpg; Nate Gardner, 10 ppg; Mark Leslie, 4 apg. Idaho State (tonight): Jim Potter, 16.9 ppg; 8.7 rpg; Donell Morgan, 16.3 ppg; Shabaka Lands, 4.2 apg. Boise State (Saturday): John Coker, 18 ppg, 8.3 rpg; Sherman Morris, 10.6 ppg, 5 rpg.

Radio: KRPL (1400 AM) Moscow; KVNI (1080 AM) Coeur d’Alene.