Next Level Sports Flattens Flat Idaho New Vandals Coach Says Team Will Improve On Exhibition Loss

New Idaho men’s basketball coach Dave Farrar was almost apologetic.

“It couldn’t have been an enjoyable game to watch, it couldn’t have been an enjoyable game to cover, but I will say we are better than that,” Farrar said after his Vandals debuted with a 69-54 loss to Next Level Sports before a sedated crowd of 310 at Memorial Gym on Sunday night.

At least it didn’t count on Idaho’s record. It was technically an exhibition game.

Idaho exhibited little offense, not much defense and nary a drop of emotion.

So said Farrar and the players.

“It was terrible,” said junior forward Clifford Gray, who led the Vandals with 13 points and 11 rebounds. “Well, not terrible, but I thought we’d come out and do better.”

“We’ve got a long way to go,” senior guard Kris Baumann said. Despite its deficiencies, Idaho led 31-28 at half and 39-31 early in the second half when North Idaho College transfer Cameron Banks hit a baseline jumper.

The meltdown came after Baumann’s 3-pointer made it Idaho 45-42. UI, settling for perimeter jump shots, scored just nine points in the last 13 minutes.

Next Level Sports, comprised of ex-college players, pulled away behind the trio of Antwan Smith (Utah State), Tony Madison (New Orleans) and Sam Crawford (New Mexico State).

The visitors went on top 46-45 on Smith’s layup. Madison added 11 of his team- high 19 points and Crawford handed out three assists in Next Level’s 24-2 surge.

Next Level Sports improved to 2-4 after its sixth game in six nights. However, Next Level, which lost to Utah State of the Big West, 85-82, on Saturday night, appeared to be the fresher team in the second half.

“They’re a young team,” Next Level coach Maury Hanks said. “Once their guys get more practice time and more games, they’ll be a much better team.”

Point guard Avery Curry, a transfer from Florida State who sat out last season, was rusty in his initial UI outing. He scored 10 points, but needed two baskets in the final 60 seconds to finish 4 of 20 from the field.

Gray was the most effective Vandal, working well inside and dropping in several mid-range jumpers.

Banks also offered some offensive initiative, scoring 11 points. But the Vandals were just 37 percent from the floor.

“There wasn’t much enthusiasm out there and it started with us,” said Farrar, who had seen symptoms of lifeless play on Saturday when he had to stop a scrimmage.

Idaho has an exhibition date with NBC Thunder Nov. 17 before opening the regular season at home against Montana Tech on Nov. 21.

, DataTimes