Vandals get hot after half

FARGO, N.D. – Idaho scored the first seven points of the second half and led by double digits most of the rest of the way to beat North Dakota State 81-69 in men’s non-conference basketball Saturday.

Steffan Johnson had 19 points, six assists and three steals for the Vandals (2-1). Luiz Toledo added 18 points and eight rebounds, and Mac Hopson had 16 points and eight assists.

“This was Vandal basketball tonight, they way I like it,” Idaho head coach Don Verlin said. “We were tough and we competed, and I was really happy with the outcome.”

Eric Carlson scored 17 points and had eight rebounds and three steals for North Dakota State (1-2). Josh Vaughan had 12 points, five rebounds and four steals.

Dejuan Flowers had a game-high 10 rebounds for NDSU, but Idaho had a 41-38 edge on the boards.

Idaho was 16 of 28 in both halves for 57.1 percent. North Dakota State shot only 32.9 percent, including 5 for 23 from the 3-point line.

Idaho 81, N. Dakota St. 69

 Idaho (2-1)–Toledo 8-11 2-6 18, Jefferson 2-5 0-0 4, Hopson 6-11 3-4 16, Johnson 6-9 4-4 19, Watson 4-7 0-0 8, Stern 0-0 0-0 0, Ledbetter 2-5 0-0 5, Henderson 2-3 0-0 4, de Souza 1-2 2-2 5, Lawrence 0-1 0-0 0, Barone 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 32-56 11-16 81.

N.Dakota St. (1-2)–Flowers 3-11 2-2 8, Tveidt 4-14 2-2 11, Carlson 5-12 7-11 17, Sussenguth 0-0 1-2 1, Vaughan 5-18 1-1 12, Felt 2-4 0-0 6, Zastrow 2-8 0-0 5, Pennick 0-3 0-0 0, Aaberg 4-6 1-1 9. Totals 25-76 14-19 69.

Halftime–UI 39-36. 3-pts–UI 6-13 (Johnson 3-4, de Souza 1-2, Hopson 1-3, Ledbetter 1-3, Lawrence 0-1), NDSU 5-23 (Felt 2-4, Zastrow 1-4, Tveidt 1-6, Vaughan 1-9). Foul out–None. Rebounds–UI 41 (Jefferson 9), NDSU 38 (Flowers 10). Assists–UI 18 (Hopson 8), NDSU 8 (Vaughan 3). Fouls–UI 16, NDSU 19. A–3,247.