Vandals beat Vikings

MOSCOW, Idaho – University of Idaho coach Don Verlin understands why, for some college basketball teams, Senior Night has a bittersweet feel. But he sees it differently.

“We didn’t want it to be a funeral,” Verlin said of the final home game for three Vandal seniors Saturday night.

On that front and many others, Idaho’s 77-68 victory over Portland State was a clear success.

From the opening moments, when Kyle Barone finished an alley-oop slam with extra flair, the atmosphere inside Cowan Spectrum was festive. The Vandals scored the game’s first nine points, sent 3,081 fans home with coupons for free frozen yogurt after registering five dunks and – oh, yeah – won for the fifth straight time to ensure a winning season.

After fending off the Vikings in the BracketBuster matchup, Idaho stands at 16-11 going into three WAC road games to close the regular season.

“I think it’s big,” Landon Tatum said. “… The way we’re winning right now is really going to help us going into a really hostile environment like Utah State (on Friday night), where they really don’t lose very often.”

Tatum, UI’s senior point guard, was honored before the game alongside Deremy Geiger and Djim Bandoumel. The 5-foot-11 Texan wrapped up his home career with a flourish, registering 10 points and 10 assists for his first-ever double-double.

But Tatum wasn’t the only Vandal who had a memorable night. Barone scored a career-best 25 points – 19 in the first half – after earning the WAC player of the week award earlier in the week, and Stephen Madison also had his first double-double (15 points, 11 rebounds).

Idaho’s lead ballooned to 19 in the first minute of the second half, yet Portland State (13-13) scrapped its way back.

The Vikings’ offense awoke with 12 minutes left. With top scorer Charles Odum asserting himself, PSU went on a 9-0 spree to trim its deficit to 52-46.

That’s when Geiger, scoreless to that point, came up big. The Vandals’ co-leading scorer splashed in a 3-pointer at the top of the key and buried two free throws on the next possession to push UI’s cushion to 57-48.

“I thought when they made the runs, we responded to them,” Verlin said. “We did a good job of finishing the game.”

Portland State, with four one-time Idaho and Washington State players or signees, made its strongest push in the first half with a string of post baskets from UI transfer Renaldo Parker.

Barone’s nine first-half field goals matched the entire output of Portland State, which shot 9 of 33 (30 percent) from the floor. He finished 10 of 11 from the field, matching the third-best shooting effort in Idaho history.

“He’s really come into his own, especially here this last little bit,” Verlin said. “… I’ve really been happy with the way Kyle has played.”