Jim Meehan

Eastern Washington kept threatening, but a look at Idaho's shot chart best explains the Vandals' 73-62 men's basketball win Saturday night. Guard Shawn Dirden made Idaho's longest shot of the second half - a 6-footer from the baseline.

Ricks College wrestling coach Bob Christensen said he watched a "fannykicking contest" on Friday night. "We were just on the wrong side," Christensen said after second-ranked North Idaho College handled the visiting Vikings 32-9 in a Region 18 match at Christianson Gym.

Women's basketball It used to be like this almost every year - North Idaho College and Utah Valley battling for Scenic West Athletic Conference women's basketball superiority. NIC turned back the clock Thursday night, but its game effort fell short in a 73-55 loss to the Wolverines at Christianson Gym.

Idaho solved its second-half blues on Tuesday night. OK, most of its second-half blues.

Idaho needs to join the Continental Basketball Association. In that league, teams get credit for winning quarters. In the Big Sky Conference, the Vandals keep winning the first half only to get permissive defensively in the second 20 minutes.

UI coach Joe Cravens would like to order up a road win. Photo by Shawn Jacobson/The Spokesman-Review

Former Washington State coach Kelvin Sampson, a buddy of Idaho coach Joe Cravens, used to say the key to basketball was simply "putting the brown thing (basketball) in the round thing (the hoop)." Idaho did that on Monday night.

The three finalists for Idaho's football coaching job interviewed on Sunday and a decision on the new head coach was expected today. The finalists were Washington assistant coaches Chris Tormey and Scott Linehan, and California assistant Tim Lappano. All three visited Moscow on Sunday. Lappano met with UI athletic director Pete Liske and the search committee early Sunday afternoon. Tormey and Linehan interviewed in the late afternoon. UI administrators were said to be finalizing whom would be hired at press time.

Idaho athletic director Pete Liske interviewed three more candidates as the Vandals' search for a football coach continued on Thursday. Washington assistant coach Scott Linehan confirmed he met with Liske. The others are believed to be Nevada assistant Bob Petrino and Arizona State assistant Dan Cozzetto. All previously were UI assistants. Washington assistant Chris Tormey met with Liske on Wednesday. Cal assistants Tim Lappano and Denny Schuler, and Art Valero, an assistant under just-departed UI coach John L. Smith, are expected to meet with Liske today or Saturday.

Add Denny Schuler to the list of potential candidates to fill Idaho's football coaching vacancy. Probably scratch Gregg Smith's name. Idaho athletic director Pete Liske on Wednesday was trying to make contact with Schuler, Cal's offensive coordinator who has worked for two seasons under former UI coach Keith Gilbertson.

John L. Smith said it was the best thing for Idaho and Utah State that he accepted the Aggies' football coaching job. Smith's appointment at Utah State was announced at a Tuesday afternoon press conference in Logan. He signed a five-year contract with a base salary of more than $100,000 annually.