UI Suffers 2nd-Half Blues, Falls To Boise

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 pulled that trick for the second straight evening, falling 79-74 to rival Boise State on Saturday in an entertaining contest played before 3,220 at the Kibbie Dome.

Idaho, which saw a nine-point halftime lead dissolve in Friday’s loss to Idaho State, is 0-2 in the Sky, its first 0-2 start since 1985-86. The Vandals (5-8 overall) lost consecutive conference home games for the first time since 1986-87.

And yet the Vandals played hard and well most of the game.

The exception came at the most critical time. After trimming an 11-point deficit to 69-66, Idaho committed three straight turnovers - Mark Leslie tried to force penetration and lost possession; a bounce pass slipped through Harry Harrison’s hands and Leslie travelled.

BSU, 2-0 in conference and 11-2 overall, didn’t capitalize until Darnell Woods flung in a 12-footer and was fouled. His three-point play pushed BSU up 72-66 with 1:17 left.

“We really played great,” said UI sophomore center Nate Gardner, whose 14 points and nine rebounds weren’t his biggest contributions. His defense, with help from sagging teammates, on BSU center John Coker limited the 7-footer to a season-low five points.

“We got great looks at the basket and we did the things to take Coker out of the game,” Gardner said. “The only thing to be concerned about was the turnovers.”

Idaho’s defense on Coker actually began before the game. After the starting lineups were announced, both teams jockeyed for control of the center circle and UI players successfully bumped Coker out of the way.

Coker, who averages 18 points, got a little steamed, tossed his warmup jacket, returned for the tipoff and played poorly.

Problem is, that didn’t seem to matter much. Coker’s replacement, Scott Tharp, scored nine points and Sherman Morris tossed in 17.

But the key buckets usually came from a pair of skinny kids who graduated from Redmond (Wash.) High.

Freshman guard Josh Folsom, whose playing time will increase because of Friday’s injury to Damon Archibald, nailed three 3-pointers and had 17 points. And wiry sophomore forward J.D. Huleen added 13 points.

Message received. With UI sagging inside, Folsom, Huleen and Morris found open spaces on the perimeter.

“Guys were setting me perfect picks,” Folsom said, “and, at first, they weren’t guarding me.”

“In my infinite wisdom, he (Folsom) played for one of my best friends among high school coaches (Jerry Koester) and I didn’t recruit him,” said UI coach Joe Cravens. Go easy on yourself, Joe - the kid was averaging all of 1.4 points coming into the game.

Leslie led Idaho with 19 points. Shawn Dirden piled up 14 of his 18 in the first half as UI led 37-33 after a late 8-0 run.

But in a replay of Friday, BSU shot torridly in the second half (60 percent) and wore down the Vandals, who are down to an eight-man rotation with the losses of Jevon Green (legal troubles) and Kelly Walker (discipline).

“We’re right there knocking on the door to becoming a pretty good basketball team,” said Cravens, whose club entertains Sacramento State on Tuesday. “How we get through the door we’re knocking on, I’m not sure.”

Boise St. 79, Idaho 74

BOISE STATE (11-2)

Morris 7-13 1-1 17, Rodman 2-3 0-1 4, Coker 2-8 1-3 5, Huleen 5-8 0-0 13, Woods 4-7 6-7 14, Folsom 6-11 2-2 17, Tharp 3-5 2-2 9. Totals 29-55 12-16 79.

IDAHO (5-8)

Jones 1-2 0-0 2, Harrison 5-7 2-3 12, Gardner 5-9 4-4 14, Leslie 5-13 6-6 19, Dirden 7-14 2-2 18, Johnson 1-2 3-3 5, Spike 1-3 0-0 2, Coates 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 25-51 17-18 72.

Halftime-Idaho 37, Boise St. 33. 3-Point goals-Boise St. 9-19 (Huleen 3-4, Woods 0-1, Morris 2-5, Folsom 3-7, Tharp 1-2), Idaho 5-16 (Leslie 3-8, Johnson 0-1, Dirden 2-7). Fouled out-Rodman, Harrison. Rebounds-Boise St. 23 (Woods 4, Morris 4, Folsom 4), Idaho 34 (Harrison 12). Assists-Boise St. 14 (Woods 7), Idaho 14 (Johnson 5). Total fouls-Boise St. 14, Idaho 18. A-3,220.

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