Despite Cold Shooting, UI Rated High

Of 12 Big West Conference basketball teams, 10 shoot the ball better than Idaho.

But that doesn’t seem to bother the Vandals, who are emerging as one of the favorites in the upcoming Big West tournament.

Idaho clinched a tourney berth by downing New Mexico State and North Texas last week. The Vandals figure to go in as the No. 1, 2 or 3 seed from the East Division.

“All things being equal, I think we could very easily be the team to beat,” UI coach Dave Farrar said. “If the moon is right and we shoot the basketball better, we have a chance to be one of those teams.”

The Vandals have made just 42.2 percent from the field. Only 1-21 North Texas (36.6) is worse.

Idaho’s two sharpshooters were expected to be Avery Curry and Gordon Scott. Curry is just 119 of 332 (35.8 percent). Scott is 104 of 275 (37.8 percent).

Both, though, have hit handfuls of clutch shots.

“That (UI’s shooting percentage) doesn’t make it real optimistic,” Farrar said. “That’s one of the things that has to get better.”

Farrar hopes senior wing Cameron Banks gets better soon. Banks has been bothered by a foot injury. He practiced some on Monday for the first time in three weeks.

Banks (10.7 points) is a key player. He’s physically tough, a dependable scorer and a steadying influence on his teammates.

“He wants to play more than he has and better than he has,” Farrar said. “He hasn’t got any worse, but when he’s had three or four days to rest he hasn’t got any better. There would be something to that (resting Banks) if we could get him back to full speed for the tournament. At this point, I’m not convinced that would happen.”