Vandals can’t get first win
MOSCOW — Idaho made more shots in the first half of Saturday’s game against Boise State than it had in the entire game four days earlier against Washington State. It still wasn’t enough.
This time around, free throws and iffy defense around the basket contributed to the Vandals’ demise, as they fumbled away a seven-point halftime lead and lost 70-67 to Boise State before 2,805 at Cowan Spectrum. Idaho is now 0-6, the team’s worst start since the 1939-40 season.
“We’re going to continue to try to get better every night out,” Idaho coach Leonard Perry said. “And when we get the opportunity to seize the moment we have to seize the moment. I think this team can do it and will do it.”
The Vandals had as good a chance as they could have wanted against the Broncos, who had beaten Idaho 76-66 in a previous meeting this season in Boise. But when Boise State got into foul trouble in the second half, Idaho couldn’t capitalize.
The Vandals went 6 of 16 from the line after halftime and were 8 for 20 on the game. The misses allowed the Broncos to stay in the game, and in the end they more than made the difference on the scoreboard.
“I can’t shoot them for us,” Perry said. “I’m happy we got to the line and had 20 attempts. That’s big for Idaho, that’s good for us.”
The Broncos had no such problems, going 14 for 17 from the line. The team’s leading scorer coming into the game, Jermaine Blackburn, had a difficult night from the floor, shooting 4 of 17. But when it counted, he hit three straight free throws in the final 20 seconds to help ice the game.
With Blackburn having his problems, 6-foot-7 Jason Ellis picked up the slack. The senior — who never lost a game to Idaho in his collegiate career — dominated the low post, positioning himself on the left side of the hoop for turnaround jumpers and hooks that helped him match a career high with 23 points.
“They weren’t doubling in the post,” Ellis said. “I was surprised they didn’t do anything to change it so I took advantage of it.”
While Ellis had his way with the Vandals, his teammates also tightened up on the defensive end in the game’s final minutes. Idaho made just one shot from the field in the last 6:33, and that was a 3-pointer by Dillon Higdon in the scramble of the final minute.
On Idaho’s next — and final — possession, Higdon had two chances to tie the game with a 3 from NBA range, but neither one went down, the last missing wide as time expired.
“We were shooting the ball pretty well in the first half, so they extended a little in the second half to get to our shooters,” said guard Tanoris Shepard, who led the Vandals with 17 points. “(But) it had nothing to do with what they did, it had to do with what we did.
“That’s something we got to get right in a hurry.”