Analysis: Idaho men’s basketball still learning how to win close games ahead of rivalry with Washington State

MOSCOW, Idaho – Leads changed hands 12 times Thursday. But until the final three minutes, Idaho had an answer for everything UC Davis threw at it until the Aggies finally wrestled an edge from the Vandals and held on for a 79-75 win.

Following a 94-60 romp over NAIA Northwest University, from Kirkland, Washington, in their opening game Nov. 4, the Vandals are 1-1 heading into their traditional Battle of the Palouse with Washington State Monday in Pullman.

Idaho coach Alex Pribble is heading into his second season at Idaho, and he has consistently put forth an image of Vandals teams that will play with great pace, are relentless on defense and are deadly at knocking down perimeter shots. A year ago, that resulted in an 11-21 overall record, 5-13 in the Big Sky Conference as Idaho was not as athletic as its coach wanted.

It is a small sample size, but this season’s iteration of the team so far looks close to what Pribble envisions.

“This is a different team. It has a different makeup. It is a stronger-minded group,” says sophomore point guard Kristian Gonzalez. He threw his body recklessly around Idaho’s ICCU Arena while scoring 16 points, grabbing eight rebounds and dealing out three assists for the Vandals.

After the game, Pribble said these Vandals are within sight of his goals but have yet to learn to close out games.

“We played very well in stretches. But down the stretch, we did not make plays to finish the job,” he said.

The Aggies tried to match Idaho from the perimeter. In the first half, UC Davis made just four of 14 three-pointers while Idaho knocked down nine of 16. In the final period, the Aggies were not any better, converting 3 of 13 from the arc. But Idaho’s own shooting from there fell off to 3 of 12.

“Late in the game, we just started squeezing, getting a little nervous,” Pribble said. Idaho led for nearly 30 minutes, and “that flow of the game is a big deal for us,” Pribble said.

“I liked that for every punch they threw we had a counter-punch.” However, down the stretch “our guys still need to take the court believing we can beat a team.”

It didn’t help that both of Idaho’s available big men, Julius Mims and Kyson Rose fouled out in the final three minutes. Tyler Linhardt and Takai Hardy, both 6-foot-7 and physical enough to guard in the lane, missed the game with injuries, and the Vandals were forced to go with a small lineup at the end. Linhardt, who suffered a concussion in a collision at practice, will be evaluated and may be available to play against the Cougars.

Mims finished with 11 points and six rebounds but had a hard time getting into the flow of the game as the Aggies were determined not to let the Vandals’ elite leaper dominate at the rim, and Rose scored 12 and grabbed a pair of rebounds. While they had their moments. Idaho’s standout was 6-7 redshirt sophomore Tyler Mrus. He missed most of last season with a leg injury. Against the Aggies, he was virtually unstoppable at both ends of the court, He led the Vandals with 17 points, grabbed six rebounds, made two assists and picked U.C. Davis for three steals.

He will no doubt be a focus of WSU’s defense in Monday’s matchup.

“We know what to expect from them,” Mrus said.

He expects the Cougars to post up its big guards and to run stagger screens to free up shooters and bait the Vandals into defensive switches resulting in mismatches. UC Davis had success getting through the first level of Idaho’s defense and reaching the rim. The Aggies Ty Johnson scored 30. However, Pribble said Johnson is one of the premier midmajor players in the country.

“It will be a good one, for sure,” Mrus says of the test WSU offers.

Pribble said the three-game stretch in Idaho’s schedule featuring UC Davis, WSU and Brigham Young Nov. 16 is intentional. Idaho is building towards its Big Sky Conference season, according to Pribble.

“Everything is a process,” Pribble said, noting early -season challenges will toughen the Vandals for league play.

Idaho is planning a similar game for the Cougars that they played against the Aggies.

“We can spread them out a little bit. We can play inside -out,” said Pribble.

Idaho played nine against the Aggies, and eight Vandals played 16 minutes or more. WSU should expect to see a similar hockey-like attack featuring waves of Vandals rotating through the game and relentlessly forcing the pace.