The University of Idaho Argonaut

Vandal center and freshman Kyle Barone rebounds a ball against St. Martin's in the Memorial Gym Nov. 6. The Vandals (1-1) haed to Fargo, N.D. Saturday to play North Dakota State. File Photo by Nick Groff/Argonaut

Verlin takes blame for loss Sunday, team prepares for North Dakota State Saturday

Looking to bounce back from last Sunday’s letdown loss, the Vandals head for the frozen tundra of North Dakota tomorrow to finish off their three-game season-opening road trip. Idaho (1-1) will face North Dakota State in Fargo at 2 p.m. in the Bison Sports Arena.

Idaho upended the Bison (1-1) at home last season, 78-69, one of just seven NDSU losses all year. Senior point guard Mac Hopson held NDSU star Ben Woodside to nine points on 4-12 shooting, one of his lowest point totals of the season. But the Vandals have never won in Fargo in two previous attempts — Verlin said NDSU has a tough home court for visitors to win on.

Most importantly, Verlin said, he wants to get Idaho back on a winning streak.

“One thing we’ve prided ourselves on is not losing two in a row very often,” the second-year coach said.

For the Vandals themselves, they’re all too eager to get the memory of Texas Southern out of their heads and replace it with another road victory. Steffan Johnson acknowledged the loss was tough to swallow.

Vandal Kashif Watson drives over a St. Martin's player Nov. 6 in the Memorial Gym. Watson and the Vandals (1-1) head to Fargo, N.D. Saturday to play North Dakota State and regain road momentum before returning home to the Memorial Gym Nov. 24 against Sacramento State. File Photo by Nick Groff/Argonaut

“That game left a bad taste in my mouth,” the senior guard said. “I was watching the film yesterday and it was not a pleasant experience having to live that over again.”

Hopson called the loss “a teaching experience.” After giving up an uncharacteristic number of turnovers, he said he must improve his own mental game.

“We have to work on everything, but mainly not turning over the ball,” Hopson said. “I know for myself, I’m disappointed with my effort. There’s no excuses for that.”
It’s a long trip out to Fargo, just as it was a long trip to Texas Southern. But with the way the WAC is laid out, Verlin said, fatigue can’t be an excuse. Grueling travel is par for the course in a conference that stretches from Hawaii to Louisiana, and these games should help get the Vandals ready for that grind.

This season’s Bison is a younger team than last year’s NDSU squad, and Verlin said it falls short of Idaho in the talent department. Led by Michael Tveidt’s 21 points, three rebounds and two assists, the Bison got their first win of the season Wednesday with a 110-82 defeat of D-II Minot State. Verlin praised NDSU’s coaching and on-court smarts, noting too that they have the dogged determination that often characterizes NCAA Tournament teams.

'“(The Bison) value the ball, they don’t give up a lot of turnovers and they take quality shots,” Verlin said. “All those things are the marks of a good team.”

The focuses in practice this week: shot selection and turnovers, two areas where Idaho struggled with last Sunday. The Vandals have racked up 44 turnovers to just 33 assists in the season’s first two games — numbers Verlin said are simply unacceptable. By coughing up the ball that much, he said his team wasted a solid defensive effort and handed the Tigers an opening.

“We played good defense, held them to 40 percent shooting, but we gave them five uncontested layups on turnovers,” Verlin said. “That’s how you lose ballgames.”
Hopson said his team needs to get the chip back on its shoulder and go into tomorrow’s game with the same intensity they showed in upsetting Utah to open the season.

“I think we got put in our place a little bit,” Hopson said. “We need to treat every game like a big game. We have to fight like mad — not just at Utah, but at North Dakota State and everywhere else.”