Winter break play opened successfully for the Vandal men’s basketball team that claimed its fourth victory in a winning streak that began Dec. 9 in Corvallis, Ore., afterwards the team fell into a slump, losing four straight.
Dec. 17
Idaho 72, CSU Bakersfield 44
The Vandals avoided drama at home by sending the visiting Roadrunners a rude awakening in a game that came down to Idaho graduate Jeff Ledbetter’s buzzer beater 3-point winner last season. CSU Bakersfield kept it close in the first half and only faced a six-point deficit heading into the second. But Idaho outscored its opponent 41-18 in the second to keep the winning streak alive. Center Kyle Barone led Idaho in its lowest-scoring win of the season with 13 points and nine rebounds.
Dec. 20
Wright State 80, Idaho 78
Idaho fell to Wright State in a game so dramatic, it earned a spot on Sports Center’s Top 10 plays of the day and was Sports Center’s “Call of the day.”
Idaho secured a 33-32 lead at halftime but the Raiders held tough in the second half. Down 69-66 with seconds left in the game Vandal guard Landon Tatum hustled to mid-court and sunk a long-range three at the buzzer to send it into overtime.
The teams traded baskets for five minutes of overtime, but Dazmond Starke’s layup with four seconds left on the clock gave Idaho a 78-77 advantage. Wright State’s Julius Mays, the game’s leading scorer, dribbled down the court uncontested and fired a three as time ran out, sinking coach Don Verlin and the Vandals.
Dec. 22
Wisconsin-Green Bay 63, Idaho 61
Heartbreak found the Vandal basketball team once again as Idaho dropped another nailbiter to a Horizon League opponent. The Vandals kept it close most of the game, but were down by as many as nine late in the first half. Idaho climbed back on top in the second as a Kyle Barone steal and Connor Hill three-pointer gave the Vandals a three-point lead at the 10:59 mark. Down five with seconds remaining, Stephen Madison knocked down a 3 but it was too little, too late once again.
Dec. 31
Boise State 76, Idaho 73
Despite the schools’ discontinued football rivalry, the teams put on a show for 7,540 Bronco and Vandal fans at the neutral Idaho Center in Nampa.
BSU freshman Anthony Drmic stole the show early en route to a career-high 26 points from the Australian international. Drmic knocked down four consecutive threes and contributed 12 of the Broncos’ first 14 points to finish the first half with 17 points. Idaho remained on the Broncos’ heels despite a six-point halftime deficit.
The Vandals were down 74-71 with three seconds remaining when Landon Tatum was sent to the free throw line to shoot two. Tatum converted both and the Vandals were forced to put the ball in Kyle Barone’s hands after Boise State’s Drew Wiley hit two free throws to make it a 3-point game. Barone’s three was off and the Broncos left Nampa with their 10th win on the season.
Jan. 5
Nevada 73, Idaho 55
After losing three games by a combined seven points Idaho men’s basketball had a chip on its shoulder heading into the WAC opener, a Thursday night contest in a rather empty Cowan Spectrum. However, preseason conference player of the year Deonte Burton and preseason WAC favorite Nevada stood in Idaho’s way of snapping a three-game losing streak.
Turnovers haunted the Vandals, who committed 13 in the first half, which would turn into 13 Wolf Pack points. Burton shot 80 percent from 3-point range and tallied 26 total points, complimented by six assists and three rebounds. Nevada shot 54 percent from the field as a team and Wolf Pack guard Malik Story added 17 points.
Jan. 7
Idaho 63, Fresno St. 59
The four-game drought ended Saturday night in the Cowan Spectrum as a sloppy game from both teams ended in favor of Idaho. The Vandals picked up their first WAC victory of the season in yet another game decided by four points or less. Stephen Madison gave his squad a go-ahead basket with six seconds remaining and Vandal junior Mansa Habeeb blocked Jonathan Wills’ 3-point attempt which was called for traveling. Habeeb was fouled after taking the ball inbounds and the junior college transfer knocked down both free throws, helping Idaho collect its first win of the New Year. Djim Bandoumel tied his career-high with 16 points while Stephen Madison posted 14 points and had a team-high eight rebounds.