The Idaho Vandals (1-19,1-16 Big Sky) went head-to-head with the Montana State Bobcats (9-8,6-5 Big Sky) last Friday, taking their first win of the season, 74-69. With the previous 19 games in the season resulting in a loss, the Vandals were in danger of going the whole season winless for the first time in 116 years.
Idaho isn’t alone in their struggles this season. Montana State went into Friday’s battle with a five-game skid on their backs. The Vandals were looking to not end the season winless while the Bobcats tried to get back on their A-game again.
Senior guard Damen Thacker scored 22 total points while showing poise and a steady hand throughout the game, while his leadership on the court kept the rest of the Vandals focused. Senior guard Ja’Vary Christmas scored 11 total points for the Vandals and shot some very timely three-pointers, which helped the Vandals stay one step ahead of the Bobcats.
The Vandals scored on 24 out of 53 attempted field goals, scoring from more in the first half than the second. Out of 23 attempted 3-point shots, nine of them scored. Thacker had the most attempts on the team, scoring with 50% of them. But Junior guard DeAndre Robinson scored 80% of his attempted field goals, totaling nine points.
Going into halftime, the Vandals led by one point and you could see the bench getting rowdier as the clock ticked down to zero. With no fans allowed in the Memorial Gym for the games, the Vandals must create their own momentum and energy, and on Friday night they did just that in order to keep their stats relatively consistent.
That energy, combined with the consistency and 3-pointers their opponents lacked, pushed the Vandals over the finish line toward a solid win.
The Vandals and Bobcats duel it out again Sunday at noon in Memorial Gym. The game will stream live on PlutoTV.
Rick Sperry can be reached at [email protected]