“This is the finale in terms of making it through the whole conference one time,” Head Coach Alex Pribble said to open his weekly press conference. “Montana and Montana State have been perennial powerhouse… (and) we start again with the second time around conference with that Sac State game being the third game in five days.”
Montana
Idaho kicks off a three-game road trip across the border in Missoula, Montana, to take on the University of Montana on Thursday, Feb. 1 at 6 p.m. The Griz are 14-7 (5-3) and third in the conference. Meanwhile, the Vandals are 7-13 (1-6) and last in the Big Sky.
Montana has struggled in their past two games, losing 72-46 to Portland State (13-8, 4-4) on Jan. 25 before going to the wire with Sacramento State (6-15, 2-6) in a 70-67 win. However, they’re still on a better run than the Vandals, who are on a seven-game losing streak, which started with a 77-72 loss to PSU.
Montana State
Following their trip over to Missoula, the Vandals will take a three-hour trip southeast to Bozeman, Mont., to take on the Bobcats at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 3. Montana State holds the same conference record as UM, but are 10-11 overall, including a loss to Rocky Mountain College, a NAIA school.
Last season, Idaho ended a six-game losing streak with a 74-70 win over MSU. However, both rosters look vastly different than they did in 2023, with only three players who played minutes returning, all for the Bobcats.
“(They’re) experienced groups of guys, so we’re going to have to do a good job of matching their physicality and making it a possession-by-possession game,” Pribble said.
While both of these games will be challenges for the Vandals, it’s also going to be a special trip for Juice Mims. The junior forward hails from Billings, Mont., which is a two-hour drive to Bozeman and a five-hour drive to Missoula.
“There’s going to be a big Juice Mims cheering section there, at both of those games,” Pribble said. “He’s the kind of kid that attracts a lot of fan support, not just because of his play, but (also) the type of young man he is.”
Sacramento State
After a brief homecoming for Mims, the Vandals will head down to California to take on the Hornets of Sacramento State. Idaho’s one win in conference play was against the Hornets, but Sac State is a better team than they were in December.
“It’s ultimately the third game in five days, so it’s going to be a mental and physical challenge for the guys,” Pribble said. “Sac State has (also) been playing better basketball recently.”
Idaho and Sac State will look to put on yet another show when they face off in The Nest at 6 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 5.
James Taurman-Aldrich can be reached at [email protected] or on X @jamesaldrich25