The Idaho men’s basketball team ended the 2023-24 season with four straight losses and have been left in uncertainty.
The Vandals finished the season 11-21 (5-13 in conference.) The only team behind them was Sacramento State, who knocked Idaho out of the first round of the Big Sky Tournament in Boise on March 9.
The team’s best stretch came at the end of the season, when they won three out of six games from Feb. 1 to Feb. 17. While they lost three games, they kept them close until the end. In that span, they beat Montana State 81-75, with five players scoring more than 10 points. Junior forward Julius Mims recorded 15 points and 14 rebounds in the contest alongside a solid defensive effort.
In their next game, the Vandals’ momentum carried them past Sacramento State, giving them the season sweep for the first time since 2018. The effort was reinforced by another Idaho forward, junior Kyson Rose, who scored 14 points and only missed one shot throughout the contest.
Though the Vandals lost their next two games, they only lost by eight against first-seed Eastern Washington and by one against fourth-seed Weber State.
Before the season started, Head Coach Alex Pribble said, “For us, this year is about seeing how good we can be, reaching our potential as a group.”
While Pribble and the players didn’t have much success, it gave the young team a foundation to build on. The coaching staff will have a lot to do in the offseason. Vandal Hoops only had three returning players from the 2022-23 season, something the coaching staff will try to avoid moving forward. It was also the first year at Idaho for the coaches. They now have a year of experience working together and in this environment.
Just weeks after losing in the first round of the conference tournament, starting point guard, junior Quinn Denker has announced his plan to enter the transfer portal. Junior guard EJ Neal has done the same.
This is a blow to the team for multiple reasons. While Denker had big moments throughout the season, he didn’t perform to his full potential in the postseason. He shot just 5-16 against the Hornets, while being the only Idaho player to stay on the court for all 40 minutes of action. Neal provided a spark for the team when he came off the bench in each game. His athleticism and effort often provided highlight plays on both sides of the court.
Mims was the only Idaho player to receive Big Sky honors. He was named to the all-defensive team. Associate Head Coach Brandon Laird also received honors after being named to the 2024 100 Rising Stars: Men’s Mid Major Assistants list.
Laird, Pribble and the rest of the coaching staff have already started the recruitment process to bring new talent to ICCU arena. They will work through the summer to continue their efforts to create a basketball foundation and culture at UI.
Willie Gibbs can be reached at [email protected]