The Idaho team traveled down to Mott Athletics Center in San Luis Obispo, California, to face the 4-9 Cal Poly Mustangs. Idaho was 7-4 going into this game with coming off a huge win over Evergreen State.
With a nine-point lead in the beginning of the second half, Idaho had the momentum before Cal Poly made a 13-point run and prevented the Vandals from scoring for 5:30 minutes. The game went into overtime at 73-73 after redshirt sophomore guard Kolton Mitchell missed a three-pointer with three seconds left.
Overtime was a close five minutes, and Cal Poly had the lead with 2:07 to go. Idaho brought it within one point and, with just seven seconds left in the first overtime, Mitchell scored a three-pointer from the top of the key and got fouled while shooting the ball.
He made the free throw and was fouled again with three seconds left, making two more free throws to finish off the game, 83-80. Both teams had a slow start in the first half with shooting from the field being relatively low. Idaho had a field goal percentage of only 27%, compared to 48% in the second half.
Cal poly was 3-19 from the three-point line in the first 20 minutes and overall 7-37. Mitchell had a standout game, scoring 31 points, just one point below his career high, as well as six rebounds, a new career high. Mitchell has once again proven his clutch ability late in the game with a lot of tension on the court.
Biko Johnson also showed a very strong performance, with 21 points and four steals. On top of that, he almost had a double-double with eight rebounds. Idaho has had many close games this season and, after this game, it marks the Vandals’ record 3-1 in games decided by less than five points.
The Vandals have had a great start to the season. Idaho is second in the Big Sky conference and will look to pass Northern Colorado once they begin conference play on Jan. 3.