When the seventh-seeded Idaho Vandals (20-14, 9-9) walked into Idaho Central Arena in Boise on Tuesday night, they understood the challenge in front of them.
Beating a conference opponent once is difficult. Beating the same team twice in a season is harder. Doing it three times, especially against a team that tore through the bulk of its Big Sky schedule late in the year, can feel nearly impossible.
But the Vandals have spent the past week defying expectations.
Behind another efficient offensive performance and a defensive effort that neutralized Eastern Washington’s perimeter attack, Idaho defeated the third-seeded Eastern Washington Eagles (14-19, 11-7) 81-68 in the Big Sky tournament semifinals Tuesday night, earning the program’s first trip to a conference championship game since 2014.
For Idaho head coach Alex Pribble, the moment reflected three years of work building the program toward this stage.
“This was the vision when we took over the program,” Pribble said. “We wanted to put ourselves in a position where we compete for championships. I could not be more proud of the effort and the togetherness the guys showed tonight.”
The Vandals entered the matchup already riding momentum after wins over Sacramento State and second-seeded Montana State earlier in the tournament. Eastern Washington had been one of the hottest teams in the conference entering March, but Idaho had already proven it could handle the Eagles, including an 85-81 win in Cheney just eight days earlier in the regular-season finale.
After Eastern briefly grabbed a lead less than three minutes into the game, Idaho answered with a decisive run coming out of the first media timeout. The Vandals ripped off a 12-1 surge to seize a 20-8 advantage.
It was the kind of start Idaho has struggled to sustain at times this season. But unlike many earlier games, the Vandals never allowed the momentum to slip away. Eastern Washington never led again. The Eagles trimmed the deficit to single digits on multiple occasions, but Idaho consistently responded with timely baskets and defensive stops to maintain control.
By halftime, the Vandals held a 36-28 lead after shooting efficiently and limiting mistakes, which has become the theme that has defined their recent run. Idaho committed just seven turnovers all night while shooting more than 50% from the field for the second consecutive game.
That offensive efficiency proved especially important because the Vandals did not rely on their typical formula. Much of Idaho’s success throughout the season has come when it dominates the glass and controls the paint. Tuesday night, however, Eastern Washington held slight advantages in both categories.
Instead, the Vandals won the game through shot selection. Leading the way was senior guard Kolton Mitchell, who delivered his best performance of the tournament while continuing to battle through a lingering back injury.
Mitchell poured in 26 points on 9-15 shooting while adding seven rebounds and three assists, repeatedly creating offense during crucial stretches of the second half.
“I wouldn’t say I’m fully healthy,” Mitchell said. “But today was good offensively. I wanted to find my rhythm early, and my teammates did a great job getting me open. I felt like I had a lot of open shots.”
Big Sky Freshman of the Year Jackson Rasmussen continued his strong postseason play as well, finishing with 16 points and six rebounds while helping stabilize Idaho’s offense when Eastern threatened to cut into the lead.
Biko Johnson added 11 points and once again delivered key defensive possessions, while Isaiah Brickner chipped in 10 points and Jack Payne added nine points.
While Idaho’s offense operated smoothly, the Vandals’ defense proved just as impactful, particularly along the three-point line.
Eastern Washington finished just 3-20 from beyond the arc. The Eagles relied heavily on their top scoring options to keep the game within reach. Kiree Huie led Eastern with 20 points and seven rebounds, while former Vandal JoJo Anderson added 12. Alton Hamilton and Isaiah Moses each finished with 10 points.
Outside of those performances, however, Idaho shut down the rest of the Eagles’ roster.
With the victory, Idaho has now won four consecutive games — its longest winning streak since the 2017-18 season — and secured a spot in the Big Sky championship game.
This was Idaho’s second consecutive semifinal appearance after being eliminated by the eventual conference champion Montana Grizzlies to end the 2024-2025 season.
Brickner noted the motivation that carried the returning core into the season.
“After last year we all talked and said, ‘Let’s come back and do something special,’” Brickner said. “We believed in each other and believed in Coach.”
Now, Idaho stands one win away from something the program has not accomplished in decades.
The Vandals will face the fourth-seeded Montana Grizzlies in Wednesday night’s Big Sky tournament championship game, with the winner earning the conference’s automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament.
Montana defeated Idaho twice during the regular season and enters the title game as the defending conference champion.
“Montana’s given us trouble,” Pribble said. “They’re physical, they’re tough, and they’ve got an elite scorer. But that’s what this is supposed to be. You’re not going to get a ticket to the big dance with something easy.”
The Vandals have not reached the NCAA Tournament since 1990, and in Pribble’s third year at the helm, they are just one win away from pulling it off.