(Senior guard Mike McChristian got the start at point guard on Saturday night. McChristian is one of four seniors who Idaho coach Don Verlin started)
For the second consecutive week it’s the same story for Idaho men’s basketball — an inexplicable Thursday night home loss and an ugly, albeit much needed Saturday recovery.
Last week it was Idaho handing Texas State its first conference victory, and holding on late to finish off Texas-San Antonio. This time around it was Idaho falling behind 18-3 early Thursday night to a short-handed Utah State team en route to a 77-67 loss. On Saturday night the Vandals proved to be the superior team over San Jose State but an ugly second half had the Vandals having to hang on late to finish off a 66-63 victory.
For the first game all season Idaho coach Don Verlin chose to sit his junior star Stephen Madison, in favor of a line-up constituted of all of his seniors and sophomore guard Connor Hill.
“I didn’t think our teams have been playing with urgency, so I adjusted the starting line-up. Who’s going to play with more urgency than four seniors?” Verlin said. “If it meant something for the seniors to put them in the starting line-up then maybe we could play with more urgency and play a little more energized and I thought those guys did.”
Indeed they did, Idaho led by as many as 14 in the first half and took a 40-27 lead in to the locker room at the half.
Less than two minutes in to the second half Wendell Faines hit a mid-range jumper (yes, you read that right) to put Idaho on top by 15. That’s when the wheels started to fall off, and San Jose State dominated on the boards. The Spartans collected 13 offensive boards from that point on, 16 total in the second half and 21 total in the game. The Spartans scored 22 second-chance points on the night.
“It felt like they scored everytime down the court. We were getting them to miss the first ones, we just couldn’t secure the defensive rebounds tonight. And that’s been our strength all year,” Verlin said. “I’m happy as heck to win but that’s the frustrating thing with this team. We get one hole clogged up and then another one seems to leak.”
Those clogged up holes Verlin referred to has been Idaho’s turnover margin, only turning it over 10 times and holding the Spartans to five points off those turnovers, an exceptional night for Idaho in that category compared to earlier games. But Idaho’s 14 points in the paint and 36-percent shooting from the field, to go along with losing the rebounding battle, are now the leaking holes.
“They just kicked our tails on the boards on the boards. It’s hard to think it’s a three point game when they shoot 32-percent, 33-percent from the free throw line. They just did it by putting on their hard harts and woopin our tail on the boards in the second half,” Verlin said.
All things considered the Vandals come out of the homestand in decent position with the conference tournament looming next month, but it could be a lot better.
The win gives Idaho a two game edge on San Jose State (with the tie-breaker) and Texas State for No. 6 in the Western Athletic Conference, meaning Idaho would avoid having to play in the first round. Teams No. 7 through No. 10 will play on the first night to determine who plays the No. 1 and No. 2 teams.
Idaho is a half game behind UT-Arlington, which Idaho beat on the road. If Idaho grabs the No. 5 seed its likely the Vandals will play Utah State in Las Vegas. A No. 6 finish likely means a match-up against New Mexico State or Denver.
Idaho heads to the altitude this week to face New Mexico State on Thursday evening and Denver on Saturday.