LCSC offers another chance to improve defense before regular season
Following a high-flying exhibition opener last Friday, the Idaho men’s basketball team now prepares for its second of two exhibition games taking place 7 p.m. Friday against Lewis-Clark State College at Memorial Gym.
Nathan Romans | Argonaut
The Idaho men’s basketball team team practices in the PEB gym Wednesday. Idaho plays Lewis-Clark State 7 p.m. Nov. 7 at Memorial Gym.
“I know our guys are looking forward to playing LC State,” Idaho coach Don Verlin said. “We’ve been practicing here since the first of October and now we’re into November and it’s time to play somebody else. They’re excited to get out and play again.”
This second exhibition game gives Verlin one more chance to see his team in a game situation before the regular season begins. The Vandals open the regular season Nov. 14, when Eastern Oregon heads to Memorial Gym.
LCSC is undefeated in its last four exhibition games and has eclipsed 90 points in each of the four.
“They’ve got a really good solid team. They’re a lot better and a lot more physically equipped around the basket than Simon Fraser was,” Verlin said. “They’ve got four solid post guys. My biggest concern right now is our post defense. It should be a lot of fun. It’s a big game for them.”
Along with the up-tempo offense that Simon Fraser forced the Vandals into, they also saw a difference in the number of players who saw minutes. Due to the foul situation, Verlin was forced to alter the game plan and shift the minutes around.
“I tried to play guys equal minutes even if it didn’t quite work out like that,” Verlin said of Friday night.
There were also issues with cramping and sickness that affected the minutes of a few players — Perrion Callandret and Nahshon George, in particular. They played 14 and 10 minutes respectively. George had been battling the mumps earlier in the season.
Nathan Romans | Argonaut
The Idaho men’s basketball team team practices in the PEB gym Wednesday.
In total, 12 different players for Idaho saw playing time in the first scrimmage. Idaho isn’t going to go quite as deep into their bench in the regular season, Verlin said.
The Vandals will open Big Sky play on Jan. 1, when in-state rival Idaho State comes to Moscow.
Joshua Gamez can be reached at [email protected]