Connor Hill — men’s basketball
Connor Hill
While students were back home during winter break, the Idaho basketball team was in the middle of beginning Big Sky play. The Vandals went 2-2 over the break, and senior guard Connor Hill had big performances in each game. After scoring 14 points Dec. 22 against Northern Kentucky along with four rebounds and one steal and assist, Hill began conference play Jan. 1 against in-state foe Idaho State with one of his biggest performances of his career. The senior from Post Falls, Idaho, dropped 32 points on the Bengals with eight 3-pointers to make a statement to the rest of the Big Sky that the new guys are here to play. Hill had 13 points and three rebounds Jan. 3 against Weber State, and 16 points Jan. 10 against the Big Sky’s top team Eastern Washington in a loss to finish off break. Hill is averaging 15.6 points per game this season, which is good for eighth in the Big Sky.
Bira Seck — men’s basketball
Bira Seck
Idaho forward Bira Seck had a solid break, crashing the boards as Idaho’s top rebounder in all but one game. In the loss to Northern Kentucky, Seck came close to a double-double with eight points and nine rebounds. The senior from Dakar, Senegal, had an impressive 12 rebounds against Idaho State to go along with his six points, two assists, two steals and a block. Against Weber State, Seck had eight points, six rebounds, two assists, and one steal in the Idaho win. To finish break against Eastern Washington, Seck had four points, five rebounds, one assist and one block. Seck is averaging 8.5 points and 8.4 rebounds per game so far this season.
Mike Scott — Men’s Basketball
Mike Scott
Guard Mike Scott shined during the holiday break for Idaho, starting against Northern Kentucky. The senior from Los Angeles had 25 points, four rebounds, two assists and a block in the loss to NKU. He didn’t follow it up in the same way against Idaho State, as he only had two points and two rebounds, but distributed the ball across the court racking up six assists. Against Weber State, Scott got back on the scoreboard with 14 points and five assists. Against Eastern Washington he had 15 points, five assists, two rebounds and a steal. Scott is now averaging 14.4 points per game and 5.4 assists per game. His assist average is the second-highest in the Big Sky.
Stacey Barr — Women’s Basketball
Stacey Barr
Guard Stacey Barr continued her outstanding season into the new year, especially in the last two of the Vandals’ four games over the holiday break. Yet against Lewis-Clark State and Idaho State, Barr struggled. Against LCSC Dec. 20, she had just six points on 2-of-12 shooting with six turnovers. Against ISU Jan. 1, Barr had only five points on 2-of-15 shooting with seven turnovers. She did have six rebounds, but that was about the only positive in a bad game for Idaho overall. The senior from Melbourne, Australia, turned her play around Jan. 3 against Weber State in the next game with a double-double. She had 31 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, and hit 11-of-12 of free throw attempts. Against Eastern Washington to finish off break Jan. 10, Barr had 22 points, five rebounds and three assists.
Ali Forde — Women’s Basketball
Ali Forde
Post Ali Forde made the switch from volleyball to basketball after the basketball season had already tipped off and had a great holiday break on the court. The junior from Woodinville, Washington, had nine points, six rebounds and two assists against Lewis-Clark State, followed by a 10-point, seven-rebound and three-assist performance against Idaho State. Versus Weber State, Forde had eight points and eight rebounds along with an outrageous six blocks in the game. To wrap up break, Forde had her best game of the four with 14 points and ten rebounds for a double-double. Idaho went 2-2 in the stretch over break, beating LCSC and Weber State, but falling to Idaho State and Eastern Washington.