One might look at a 3-5 record and assume the particular team is not good, but records can be deceiving.
The Idaho men’s basketball team carries a 3-5 Big Sky Conference record so far this season and is 8-10 overall, but the Vandals are definitely better than what their record indicates.
Some people say a team is defined by its win-loss record, and I believe this most of the time, but Idaho could be an exception.
Idaho is coming off a 98-95 overtime loss to Eastern Washington Saturday in Cheney, Washington. The Vandals could very well be 6-2 in conference play though, as they have three conference losses where they lost by three points.
They lost to Eastern Washington twice this season by three points — Saturday and Jan. 10 at the Cowan Spectrum where they lost 89-86. Sacramento State beat Idaho 79-76 Jan. 15 in Sacramento, California.
Both of these teams aren’t bottom dwellers in the Big Sky either. Sacramento State sits atop the conference with a 9-1 record and 15-6 overall. Eastern Washington also only has one conference loss. The Eagles hold a 7-1 Big Sky record and are 16-5 overall.
Fortunately for the Vandals, there is plenty of basketball to be played. Idaho has 10 games left –all of them conference games — to make up ground in the Big Sky.
Idaho sits in eighth place in the Big Sky, which means if the season ended today, the team would make the Big Sky Tournament. Out of the 12 teams in the Big Sky, the top eight make the tournament.
With Idaho competing so well against the top Big Sky teams, nobody would want to play the Vandals early in the tournament.
Idaho has struggled to win lately, losing five out of its last six games, but they could get back on track Thursday in Bozeman, Montana, when it takes on the last-place team in the conference, Montana State (1-8 Big Sky, 4-17 overall).
If Idaho wants to improve in the win-loss column though, it has to improve its defense. The Vandals allow 76.4 points per game, which is 340th in the nation.
However, their offense is as efficient as they come. They score 78.1 points per game, which is 20th in the country.
Another glaring problem for the Vandals is their road record. While they love playing in Moscow, carrying a 7-3 home record, they are 1-7 on their opponents’ home floor. With six out of their last 10 games on the road, Idaho will need to improve its play away from Moscow.
If the Vandals want to hold the eighth spot in the Big Sky or improve on it, they know what they need to do — play better defense and win on the road.
Of course, this is easier said than done as every team knows its weaknesses at this point in the season and wants to improve on them.
If Idaho makes the tournament, it will be a scary team to face. Just ask Eastern Washington and Sacramento State.
Garrett Cabeza can be reached at [email protected]