When the buzzer rang Saturday night at the Cowan Spectrum, it signaled another Idaho victory.
The Vandal seniors concluded the regular season with 20 wins and a dominating performance on Senior Night.
The team utilized contributions from seniors Chris Sarbaugh, Paulin Mpawe and Nahshon George, but Saturday’s game was much more than a bittersweet send off for the seniors.
The Vandals have a bright future ahead of them with a core group of young players. With sophomore Victor Sanders and junior Perrion Callendret draining baskets on the court, any Big Sky opponent will have a tough time stopping an Idaho squad whose stars are earning valuable experience.
Sanders showcased some of that stardom Saturday against Idaho State. His five 3-pointers and 25 total points were a huge boost for the Vandals in the final stretch.
The performance resembled that of NBA superstars, but it was not the only performance Idaho had in its favor. The team’s defense thwarted Idaho State time and time again.
Idaho head coach Don Verlin said defense would be key for the upcoming Big Sky Conference postseason tournament.
“I really believe that the team that is going to win this tournament at the end of the day is the team that defends the rebounds the best,” Verlin said. “Hopefully we can continue to do that like we have been doing all year.”
The Vandals’ chances are as good as any team in the conference. Idaho has dominated the rebounding battle in recent games, collecting 50 boards against Weber State. When this statistic is combined with the team’s 812 defensive rebounds on the season, Idaho seems poised to take the tournament by storm.
The Vandals will be the third seed in the tournament and will enjoy a first-round bye thanks to the three home wins at the season’s conclusion. The Vandals will begin play Wednesday against the winner of the Eastern Washington and Northern Arizona game.
Despite earning the No. 3 seed, the team was more excited Saturday night about earning the 20th win of the season.
Players celebrated the landmark for Verlin by dowsing the coach in Gatorade after the game. The night served as both a bittersweet conclusion and the beginning of something much greater.
Despite the post-game festivities, Sanders said the team knows that there is much more work to be done. The sophomore said the combined defensive and offensive performances in the last three games are a great starting point for the team to begin playing their best basketball yet.
“For us, this isn’t it, we’re not complacent,” Sanders said. “20 wins – that’s nice, but we’re coming for more. Much more.”
Brandon Hill can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @brandonmtnhill