Idaho men’s basketball faces a daunting task halfway through the season, with a slew of challenges still on the docket halfway through the season.
The Vandals (4-13, BSC 1-5) go on the road to take on Portland State (6-11, BSC 1-5) to fight for a chance to get back on the winning side of things.
Idaho has lost seven of its last eight and hopes to make a late push at the end of the season before the Big Sky tournament arrives in March.
Two teams once Big Sky powerhouses a year ago have struggled to find their footing as the rest of the conference has started to heat up.
Portland State and Idaho stand as the two worst teams in the Big Sky and it seems Saturday’s matchup may be a battle to retain some hope for the remainder of the season.
Despite the struggles, Portland State ranks third in the Big Sky in scoring this season, while Idaho ranks fifth in the conference in defense.
If Idaho wants to pull out a win on the road, they are going to have to play a full 40-minute game on defense — with no room for letting up.
The Vandals will only go as far as their leader can take them. Junior guard Trevon Allen will have to prove once again why he is the fifth- best scorer in the Big Sky if Idaho wants to take down Portland State.
Expect a bounce back game from Idaho guard Cameron Tyson as well. If Allen and Tyson can get their shots to fall early, it will be a tough battle for Portland State.
The rebounding battle will be a key matchup as well on Saturday, as Portland State is the best team in the Big Sky in offensive rebounding.
Idaho struggled rebounding last week against Montana and must control the glass if it wants to control the contest. During the most critical moments against the Grizzlies, Idaho effectively shut down the Montana offense when starting their defense in a half-court press before dropping into a 2-3 zone defense.
The Vandals proved they can play the zone defense well and seemed to have fewer rebounding troubles in the process. Don’t be surprised if you see more zone defense by the Vandals on Saturday against a Portland State team that ranks dead last in 3-point field goal percentage.
Keeping Portland State outside of the paint and forcing them to shoot from beyond the arc will help Idaho find a win.
After having a strong 34-minute performance against the Grizzlies on Saturday, there is hope Idaho can still compete with some of the best that the Big Sky has to offer. As this team grows day-by-day, it seems this group may finally click. But with many Vandal fans’ patience dissolving, Idaho needs to win — and win quickly.
Idaho will travel to Portland to face off against Portland State 7:05 p.m. Saturday. Stay tuned to Vandal Nation for a full game recap.
Chris Deremer can be reached at [email protected] and on Twitter @Cderemer_VN