Second-year head coach Alex Pribble’s team hosted the Northwest Eagles (0-1) on Nov. 4 and received good production from nearly every player who stepped on the floor in a 94-60 route. This team is a significant improvement from last year’s, though a treacherous journey awaits them in nonconference play.
The Vandals won only 11 games in 2023-24, a number that the team strives to improve with the addition of a plethora of new talent. With a tough schedule ahead, the team’s newfound energy and the efficiency that these additions displayed against the Eagles is a very good sign.
The best individual performance of the night goes to Marist transfer Isaiah Brickner for his dominant showing on the offensive side of the ball, making all eight of his field goal attempts. He came off the bench and finished with a team-high 20 points and 8 rebounds in just 14 minutes.
Another new Vandal who made a big impact off the bench is Colorado State transfer Jack Payne. Payne played a great all-around game and came alive in the second half. He finished with 14 points, 5 rebounds, 4 steals and a block.
The defense was flying all over the place, never allowing the Eagles to get comfortable; They shot under 40% as a team in comparison to Idaho’s 50.7%. Ethan Martin, who finished with 12 points in 13 minutes, was the only double-digit scorer for Northwest.
The Vandal offense played cohesively and efficiently, expressing that they are prepared for the rugged road ahead.
Idaho State transfer Kolton Mitchell was the rock of the Idaho offense in the first half, helping give the team a double-digit cushion going into halftime. He finished with 12 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists. Mitchell’s offensive production is going to be a key to the team’s success moving forward.
Guards Titus Yearout and Kristian Gonzalez maximized their playing time, scoring 10 apiece and doing their part in facilitating the offense. The Idaho backcourt provided a spark defensively, specifically transfer JoJo Stevens, who consistently wreaked havoc on the Eagle offense.
Julius Mims was clearly the most talented big man on the floor during this game. He didn’t see much time in the second half, but played a big impact in the first, finishing with 8 points and 8 rebounds. He and Kyson Rose will have their hands full with talented backcourts in the next few games for Idaho.
The remainder of nonconference play will be somewhat of an uphill battle for the Vandals, who have their first real test at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 7 at ICCU Arena against UC Davis before hitting the road next week to face both the Cougars of Washington State and BYU.
Liam Bradford can be reached at [email protected]