Dec. 27, 2005
Final Stats
Pocatello, ID --- Matt Stucki, playing his first season of basketball since his senior season at Pocatello's Century High School in 2001-02, netted a career-high 23 points on a perfect 7-for-7 shooting night, including four threes, as the Bengals broke the century mark for the second time this season with a 102-76 win over Rocky Mountain College, pushing the Bengals to 7-2 on the season.
Idaho State scored 58 points in the second half in going to 5-0 at home this season. The Bengals trailed just once, at 2-0. The game was still fairly close at 16-14 with 11:33 to go, but ISU held the Bears (6-7) to just one field goal over the next 10:02 as ISU went on a crushing 26-4 run.
The Bengals limited Rocky Mountain to just 1-for-11 from the three-point line in the first half, and just 8-for-24 for the game. RMC entered the game ranked third in the NAIA in three-point shooting.
The only drama was whether or not ISU would get to the 100-point plateau, and the Bengals had 80 points with over nine minutes left, but the Bengals mustered only three points over the next five minutes. However, Stucki followed a Logan Kinghorn dunk with seven straight points. Kyle Hopkins added a layup, and then Stucki drained a fast-break three for his 23rd point, putting the game at 97-76. Tony Jones followed with a jumper, and Akbar Abdul-Ahad added a late three for the century mark.
Along with Stucki, the Bengals got a huge effort from Slim Millien, who had 19 points, 13 rebounds and six blocks. ISU as a team racked up 12 swats against the smaller Bears.
Tim Henry scored 13, and Tony Jones added a career-best 11.
ISU outrebounded the Bears 47-40, and ISU shot .493 from the field, helped in part by Stucki's perfect 7-for-7 night from the line. The Bengals do not get a lot of time to dwell on the win as the team heads to Logan, Utah on Wednesday for the Gossner Foods Classic. ISU will play Binghamton (2-8) on Thursday at 5:30, and Utah State and Arkansas-Little Rock will play at 8:05 pm.
NOTES: David Schroeder was held out of the game as a precaution, although he took part in warm-ups and dressed for the game. He could have played if needed ... ISU shot 19-for-25 from the free throw line, a .760 clip ... ISU registered six dunks, three by Millien, two by Logan Kinghorn, and one by Tony Jones, his first.
