Box Score
POCATELLO, Idaho- The Idaho State men's basketball team opened the season at Colorado and battled for a full 40 minutes but came out on the short end, losing 88-80 at Coors Event Center in Boulder, Colo.
“We all want to win but considering we only have two guys back with experience from last year we did some pretty good things,” Idaho State coach Joe O'Brien said. “For our first effort as a basketball team I would grade us a solid B. There are a couple of areas we need to work on.”
Idaho State was solid offensively as it shot 55 percent from the floor, 50 percent from the 3-point line and 80 percent from the free throw line.
Broderick Gilchrest led ISU with a career-high 39 points on 13-21 shooting from the field. He was six-for-eight from the 3-point line, seven-of-seven from the free throw line in 38 minutes of action.
Abner Moreira and Deividas Busma each had 12 points while Busma had nine rebounds in 37 minutes of action and Moreira had seven rebounds.
“Early on Broderick and David have to carry us,” O'Brien said. “They along with Mike Lacey are the only veterans we have. I thought Mike Lacey played pretty solid tonight. That was a good sign for us as well.”
Lacey had nine points and three rebaounds in 24 minutes of action.
Chase Grabau had five assists and seven rebounds in his first Division I basketball game in his hometown of Boulder.
Colorado and Idaho State each had 29 rebounds.
This year's Idaho State roster has only two guys who played consistently in Mike Lacey and Gilchrest. Busma played the first seven games last year but missed the remainder of the season due to injury and Phyllip Taylor played in the 2008-09 season but sat out the 2009-10 year.
Considering the youth on the team, the Bengal coaching staff was pleased with the effort.
“This was a tough way to start your Division I career,” O'Brien said. “We went up against a couple of guys who will be in the NBA and a team that plays very fast. Colorado did a good job. Tad (Boyle) has done a good job with this team taking them from a half-court to a full-court transition team.”
There were seven ties and eight lead changes in the game.
Idaho State returns to the floor on Sunday at 3 p.m. when it plays at the University of Arizona. The game can be heard live on 930 AM KSEI.
