Box Score
OGDEN, Utah- The Idaho State men's basketball team battled the defending Big Sky champions tough on the road as Weber State rallied from a 10-point deficit to beat the Bengals 71-67 in front of a crowd of 7,124 fans at the Dee Events Center.
“I am proud of the kids,” Idaho State coach Joe O'Brien said. “They really gutted this out. They came out played hard early and got a 10 point lead. They made the other team play catch up basketball. We got down late in the game. They fought and made it interesting. This basketball team is not trying to quit.”
Idaho State was led in scoring by Broderick Gilchrest's 16 points. Abner Moreira had a career-high 14 rebounds. Kenny McGowen had 14 points off the bench while Chase Grabau scored 13 points.
The Bengals had 36 rebounds to 39 for Weber State and had only eight turnovers, its second lowest margin of the season. ISU had only seven turnovers at Creighton. Weber State shot 41.8 percent from the field and was 13-for-28 from the 3-point line.
“We have improved in areas that we need to improve in to win games,” O'Brien said. “Our defensive rebounding has been much better this week. Our turnovers are down to a season low. Points in the paint we double them up. We didn't put them on three free throw line an excessive number of times. Tonight was the 3-point shot. They made the types of shots they had too.”
The Bengals led for the majority of the first half. Trailing 13-10, seven minutes into the game, Idaho State scored the next seven points to lead 17-13 after a McGowen layup with 11:24 to play in the period. The Bengals later extended the lead to 24-18 after a basket by Deividas Busma with 7:41 left until the break.
Idaho State took its biggest lead of the game at 31-21 after a Busma dunk with 4:09 to play in the half. Idaho State led 34-30 at halftime and led for the first 11 minutes of the second half but a six minute scoreless drought allowed Weber State to take its first lead at 49-48 with 9:40 to play in the game.
Weber State led by as many as nine points but ISU got within two in the final minute of the game.
Idaho State returns to the court on Thursday, Jan. 20 for a 7 p.m. contest against Montana in Reed Gym.
“The good news is seven of the next 11 are at home,” O'Brien said. “We finally get to have some consistency of playing on our home court.
Note: The Idaho State Athletic Department is offering ISU fans an opportunity to attend both men's basketball games against Montana and Montana State for $16.00, the normal price of one game. The Bengal men host Montana, Thursday, January 20th at Reed Gym and Montana State on Monday, January 24th at Holt Arena. Both games tip off at 7:05 p.m.
To purchase this ticket package fans can log onto isubengals.com, by contacting the Idaho State ticket office at Holt Arena in person or over the phone (282-FANS), or at either of the two Vickers Western Stores in Pocatello and Idaho Falls.
