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POCATELLO, Idaho- The Idaho State men's basketball team picked the perfect time to have its best performance from long range. The Bengals sank 12 3-points, the most in four years, and beat Cal State Fullerton 84-79 in the ESPN BracketBuster game at Reed Gym. Idaho State is now 9-17 while Cal State Fullerton dropped to 9-18.
Broderick Gilchrest was 9-for-15 from the field and hit six 3-pointers while scoring a team-high 29 points. He also had five assists and three steals.
“That is the best
Broderick Gilchrest has played since the Colorado game,” ISU coach Joe O'Brien said. “That was a glimpse of what he was like against Colorado. That was huge for us. He knocked down 3's in the first half and got everybody else playing with confidence. He was the catalyst that got things going.”
Phyllip Taylor scored 14 points off the bench while
Deividas Busma had 11 and
Kenny McGowen 11.
Abner Moreira had seven points and a team-best seven rebounds.
Idaho State shot 48 percent from the field while Cal State Fullerton shot 50 percent. The Bengals had 13 assists to only 10 turnovers. But it was the Bengal defense that forced 17 Titan turnovers that resulted into 32 points off turnovers.
“Thirty-Two points off turnovers is amazing,” O'Brien said. “I don't think I have seen a number like that in my five years here.”
Leading 40-38 at halftime, the Bengals broke open a close game in the second half and took their first double-digit lead of the game at 54-44 with 16:26 to play in the contest after two free throws by Gilchrest.
Cal State Fullerton cut the ISU lead to 55-50 with 12:54 remaining when the Bengal offense caught fire by going on a 16-6 run to take their biggest lead of the game at 71-56 with 6:56 to play after four straight points by McGowen.
Cal State Fullerton made a run to cut the Bengal lead to four in the final minute but ISU made eight of its final 10 free throws to seal the win.
Saturday's win was the first time this season where everybody that played scored.
Idaho State returns to the court on Tuesday for a 7 p.m. contest at ICCU Court in Holt Arena against conference rival Weber State.
www.isubengals.com
