POCATELLO, Idaho- The Idaho State men's basketball team played its first overtime game of the 2014-15 season and only the third in the
Bill Evans era on Thursday evening when it lost 75-72 to South Dakota State at the World Vision Classic sponsored by Gossner Foods at Utah State in Logan, Utah. Idaho State fell to 3-6 while South Dakota State improved to 7-3.
Jeffrey Solarin led the Bengals with 22 points and 10 rebound on eight of 15 shooting from the field.
"Jeff was really good tonight and I thought Ajak and Chris all did good things for us," Idaho State coach
Bill Evans said.
Chris Hansen scored 21 points. He was 10-for-12 from the field but was four-of-19 from the field.
Ajak Magot had a career-high eight points and six rebounds while
Ben Wilson had a season-high five assists. The Bengals and Jackrabbits each had 45 rebounds. ISU was 21-of-34 from the foul line.
South Dakota State shot 38.1 percent from the field and had four players in double figures led by Cody Larson's 17 points.
In a game that had 10 ties and 12 lead changes, the Bengals led 60-56 with 1:53 to play in regulation after a jumper by
Marcus Bradley. After South Dakota State cut the ISU lead to 60-58, the Bengals missed a 3-pointer and the Rabbits then tied the game at 60 with 47 seconds left. South Dakota State missed two shots in the final 14 seconds of regulation to send the game into overtime.
"We had a chance to put things away with 50 seconds left in regulation and we got a bad shot," Evans said. "This is a hard loss. These ones are tough losses."
SDSU jumped out to a 70-63 overtime lead with 1:18 left in the extra stanza. The Bengals stormed back to have a chance to tie or take the lead in the final seconds of the game. With six second remaining ISU trailed 73-70 and was fouled on an intentional foul. ISU missed both free throws and on the ensuing possession ISU's Hansen was fouled. He made both free throws to cut the SDSU lead to 73-72. The Jackrabbits then made their two free throws and a desperation
Evann Hall 3-pointer at the buzzer fell short.
ISU continues play at the World Vision Classic by playing host school Utah State on Friday, Dec. 19 at 8:05 p.m.
We Are Your Bengals
