Solarin Has 23 Points and 20 Rebounds in 80-75 Loss to North Dakota

Box Score
POCATELLO, Idaho- Despite a career-night by Jeffrey Solarin and a second-half comeback by the Bengals, the North Dakota men's basketball team held on for an 80-75 victory in front of a season-best crowd of 2,245 on Saturday night at ICCU Court in Holt Arena.

The loss drops ISU to 8-13 and 5-7 in Big Sky Conference play while North Dakota improved to 7-5 in Big Sky play and 10-12 overall.

Solarin's 20 rebounds tied for the 12th best rebounding performance in ISU history and it was the most by a Bengal since 1975. Solarin out rebounded the entire North Dakota team 20-19. As a team Idaho State had 47 rebounds, 26 on the offensive end.  Solarin added a team-high 23 points to lead ISU in scoring. The 23 points tied his career high.

"Scoring 20 points to me is not that big of a deal but getting 20 rebounds is a big deal," Idaho State coach Bill Evans said. "That takes a lot of effort and determination on his part. I am proud of him."

The difference in the game for ISU was on the defensive end as North Dakota shot 60 percent for the game, led by Troy Huff's 22 points.

"We were horrible defensively," Evans said. "We couldn't stop the dribble. We couldn't stop their jump shooters. They pretty much had their way with us. Forty-seven rebounds are unbelievable. You have 26 offensive rebounds and you lose the game while shooting 48 percent. There is now where else to point but at the defensive end."

Idaho State shot 48.1 percent for the game and 52 percent in the second half.  Tomas Sanchez played the entire 40 minutes, scored 17 points and had six assists. Chris Hansen had 13 points. Ayibakuro Preh had seven points and eight rebounds.

The Bengals fell behind by as many as 14 points in the first at 46-32 with 1:54 left in the period. ISU scored the last five points to trail 46-37 at the break.

Idaho State made a run in the first 10 minutes of the second half, cutting the UND lead to 52-48 with 14:57 remaining in the game following two Andre Hatchett free throws. Idaho State would take its first lead of the game at 57-56 following a Solarin put back four minutes later.

ISU led 59-58 after a basket by Hansen with 10:34 to play in the game. North Dakota retook the lead for good at 60-59 and never relinquished it the rest of the way.

"We just couldn't stop them," Solarin said. "We out rebounded them but we couldn't get stops."

Idaho State returns to the floor on Saturday, February 15, against SUU in Cedar City, Utah. Tipoff is at 5 p.m.