ISU Plays at Sacramento State on Thursday

Game Notes | Audio | Video | Live Stats

POCATELLO, Idaho- The Idaho State men's basketball team plays at Sacramento State on Thursday, January 14 and at Portland State on Saturday, January 16. Both games begin at 8 p.m. mountain time and will be heard live on 101.1 KEIR with Jerry Miller calling the action. To follow the game on line with live video, audio and stats fans can log onto isubengals.com.

Series vs. Sacramento State
Idaho State leads the series 27-17. The Bengals are 15-8 vs. Sacramento State in Pocatello and 11-9 on the road. Sacramento State has won three of the last four meetings with all three losses being decided by six points or less. ISU lost 62-59 in in Pocatello last year and 84-78 in Sacramento on Jan. 30, 2014. The Bengals also lost 53-52 in Sacramento on March 2, 2013. The last win at Sac State was Jan. 14, 2012 (68-67).

Scouting  Sacramento State
Sacramento State enters Thursday's game with a 7-7 record and an 0-3 mark in Big Sky Conference play. The Hornets are averaging 73.4 points overall but only 63.3 points in conference play. Justin Strings leads Sac State in scoring at 13.5 points a game and 5.9 rebounds. Marcus Graves is scoring 12.8 points overall but 8.7 in conference. The second-leading scorer for Sacramento State in conference play is Eric Stuteville's 10.3 points a game. The Hornets are shooting .456 from the field overall and .427 in league. Sacramento has made 99 3-pointers on 274 attempts (.361).

Series vs. Portland State
Portland State leads the series 28-18. The Bengals have won three of the last four meetings. In the only meeting of the season last year, ISU beat the Vikings 80-76. During the 2013-14 season ISU lost 78-74 in overtime at Portland and and won 87-76 in Pocatello. March 9, 2013 was the Bengals last victory in Portland, winning 72-71. ISU is 4-18 in Portland but two of the wins have come in the last five years as ISU won 84-79 on Feb. 10, 2011.

Scouting Portland State
Portland State is 6-8 and 2-1 in Big Sky Conference play. It hosts Weber State on Thursday, January 14 before playing ISU. Cameron Forte leads the Vikings in scoring at 16.5 points as game and 8.1 rebounds. Portland State is averaging 76.9 points a game and giving up 75.6. PSU is shooting .456 percent from the field and .324 percent from the three-point line.  In conference play Portland State is scoring 73 points a game and Bryce White is the top scorer at 16.3 points.

Notes From the Homestand vs. Northern Colorado and North Dakota
North Dakota Notes
- Ethan Telfair had a career-high 37 points in the loss to North Dakota. He was 12-21 from the field and 6-8 from the three-point line while making 7-8 from the foul line. Telfair's 37 points tied for the 27th best scoring performance in ISU history and it was the most since Broderick Gilchrest scored 39 in a loss at Colorado in 2010.
- Ethan Telfair averaged 30 points  a game vs. Northern Colorado and North Dakota while shooting 54 percent from the field.
- Ben Wilson led the team in rebounds vs. North Dakota with eight. He has seven rebounds or more in seven games this season. His 37 minutes played was the second most of the season. He played 40 minutes at Utah State.
- The Bengals were out rebounded 38-27. It was the first time in four games they have  lost the battle of the boards.
- The 21 turnovers ISU forced North Dakota into was a season-best.

Northern Colorado Notes
- Geno Luzcando had a career-high 29 points and 10 rebounds. It was the first double-double of his career.
- Geno Luzcando was a perfect 10-for-10 from the field. It was the best shooting percentage in a game in ISU history and tied for the seventh best percentage in Big Sky history.  
- Ethan Telfair tied his career-high from the free throw line as he was 11-13.
- Novak Topalovic had a career-high nine rebounds.
- After getting out rebounded in every game but one, ISU has now out rebounded its opponents in four straight games.  The +11 differential in Thursday's win over Northern Colorado tied for the sixth best rebounding margin by a Bengal team since the 2012-13 season.
- The starting lineup of Kyle Ingram, Geno Luzcando, Ethan Telfair, Ben Wilson and Ali Faruq-Bey combined to score all but six of the 83 points.

Telfair to the Line
Ethan Telfair has gotten to the free throw line eight times or more in eight games this season. In the last four games he has gone 38-44 from the line. For the season he is the teams top free throw shooter at .829 percent (87-105).

Wilson Making an Impact
Ben Wilson has been efficient for the Bengals when he is out on the court. He is averaging seven points a game and a team-best 5.8 rebounds. He is playing 31.2 minutes, shooting .487 percent from the field (the third best percentage on the team behind Kyle Ingram's .527 and Geno Luzcando's .512) and he has 33 assists to 21 turnovers. In the last five games he is averaging 6.6 points and 7.4 rebounds a game.