POCATELLO, Idaho- Despite a career-high of 37 points from
Ethan Telfair, the Idaho State men's basketball team dropped an 84-76 Big Sky Conference decision to North Dakota at ICCU Court in Holt Arena.
North Dakota shot 59.6 percent for the game and 50 percent from the three-point line (9-18). The Bengals shot 42.2 percent but was out rebounded 38-27. The Bengal defense did force 21 turnovers.
Geno Luzcando was the only other ISU player in double figures with 13 points. Telfair scored his 37 points on 12-21 shooting. He was six-for-eight from the three-point line. He had seven assists and two steals. Telfair's 37 points tied for the 27
th most points scored in a game by a Bengal and the most since Broderick Gilchrest scored 39 in a loss at Colorado in 2010.
"I don't think we played very good," Idaho State coach
Bill Evans said. "We were a little complacent early. North Dakota is a good team and they are well-coached."
The Bengals never led and trailed by as many 16 points. UND led 20-11 eight minutes into the game. ISU made a run to cut its deficit to 22-21 after a 3-pointer by
Stephen Lennox with 8:30 left in the half.
North Dakota then went on a 12-0 run to take a 34-21 lead four minutes later. North Dakota went into the locker room leading 42-31.
Trailing 50-35 early in the second half, ISU went on a 15-5 run to cut the UND lead to 55-50 with 11:04 left in the game. That would be the closest ISU got as North Dakota extended its lead in the final 10 minutes to seal the victory.
Idaho State returns to the court for games at Sacramento State on January 14 and Portland State on January 16. Both games tipoff at 8 p.m. mountain time.
This Is Our Time
