Men's Basketball Hosts Montana Tech Friday at 6 p.m. in Reed Gym

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POCATELLO, Idaho- The Idaho State men's basketball team hosts Montana Tech on Friday, Dec. 16 at 6 p.m. in Reed Gym. The game is a double header as the Bengal women's basketball team hosts Montana Tech following the men's game. Jerry Miller and Brad Bugger will call the action live on 102.5 KMGI. Fans can follow the action online at isubengals.com with live video, stats and audio. Following Friday night's game ISU plays at Boise State on Sunday, Dec. 18 at 4:30 p.m. and at BYU on Dec. 20.
 
Series vs. Montana Tech
Idaho State leads the series 42-11. This is the first regular season meeting since Nov. 29, 2010 when the Bengals won 69-57. The teams played regularly from 1926 to 1940. Since 1940, Friday's game will only be the eighth regular season meeting. The teams have played exhibition contests in 2012, 2014 and 2015.

Scouting  Montana Tech
Montana Tech is 6-5. Friday's game is considered an exhibition contest for the school. Montana Tech lost 61-60 to Great Falls in its last game on Dec. 3 in Butte. Chris O'Neill leads the team in scoring at 11.3 points a game. Lukas Vining is scoring 10.3 points. Montana Tech scores 75 points a game and gives up 69. The team shoots 45.6 percent from the field and .654 percent from the free throw line.

Idaho State vs. Non Division I Schools
The last time Idaho State lost to a non Division I team was an 86-83 overtime loss in Pocatello to BYU-Hawaii on Dec. 18, 1991. During the Joe O'Brien era, Idaho State played nine non Division 1 games and won by an average score of 75-65. Of the nine games, five were won by single digits. During the Doug Oliver era, ISU played 15 non Division I games in eight years and the Bengals won by an average score of 88.2-62.6. All but three games were won by 10 points or more. In the Bill Evans era, ISU won all six games non-Division I games by a combined score of 669-555.

Tough Nonconference Schedule
Idaho State's nonconference Division I opponents have a combined record of 64-44. As of Monday CSUN (3-7) and NJIT (5-6) were the only teams with a losing record. Wisconsin is 9-2, Texas Tech 8-1, New Mexico 6-4, UVU 5-4, Utah State 5-4, Eastern Kentucky 6-5, NJIT 5-6 and Lamar is 5-4. Upcoming opponents BYU is 7-3 and Boise State is 5-4.

Liggins Redshirt Pulled
Against Bristol on Dec. 10, Keshawn Liggins was pulled from his redshirt. The Bengal junior played 19 minutes and had a team-high seven rebounds.

Did You Know
- Ethan Telfair had a streak of 26 straight games scoring in double figures snapped vs. Lamar.
- Ethan Telfair has led the team in scoring in five games. Brandon Boyd has led the Bengals in scoring twice, Robert Jones III once and Balint Mocsan once.
- Ethan Telfair has scored in double figures in 29 of 32 games last year and in five of seven this season. He has 18 games of 20 points or more in his career.
- Last year Ethan Telfair had 20 games with five assists or more and this year he has five assists or more in four of the seven games he has appeared in.
- Ethan Telfair had 13 games with five rebounds or more last year and this year he has reached that feat three times.
- Geno Luzcando has scored in double figures in five of 10 games and in 32 games dating back to the start of last season.
- Last year Geno Luzcando had 22 games with two steals or more and this year he has six games with two steals or more.
- Gary Chivichyan has made a 3-pointer in the last five games he has appeared in.
- Novak Topalovic has recorded five rebounds or more in 29 games since the 2015-16 season.
- Ethan Telfair has led ISU in assists five times, Stephen Lennox twice, Geno Luzcando twice and Novak Topalovic once.

Seeing the Floor
This year 11 of the 12 eligible  players to see the floor are averaging 11 minutes or more. Ethan Telfair leads the team in minutes played at 33.6

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