Bengals Cruise Past SUU 94-68

 
POCATELLO, Idaho- The Idaho State men's basketball had one of its best performances of the season on Saturday night in Reed Gym, beating Southern Utah 94-68. The Bengals scored a season-high 94 points and hit a season-high 15 3-pointers. Defensively, the T-Birds shot 30.4 percent, a season-best mark for the Idaho State defense.

"The key was toughness," Idaho State's Balint Mocsan said. "We were so tough defensively. It gave us a good rhythm offensively."

Idaho State had five players score in double figures, led by Ethan Telfair's 21 points, eight rebounds, eight assists and five steals. Brandon Boyd had 16 points off the bench and Mocsan had a season-high 15 points. Robert Jones III had 14 points and Novak Topalovic had 13 points and six rebounds.

Idaho State shot 52.5 percent for the game and hit its 15 3-pointers on 27 attempts. ISU had 15 assists and only 10 turnovers. The Bengals shot 62.1 percent in the second half and hit seven 3-pointers on 11 attempts in the final period.

"We shot the ball pretty good," Mocsan said. "We had many wide open shots and we made them. The key was the ball movement and the defense. We had plenty of transition baskets because we defended them well. We made them uncomfortable."

Idaho State trailed 9-8 four minutes into the game but then went on a 21-4 run to take a 30-13 lead with 6:01 left in the first half after a dunk by Geno Luzcando. The Bengals built their lead to as many as 23 points at 39-16 in the first half and led 46-29 at the break.

SUU got no closer than 14 points in the second half and led by as many as 30 points at 94-64 late in the game.  
"I think we were good defensively and tried hard," Idaho State coach Bill Evans said. "That is the best defensive game we have played. I can tell you that right now."

Idaho State plays at Portland State on Feb. 9 and Sacramento State on Feb. 11.

Game Notes
- Balint Mocsan had a career-high 15 points.
- 15 made 3-pointers by the team is a season-high.
- .304 percent shot by SUU was lowest an opponent has shot against ISU this season.
- The starting lineup of Robert Jones III, Novak Topalovic, Geno Luzcando, Ethan Telfair and Balint Mocsan was the 13^th different starting lineup ISU has used this season.
- Ethan Telfair moved into 9^th place for career free throws made with 318.
- Ethan Telfair moved into fourth place for most steals in career. He now has 120. Nate Green is in third place with 128.
- Ethan Telfair is now in seventh place for career-assists at ISU with 267. Mike Green (1984-86) is in sixth with 271.
- Ethan Telfair is 14 points from reaching the 1,000 point mark for his career.
- ISU is now 6-0 when a Bill Evans coached team at ISU scores 90 points or more.
- This was only the fourth time in Bill Evans tenure at ISU that a team has had five players in double figures. The Bengals are 4-0 when this happens.

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