Bengals Conclude 2016-17 Season

 
RENO, Nev.- The 2016-17 men's basketball season came to an end for Idaho State on Tuesday evening at the Reno Events Center after a 91-76 loss to Sacramento State in the opening round of the Big Sky Conference Tournament.

The Bengals led 43-41 at halftime but in the second half were out rebounded 26-11, allowing the Hornets to take control of the game.

Ethan Telfair finished his career as a Bengal with 22 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and three steals. Telfair was 6-12 from the field and 9-10 from the free throw line.

"He was terrific tonight," Idaho State coach Bill Evans said.

Brandon Boyd had 15 points and was 8-11 form the free throw line. Balint Mocsan had 11 points off the bench and Geno Luzcando had 14 points and five rebounds.

"These two guys (Boyd and Luzcando) were good too and Balint was good." Evans said "We had two freshmen score 26 points tonight. That is good."

Idaho State shot 45.1 percent from the field and Sacramento State shot 47.7 percent from the field. The Bengals made 24 free throws on 35 attempts and six 3-pointers on 18 attempts.

Sac State out rebounded ISU 46-28 for the game.

Idaho State held a 51-47 lead with 16:26 left in the game. The Hornets then went on a 16-3 run over the next seven minutes to take a 63-54 lead with 9:07 to play in the game.

The Hornets biggest lead over the final nine minutes was 15 points.

While the Bengals were picked to finish fifth going into the season, ISU finished the year 6-26.
 
"We have to do something a little differently within our program," Evans said. "When you talk about that you go, 'Oh, their GPA is bad.' It is not that. We have a 3.2. We have to get guys a little tougher, more determined and disciplined. There is only one person to blame for that and that is me. I have great support from Jeff Tingey. I need to do a better a job."

According to Evans the work to make the 2017-18 season better starts this spring.

"I have to do a better job with the way they walk, talk, dress, work and communicate with one another," Evans said. "They seem like little things but they are important things and maybe those things this year weren't as important as they should have been."

Evans added, "These are good guys. We don't have bad guys in our program. I need to do a better job of getting them on the same page. I am looking forward to the spring. Now they are not going to be looking forward to it because we have to make changes."

Notes
- Idaho State's 43-41 halftime lead was the first since leading at halftime 36-33 at Portland State on Feb. 9.
- Brandon Boyd made 27 straight free throws until today.
- Ethan Telfair finished his career ranked 17th in scoring with 1,129 points, second in assists with 300, third in steals with 132 and eighth in free throws made with 353.


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