POCATELLO, Idaho- The Idaho State men's basketball team lost 65-60 to Pepperdine on Friday night in the team's road-opener at Firestone Fieldhouse in Malibu, Calif.
Robert Ford III led the Bengals in scoring with 14 points and
Tarik Cool added 13. Ford and
Malik Porter led the Bengals in rebounding with six.
Idaho State shot 40 percent from the field and held Pepperdine to 41 percent shooting. ISU was out rebounded 39-33. The Bengals were 10-16 from the free throw line and 6-25 from the three-point line.
Pepperdine was 16-25 from the foul line and 3-19 from the three-point line. ISU committed 19 turnovers while Pepperdine had 15.
Pepperdine led for nearly the entire game and jumped out to a 13-3 lead in the first four minutes. Idaho State got within six several different times over the first half and trailed 33-27 at halftime after a layup by
Zach Visentin with 38 seconds left until halftime.
Idaho State opened the second half tying the game at 37 with 16:14 left in the game after baskets by
Austin Smellie and Cool.
Idaho State led briefly at 40-39 with 15:36 left following a 3-pointer by Cool and 42-41 with 14:30 remaining after a basket by
Brayden Parker.
Pepperdine then went on a 10-2 run to lead 51-44 with 8:04 left in the game.
The Bengals got no closer than four points the rest of the way at 64-60 in the final seconds of the game.
Idaho State plays at Seattle U on Sunday at 6 p.m. (MST).
