POCATELLO, Idaho- Despite making 15 3-pointers, the Idaho State men's basketball team dropped an 86-74 contest to Southern Utah on Saturday afternoon in Cedar City, Utah.
Jared Rodriguez led the Bengals with 25 points, nine rebounds and three steals.
Emmit Taylor III was 4-4 from the three-point line for 12 points while
Austin Smellie and
Tarik Cool each had 11 points.
Idaho State was out rebounded 39-31. The Bengals shot 38 percent from the field for the game while SUU shot 51.7 percent.
The game was close in the first half as the Bengals had three-point leads of 11-8 following a Cool basket and 13-10 following another Cool bucket with 13:16 left in the first half.
Idaho State's biggest lead was 19-14 with 9:51 remaining in the half after Rodriguez nailed a 3-pointer.
The game was tied at 26 with 3:47 to play in the half and the T-Birds led 36-34 at halftime.
With SUU leading 38-37 a minute into the final period, the Thunderbirds went on a 12-2 run to lead 50-39 with 15:24 to play. Idaho State got no closer than seven points the rest of the way.
Idaho State returns home to host Eastern Washington on Monday, January 24 at 7 p.m. in Reed Gym.
