Pocatello, ID- The Idaho State Bengals are scheduled to suit up against the St. Thomas Tommies Saturday night. This will be the first time Idaho State has ever played against the Tommies. The Tommies come into the game winning seven of their last ten games averaging 76.8 points per game on 48 percent shooting from the field and 39 percent shooting from deep.
St. Thomas will pan out to be a tough matchup for the Bengals on Saturday as the Tommies have only lost to Utah, Montana State, Montana, and number nine in the nation, Creighton this year. St. Thomas will look to put a halt to the Bengals hot shooting start from three-point land as the Bengals have relied heavily on the three this season. Averaging 9.5 three's per game (35
th in the nation) lead by
Brock Mackenzie who is currently 9th in the nation in three point percentage (51.7%) and 11th in the nation in three pointers made (31).
Tip will be at 6 p.m. in Reed Gym. Jerry Miller will call the game on KISU. Dylan Carder will call the game on ESPN +.
St. Thomas (7-4)
Home (4-0), Away (1-4), Neutral (2-0)
Montana Western Recap
The Idaho State men's basketball team battled against the Montana Western Bulldogs on Tuesday evening coming out victorious 61-53.
The Bulldogs came out firing, taking a 14-0 lead to begin the game. However, the Bengals remained calm and made their way back into the game finishing the first half only down by four, 26-22.
The Bengals and Bulldogs exchanged buckets in a scrappy second half until Idaho State was finally able to take their first lead of the game on a
Maleek Arington layup with just eight minutes remaining, and never looked back from there.
Jared Rodriguez led the Bengals with 21 points on seven-of-ten shooting from the field and four-of-five from three.
Brock Mackenzie also played a crucial role in the Bengal's comeback win, scoring 13 points with no turnovers. While
Brayden Parker also chipped in 10 points and six rebounds.
The Bengals shot 47 percent from the field and made eight three-pointers on 24 attempts. The Bengals also assisted on 12 made shots, and out-rebounded the Bulldogs 33-30. The Bengal defense held Montana Western to 37.3 percent from the field and 31 percent from three. The big push from the Bengals in the second half lead to the victory. In the second half the Bengals were able to shoot an astounding 62 percent from the field and 46 percent from deep.
The Returning 6
0
AJ Burgin G So. 6-3 205 San Diego, Calif.
2
Tommy Ball G Fr. 6-0 175 El Dorado Hills, Calif.
5
Austin Smellie G Sr. 6-5 200 Preston, Idaho
13
Daxton Carr F Jr. 6-7 215 Pocatello, Idaho
22
Jared Rodriguez F Sr. 6-8 215 Glendale, Ariz.
25
Brayden Parker C Jr. 6-8 250 Preston, Idaho
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1
Jay Nagle F Sr. 6-9 215 Vacaville, Calif.
3
Ronnie Stapp G Jr. 6-6 185 Bakersfield, Calif.
10
Miguel Tomley G So. 6-3 200 Surrey, BC
11
Brock Mackenzie G Sr. 6-2 185 Sammamish, Wash.
12
Turner Livingston F Fr. 6-4 195 Spokane, Wash.
14
Jordan Hansen G Fr. 6-6 215 Seattle, Wash.
20
Briggs Ranstrom F Fr. 6-6 205 Eagle, Idaho
23
Maleek Arington G Fr. 6-3 200 Lake Tapps, Wash.
24
Ed Chang F Jr. 6-8 215 Papillion, Neb.
32
Kolby Lee C Sr. 6-9 240 Meridian, Idaho
44
Louis Stormark C Fr. 6-9 250 Alleroed, Denmark
Bengal Bites
- Brock Mackenzie is currently 9th in the nation in three-point percentage (51.7%), 11th in the nation in three pointers made (31), and 34th in the nation in three-pointers made per game (3.1).
- The Bengals are currently 35th in the nation in three-pointers made per game (9.5 per game)
- The Bengals are shooting 35.6 percent from three on the year (3rd in the Big Sky and 108th in the country)
- Jared Rodriguez is currently 2nd in the Big Sky in steals averaging 1.3 per game
- The Bengals' defense is currently 1st in the Big Sky and 50th in the country in Three Point Defense, holding opponents to just 28.6 percent from three this season
- The Bengals' defense ranks 1st in the Big Sky in field goal percentage defense (41.9%) and 2nd in the Big Sky in scoring defense (66.9)
