Bengals Return Home, Look to Bounce Back Against Hornets

Pocatello, ID- The Idaho State men's basketball team will be returning home to Reed Gym from their three-game road trip on Thursday evening to face off against the Sacramento State Hornets at 7 p.m. In the last 18 seasons (since 2005) the Bengals have a record of 15-20 against the Hornets in 35 contests, losing the last six of seven meetings.
 
Sacramento State comes into the game with a record of 11-7 on the year and 4-1 in Big Sky Conference play, winning their latest matchups against Northern Colorado and Northern Arizona last week. The Hornets are averaging 68.8 points per game on 45.3 percent shooting from the field and 36.9 percent from beyond the arc (1^st in the Big Sky).
 
Idaho State will look to shut down Sacramento State behind their lock-down defense. The Bengals' defense has been a train with no brakes this season holding opponents to just 30.6 percent from three-point land (58^th in the nation), 43.7% shooting from the field (4^th in the Big Sky), and average 6.3 steals per game (3^rd in the Big Sky). The Bengals have also been making it rain from deep this year averaging 8.3 threes per game (92^nd in the country).
 
Tip will be at 7 p.m. in Reed Gym. Jerry Miller will call the game on KISU and Dylan Carder will call the game on ESPN +.

Sacramento State (11-7)
Home (7-0), Away (4-4), Neutral (0-3)
ISU Recent Series vs. SS
2/19/2022                 H                     L          80-75
1/27/2022                 A                     L          61-60
1/18/2021                 H                     L          70-65
1/17/2021                 H                     W        57-56 (OT)
2/8/2020                    H                     L          63-59
1/4/2020                    A                     L          68-49
 
University of Montana Recap
The Bengals men's basketball team went up against the University of Montana Grizzlies Saturday night, losing the contest 84-55. The Bengals fall to 6-12 on the season & 3-2 in Big Sky Conference play. After the win Montana moves to 9-9 on the year & 3-3 in conference play.
 
The Grizzlies came out of the gates firing, extending their first half lead to 16 points with four minutes remaining and making seven first half three-pointers. The Bengals went into the halftime break trailing by 14, 42-28. The second half we saw Montana control the pace of play and do more of the same from the first half as Montana went on to defeat the Bengals with a final score of 84-55.
 
Jay Nagle was the Bengals lone scorer in double-digits on the evening finishing with 10 points on 4-of-7 shooting from the field and 2-of-5 from the three-point land. Miguel Tomley tallied eight points, two rebounds, and one steal and Maleek Arington had eight points, a season high four rebounds, one steal, and one assist off the bench.
 
Idaho State shot 33.9 percent from the floor Saturday night and 25 percent from deep making 6-of-24 shots from three-point land. The Bengals tallied 10 assists, 24 rebounds, and 5 steals. Montana finished with 54.9 percent shooting from the field and 48.1 percent from deep making 13-of-27 attempts.
 
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 9^th in the Big Sky in both three-pointers made (37) and three-pointers per game (2.06)
• The Bengals are currently 92^nd in the nation in three-pointers made per game (8.3 per game)
• The Bengals' defense is currently 1^st in the Big Sky and 58^th in the country in three-point percentage defense, holding opponents to just 30.6 percent from three this season
• The Bengals' defense ranks 3^rd in the Big Sky in steals per game (6.3)