Bengals Return Home to Face Hornets & Vikings

POCATELLO, Idaho - The Bengals men's basketball team will return to Reed Gym for the first time in nearly 3 weeks. Idaho State will host Sacramento State on Thursday, February 8^th at 7 pm followed by Portland State on Saturday, February 10^th at 6 pm. Idaho State lost to Sacramento State by 2, just four weeks ago in Sacramento, and have dropped five out of their last six against the Hornets. However, the Bengals picked up a win against Portland State earlier this season, defeating the Vikings 69-63 in Portland, ending a six-game losing streak to the Vikings. The Bengals have dropped 9 of their last 11 contests against PSU. Dylan Carder will have the call on ESPN+ and Scott Gross will call the game on KISU.

Sacramento State (6-16)
Home (5-4), Away (1-10), Neutral (0-2)
ISU Recent Series vs. CSUS
1/13/2024     A         L          64 – 66
2/18/2023     A         L          65 – 70
1/19/2023     H         W         65 – 61
2/19/2022     H         L          75 – 80
1/27/2022     A         L          60 – 61
 
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The Hornets come into their game with Idaho State with a 6-16 overall record and 2-7 record in conference play. Sacramento State has dropped their last 5 games in a row, with their last win coming at home against Idaho State on Jan. 13^th.
 
Portland State (14-9)
Home (8-2), Away (5-6), Neutral (1-1)
ISU Recent Series vs. PSU
1/11/2024     A         W         69 – 63
2/16/2023     A         L          70 – 79
1/21/2023     H         L          65 – 72
3/9/2022        N         L          52 – 66
2/26/2022     A         L          69 – 73 (OT)
 
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The Vikings enter the game with the Bengals with a 14-9 overall record and 5-5 record in conference play. Portland State lost their latest game on Monday to league leaders, Eastern Washington, but won their last three in a row before Monday night. PSU will face off with Weber State on Thursday before traveling up to Pocatello on Saturday.
 
Northern Arizona Recap
The Bengals and Lumberjacks began the game exchanging buckets, but with Northern Arizona moving into the lead early. Idaho State would gain their first lead of the game after a Kiree Huie layup to pull ahead 9-8 at the 15:46 mark of the first half. NAU would respond by gaining their largest lead of the first half at five points, 21-16, with 11:10 to play in the half. However, as they have done all season the Bengals would have a response of their own, going on a 14-0 run over the next three and a half minutes to surge to their largest lead of the game at 30-21. Northern Arizona would end the half on a made jump shot with four seconds remaining to cut the Bengal lead down to just four points as both teams headed into the break with ISU on top, 39-35.
 
As the second half began, both teams opened with made three-point jump shots and found themselves in a groove, going back and forth the entire half. However, the Bengals came to play today as they would not allow the Lumberjacks to retake the lead for the remainder of the game. NAU would shrink the Bengals' lead down to just one-point multiple times, but the Bengals would keep their composure and not hit the panic button.  With just five minutes remaining in the game ISU found themselves up nine and looking to close the contest out. However, NAU would refuse to go down without a fight. After a four-point play NAU was down just one with 1:19 left in the game. Off the bench Briggs Ranstrom would get a crucial layup to drop extending the Bengals lead back to three with time winding down. After two Lumberjack free-throws on the next possession Idaho State needed a big basket to give them some breathing room now with under 20 seconds to play. Brayden Parker would draw a foul and step to the free-throw line with just nine ticks left on the clock, looking to help the Bengals extend their lead to three. Parker would go 1-of-2 at the stripe, giving the Lumberjacks hope in the final seconds as ISU led by two now. As Northern Arizona brought the ball up looking to tie or take the lead, Maleek Arington would play lockdown defense, not allowing the Lumberjack ball handler to get off any passes or a clean look at a shot, and as the NAU player attempted to force up a desperation three at the buzzer he would not get it off in time, and Idaho State would come out of Flagstaff with their eighth straight victory in the Walkup Skydome by a final score of 81-79, handing the Lumberjacks their second home loss of the year. After the big road win, Idaho State improves to 9-14 overall and 4-6 in Big Sky play. Following the loss, Northern Arizona falls to 10-13 overall and 3-6 in Big Sky play.
 
Kiree Huie led the Bengals in scoring tonight, tying his season-high with 20 points on 9-of-14 shooting from the field, while also grabbing five rebounds, one block, and one steal. Brayden Parker would continue his hot-streak, dropping 19 points, seven rebounds, and one assist, and the final Bengal scoring in double figures was Miguel Tomley, as he put up 18 points on 4-of-8 shooting from beyond the arc, five rebounds, and two steals. Isaiah Griffin would end the game with nine points on 3-of-5 shooting from the floor, five rebounds, and three assists, and the final starter for Idaho State, Maleek Arington, would finish the game with five points, three rebounds, one steal, and a career-high eight assists, as he now leads the Big Sky Conference in assists, passing Weber State's Dillon Jones after tonight's games.  Briggs Ranstrom and AJ Burgin would continue their streaks of great play off the bench for Idaho State. Ranstrom would set his career-high in rebounds for the second straight game as he ripped down nine boards, scored a career-high eight points, while also adding two assists and two steals in 26 minutes. Burgin would total two points, one rebound, and one assist in 22 minutes of action.
 
Following the win Head Coach, Ryan Looney, earns his 48th career win and 29th win in Big Sky play with the Bengals. Needing just one more win to earn his 30th career win in Big Sky Conference play and two more to earn his 50th career win at the helm for Idaho State.
 
Idaho State finished the game shooting 47.5 percent from the field, and 37.5 percent from three-point territory, going 6-of-16 from behind the arc. The Bengals tallied 15 assists, 41 rebounds, and 7 steals.
 
Northern Arizona finished the game shooting 46.4 percent from the field and 38.5 percent from three-point land (5-for-13). The Lumberjacks finished the game with 27 rebounds, 3 steals, and 13 assists.

The Returning 8
3          Maleek Arington       G         So.      6-3      200     Auburn, WA
10        Miguel Tomley         G         So.      6-3      200     Surrey, BC                
12        Turner Livingston     F          R-Fr.   6-4      195     Spokane, WA
13        AJ Burgin                   G         Jr.       6-3      205     San Diego, CA
14        Jordan Hansen         G         So.      6-6      215     Seattle, WA
20        Briggs Ranstrom      F          R-Fr.   6-6      205     Eagle, ID
25        Brayden Parker        C         Gr.       6-8      250     Preston, ID
44        Louis Stormark         C         R-So.  6-9      250     Alleroed, Denmark                          
 
Hello my name is
0          Kolton Mitchell         G         Fr.       6-1      175     Coeur d' Alene, ID   
4          Jaedyn Brown           G         Fr.       6-4      175     Pullman, WA            
5          Laolu Kalejaiye         G         Fr.       6-0      160     Los Angeles, CA      
15        Kiree Huie                  F          Jr.       6-9      220     Grayson, GA 
21        Isaiah Griffin             F          Jr.       6-6      210     Knightdale, NC                     
22        James Bodily            G         Fr.       6-3      200     Bancroft, ID              
30        Evan Otten                C         Fr.       6-11    220     Redmond, OR
31        Trent Johnson          F          Jr.       6-7      205     Cambridge, ON        
32        Gavin Gilstrap           C         Jr.       6-11    270     Spokane, WA
 
Bengal Bites

• Brayden Parker is now 4^th on the ISU career Blocks list with 107, passing Jeff Cook after recording 5 blocks in the Bengals game vs Eastern Washington on Jan. 20^th
• Brayden Parker became the 25^th player in Idaho State history to reach the 1,000-career point mark after dropping a season-high 24 points in the Bengals' game vs Montana on Dec. 30^th
• Parker moved into 18th place on the ISU All-Time Scoring list with 1,161 career points, passing Ethan Telfair (1,119) and Nate Green (1,141) after dropping a season-high 26 points at Northern Colorado on Feb. 1^st
• Kiree Huie is 3^rd in the Big Sky in Field Goal Percentage, making 53.2% of his attempts (72^nd in the country)
• Brayden Parker is 4^th the Big Sky in Field Goal Percentage, making 53% of his shots (74^th in the country)
• Brayden Parker is 3^rd in the Big Sky in Blocks (33) & 4^th BPG (1.43)
• Kiree Huie is 5^th in the Big Sky in Blocks (29) & BPG (1.26)
• Maleek Arington is 1^st in the Big Sky and 47^th in the nation in Assists (110) & 3^rd in APG (4.8)
• Maleek Arington is 2^nd in the Big Sky in Steals with 49 (20^th in the nation) & 2^nd in the Big Sky in SPG with 2.13 (35^th in the country)
• After Maleek Arington's 50 minute game at Northern Colorado he is now 2^nd in the Big Sky and 19^th in the nation in Minutes Per Game (36:04)
• Miguel Tomley T-1^st in the Big Sky in 3-Point FGM (53) & T-1^st in 3-Point FGM Per Game (2.3)
• ISU has had a big defensive presence down low, averaging 3.7 blocks per game (3^rd in the Big Sky)
• Idaho State has been stingy on defense, plucking 6.9 steals per game (2^nd in the Big Sky)
• The Bengals defense is only allowing 70.1 PPG to opposing teams (2^nd in the Big Sky)

Looking Ahead
Following their games vs Sacramento State and Portland State the Bengals will be back on the road, traveling to Cheney, Washington for a date with the Big Sky leaders, Eastern Washington, on Thursday, February 15^th at 7 pm MT. Followed by their second game of the season vs rivals, the Idaho Vandals, but this time in Moscow, Idaho on Saturday, February 17^th at 3 pm MT.

Follow the Bengals
Follow along at ISUBengals.com to keep up to date with the team. Fans can also follow the Bengals on social media  (Twitter: @IdahoStateMBB | Instagram:@Idahostatembb | Facebook:@IdahoStateMensBasketball)