POCATELLO, Idaho – The Idaho State men's basketball team opened the 2025-26 season on a winning note Tuesday night, defeating Park University (AZ) 81-71 inside Reed Gym. The Bengals overcame a red-hot Buccaneer offense and a halftime deficit with a dominant second half to secure their first victory of the new year.
Park came out firing from the opening tip, shooting over 59 percent from the field and knocking down nine first-half three-pointers to build a 14-point advantage midway through the period. Idaho State's bench soon responded to swing momentum. Quin Patterson entered and immediately found his rhythm from deep, connecting on three first-half triples, while Caleb Van De Griend energized the crowd with a pair of dunks and timely rebounds. Senior captain Connor Hollenbeck anchored the inside, cleaning the glass and scoring through contact to help the Bengals close the gap before halftime. A late push by the Bengals trimmed the deficit to 41-35 heading into the locker room.
The Buccaneers opened the second half just as sharp, hitting three of their first four shots to stretch the lead back to double digits at 51-41. But the Bengals refused to fold. Hollenbeck set the tone, battling inside and showing poise as the Bengals began their rally. Point guard Jamison Guerra came off the bench and orchestrated the offense with pace and precision, assisting on three straight Bengal baskets to spark a 15-4 run that flipped the lead in Idaho State's favor. Patterson's fourth three-pointer of the night gave ISU its first lead since the early minutes, and from there the Bengals never looked back.
Van De Griend dominated down the stretch, scoring eight of his 16 points in the second half, including two emphatic dunks that pushed the lead into double digits. Hollenbeck sealed the win with a corner three, two rebounds, and a two-handed slam in the final minutes. Blake Daberkow's dunk in the closing seconds punctuated an 81-71 season-opening victory for the Bengals.
PLAYER STATS
Connor Hollenbeck led Idaho State in his return as team captain, finishing with 18 points on 6-of-13 shooting while adding 10 rebounds and one assist in 30 minutes of play for his second career double-double. Lachlan Brewer filled the stat sheet with nine points, four assists, three steals, and four rebounds across 35 minutes. Gus Etchison added eight points, three rebounds, and one assist in his first game as a Bengal. Cheikh Sow chipped in two points, one rebound, and one steal, while Evan Otten battled inside for three rebounds and one assist in 12 minutes of play.
And off the bench for the Bengals, Quin Patterson shined in his Idaho State debut with 18 points on 6-of-8 shooting and 4-of-6 from three-point range — the most points by a Bengal in a debut since Jacob McCord's 18-point performance at Arizona State to open the 2017-18 season. Caleb Van De Griend was a force in the paint, recording 16 points and eight rebounds on 6-of-8 shooting in 21 minutes. Jamison Guerra provided a steady hand at the point, totaling five points, six assists, three rebounds, and three steals in 27 minutes of action. Blake Daberkow added five points, five rebounds, one block, and one steal, while Jaedyn Brown contributed one rebound and one assist in 11 minutes off the bench.
TEAM STATS
The Bengals shot 44.4 percent (28-for-63) from the field and 60.0 percent (18-for-30) from the free-throw line, while holding Park to 42.9 percent shooting in the second half. Idaho State dominated the glass 42-21 and outscored Park 40-24 in the paint. ISU's bench outscored the Buccaneers 44-20 and turned 18 offensive rebounds into 21 second-chance points.
Park finished the night shooting 50.9 percent (28-for-55) from the floor and 52.2 percent (12-for-23) from three-point range, including a 9-for-15 mark in the first half. Idaho State led for the final 10 minutes of the game and improved to 5-0 in home openers under head coach Ryan Looney.
BENGAL BITES
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Idaho State shot 44.4 percent (28-for-63) from the field and 60.0 percent (18-for-30) from the free-throw line.
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Park shot 59.3 percent in the first half and hit 12-of-23 three-point attempts for the game, including 9-of-15 in the first 20 minutes.
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The Bengals dominated the glass 42-21 and turned 18 offensive rebounds into 21 second-chance points.
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Hollenbeck recorded his second career double-double, finishing with 18 points, 10 rebounds, and several key second-half plays that fueled the comeback.
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Patterson's 18 points were the most by a Bengal in a debut since Jacob McCord scored 18 in his Idaho State debut during the 2017-18 season opener at Arizona State.
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Van De Griend added 16 points and eight rebounds, leading Idaho State's 44 bench points.
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Guerra controlled the tempo with six assists, five points, and three steals, sparking multiple fast-break opportunities in the second half.
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Brewer contributed nine points, four assists, and three steals, while Daberkow added five points and five boards.
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Idaho State outscored Park 40-24 in the paint and led for the final 10 minutes of the contest.
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The Bengals improved to 7-0 in home openers under head coach Ryan Looney.
NEXT UP
Idaho State hits the road for their first road trip of the 2025-26 season. The Bengals will head to San Diego to faceoff against the University of San Diego on Friday, November 7th, and San Diego State University on Sunday, November 9th.
SUPPORT THE BENGALS
Fans can purchase tickets for upcoming Idaho State athletic events by visiting idahostate.evenue.net/list/Athl. The ISU Athletic Ticket Office can also be reached by phone at (208) 282-4093 or by email at joyerin@isu.edu.
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