LOGAN, Utah — Idaho State men's basketball opened the 2026-27 season Monday night, falling 58-94 to Utah State inside the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum.
The Bengals battled early, exchanging baskets with the Aggies and holding a brief lead during the opening minutes. However, Utah State used a strong finish to the first half and an explosive second-half performance to pull away, handing the Bengals a 36-point defeat.
MaCarhy Morris led the Bengals with 15 points, shooting 6-of-13 from the field, while Kenyon DeMuynck added 14 points, three rebounds and four blocks. Ike Palmer provided an offensive spark off the bench, finishing with 10 points on a perfect 3-of-3 shooting from the field and 4-of-4 from the free-throw line.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Idaho State came out with energy, trading baskets with Utah State throughout the opening minutes. After the Aggies scored the first four points, DeMuynck got the Bengals on the board with a three-pointer at the 18:43 mark of the first half.
Ty Virgil followed with a triple at the 17:04 mark, giving Idaho State an 8-4 advantage. The Bengals continued to find opportunities offensively, with Morris and Nathan Amoran contributing baskets to help maintain the early momentum.
Utah State responded, eventually tying the contest at 14-14 before taking its first sustained lead. The Aggies used a combination of interior scoring and transition opportunities to build separation, including a 6-0 stretch that helped establish a 22-16 advantage with 7:51 remaining in the opening half.
DeMuynck continued to provide an offensive presence inside, finishing a dunk at the 8:47 mark to bring the Bengals within two, 18-16.
Utah State closed the half with a strong finish, taking a 37-29 lead into the locker room. Ike Palmer provided a late basket with 18 seconds remaining, finishing a layup off an assist from Morris to make it an eight-point game.
The Bengals opened the second half looking to cut into the deficit. Morris scored a fastbreak layup at the 19:29 mark, trimming the Utah State advantage to six, 37-31.
However, the Aggies quickly answered. Utah State scored six consecutive points to push its advantage back to 12, and continued to capitalize offensively on its way to a 43-31 lead at the 17:41 mark.
Idaho State continued to battle, with Malachi Johnson finishing an interior basket with 16:53 left in the game, before DeMuynck added another layup to make it 46-37 with 16:13 remaining.
Utah State responded with another decisive stretch, extending its advantage to 54-37 before Palmer converted a pair of free throws with 12:57 to play.
The Aggies continued to find success offensively, eventually pushing their lead beyond 20 points. Kingston Tosi proved particularly difficult to contain, scoring consistently around the basket while Utah State found additional opportunities in transition.
Utah State shot an impressive 70.6 percent from the field in the second half, knocking down 24-of-34 attempts while outscoring Idaho State 57-29 after halftime.
The Aggies continued to extend their advantage throughout the closing minutes, eventually securing the 94-58 victory.
PLAYER STATS
Morris led Idaho State with 15 points, adding five assists while shooting 6-of-13 from the field. DeMuynck finished with 14 points, three rebounds, four blocks and three steals, providing contributions on both ends of the floor.
Palmer delivered an efficient performance off the bench, recording 10 points on a perfect 3-of-3 shooting from the field and 4-of-4 from the free-throw line. He also added two rebounds and an assist.
Virgil finished with five points, one rebound, one block and one steal. Malachi Johnson contributed four points, five rebounds and one block, while Amoran added four points and four rebounds.
Aden Goffe scored four points in three minutes, including a three-pointer. Elijah Garner added one point, two rebounds and two steals, while Malik Johnson finished with one point, one rebound and one steal.
Quin Patterson, Joven Dulay, McKae Amundsen, Landen Birley and Bryce Lowenbach also saw action for the Bengals.
TEAM STATS
Idaho State shot 35.1 percent (20-of-57) from the field, 12.0 percent (3-of-25) from three-point range and 62.5 percent (15-of-24) from the free-throw line. The Bengals finished with 25 rebounds, eight assists, eight steals, six blocks and 15 turnovers.
Utah State shot 58.1 percent (36-of-62) from the field, 29.4 percent (5-of-17) from beyond the arc and 77.3 percent (17-of-22) from the free-throw line. The Aggies dominated the glass, finishing with 48 rebounds, while also recording 26 assists, 12 steals, one block and 14 turnovers.
Utah State held a 60-30 advantage in points in the paint and scored 21 fastbreak points compared to just two for Idaho State. The Aggies also held a 41-20 advantage in bench points.
NEXT UP
Idaho State will continue its 2026-27 campaign on the road at Wyoming on Friday, Nov. 6th followed by a trip to the Air Force Academy for a showdown with the Fightin' Falcons on Sunday, Nov. 8th.
