Don Verlin is thinking longterm

Idaho is going to suffer a short-term negative on-court effect with the following decisions but a new coach can and needs to look beyond tomorrow. Don Verlin will be given the time to develop an actual men's basketball program in Moscow and obviously felt the players on his team needed to be going in a certain direction. Jordan Brooks and Mike Hall apparently felt differently. Guess who won?

This may or may not mean anything but when Idaho played at San Jose State on January 24, Jordan Brooks refused to heed repeated calls by an assistant coach to join the team huddle. We obviously don't know what that incident was about but it's not difficult to connect the dots vis-a-vis the display of such an attitude and Brooks' dismissal from the team.

(we posted the entire article because the Moscow-Pullman Daily News requires a subscription to read -- uh oh, who's that knocking at our door flashing that badge...)

Brooks, Hall won't return to UI hoops program
Standouts were Vandals' first- and third- leading scorers last season
Aaron Wasser
Moscow Pullman Daily News
May 29, 2008

Idaho men's basketball standouts Jordan Brooks and Mike Hall will not return for their senior seasons, first-year Vandals coach Don Verlin told the Daily News this morning.

Verlin wasn't specific as to why his first and third-leading scorers from a season ago won't be back for the 2008-09 campaign, only saying that no player was above the rules.

"There're rules in this program that our staff and our players will uphold and Mr. Brooks and Mr. Hall didn't do that," the former Utah State assistant coach said. "There's rules no matter who you are."

Brooks and Hall will be greatly missed on a team that went just 8-21 during the 2007-08 season and 5-11 in Western Athletic Conference play.

Brooks, a 6-foot-3 forward from Houston, Texas, led the Vandals in many offensive categories, including points (12.4 ppg), rebounds (6.2 rpg), steals (48) and assists (132) in a season that saw him become UI's first player to earn all-conference honors since 2004-05.

Hall, a 6-foot guard from Troy, Ohio, averaged 9.6 points per game as the team's third-leading scorer. Hall's forte, however, came at the 3-point line. His 64 made 3s led the team and his nine in a Jan. 24 game against San Jose State set a new Idaho school record.

Verlin said earlier this month that oft-injured post Mike Kale also will not return for his final season of eligibility.

The good news for the Vandals is that all three players will leave the university eligible and if Brooks and Hall land at a four-year university after sitting out a season it won't affect UI's APR score. Kale is not expected to transfer, but will seek out a professional career overseas.

Idaho's scholarship total is now at 12, leaving Verlin one scholarship left under the NCAA limit of 13. He has already added four players since arriving in Moscow in March, and he said he isn't sure what he'll do with the remaining scholarship.

Happenings in the WAC last night

This moves Idaho way ahead of Louisiana Tech and also beyond SJSU in avoiding the WAC tourney playoff game. Idaho's victory also makes Saturday's Louisiana Tech - San Jose State even more compelling.

Idaho gets OT win in men's hoops
Bulldogs' halftime lead vanishes in tough loss
Gary Estwick
The Fresno Bee
2/14/08

MOSCOW, Idaho -- Idaho used two special overtime moments Thursday to defeat the Fresno State men's basketball team 79-74.

First, double-teamed by Eddie Miller and Alex Blair, guard Mike Hall stood near the Idaho sideline. As the shot clock ticked down to 3 seconds, he used a hesitation dribble with his left hand, freezing Blair, then leaped and released.

His shot rattled around the rim before falling with 1:12 left, giving Idaho a two-point lead.

"It went in, the crowd went crazy," Hall said. "Everybody was just glad to see us on top for once."

Then, with 11.2 seconds left, Jordan Brooks, a point guard-power forward, scored in the post over Dwight O'Neil. Brooks was fouled, and added a free throw, ending Idaho's losing streak at four games while giving Fresno State coach Steve Cleveland one of his most humbling losses of the season.

"You can't let me get the ball that deep with anybody on me," Brooks warned afterward. "Five-nine, or 6-9, it's going to be a bucket or a foul."

It ended up being both.

Brooks led all scorers with 25 points. He also had 16 rebounds and five assists, and helped hold Kevin Bell to eight points on 3-of-13 shooting. Hall added 17 for Idaho, a program that has finished its first two seasons at the bottom of the Western Athletic Conference...

Go here for the remainder.

AND

Just when it looked liked the Wolf Pack had the proverbial head of steam and just might surpass Boise State in the standings, the Broncos take Nevada down 77-68.

Greg Graham's squad had a 12-point lead at halftime and that lasted. Reggie Larry led Boise with 20 points (6-18 shooting) and Matt Nelson provided 19 points (in just 20 minutes of play). Marcelus Kemp did the honors for Nevada with 22 points. Guard Matt Bauscher led the Broncos with 10 rebounds. In 17 minutes of action, JaVale McGee totaled three points and three rebounds, shooting 1-9 from the floor. Boise out-boarded Nevada 35-30 and outshot the visitors 47.5% to 36.1%.

Pack basketball: Broncos' defense takes toll on Pack
Steve Sneddon
RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL
February 15, 2008

BOISE, Idaho -- It was the fourth game in eight days for the Nevada basketball team and it showed. Repeatedly.

Defensively, it showed at the beginning of the game. When the Wolf Pack was able to make a run in the second half, it sputtered.

Reggie Larry scored 14 of his 20 points in the second half and Matt Nelson had 19 points to lead Boise State past a weary Nevada, 77-68, in front of 5,244 fans at Taco Bell Arena on Thursday night. The victory gave the Broncos a regular-season series sweep over the Pack, which dropped to 16-9 overall and 8-4 in the Western Athletic Conference.

The Broncos, 18-6 overall and 9-3 in the WAC, opened the game with an 11-0 run and the Pack was never able to get closer than five points after the first minute and 12 seconds. The last time Nevada was able to close the gap to five was in the second half when it used an 8-0 run to slice the lead to 58-53 with 9:34 left.

"We just didn't have enough juice in the tank to sustain the second-half effort," Nevada coach Mark Fox said. "Tonight, we just didn't have energy defensively."

The Pack was outshot and outrebounded. The Broncos took a 39-33 advantage on the boards. It was the 12th time the Pack has been outrebounded this season, but it was the opening minutes that set the tone for the game...

Go here for the remainder.

Or if you prefer the Idaho perspective:

Bronco men sweep Nevada for first time since 1998-99
Nick Jezierny
Idaho Statesman
February 15, 2008

The WAC's highest-scoring team showed Thursday night that it also can play a little defense.
Boise State limited Nevada to a season-low 36.1 percent shooting and led from start to finish in recording a 77-68 win in front of 5,244 fans at Taco Bell Arena.

The win by the Broncos (18-6 overall, 9-3 WAC) gave them their first season sweep of the Wolf Pack (16-9, 8-4) since the 1998-99 season.

"I think it's huge and opens peoples' eyes," BSU senior Matt Bauscher said. "Every time people talk about Boise State, the first two words are 'blue field.' Then it's football, so that's three words. So maybe now someone will start talking about the basketball team."

The Broncos scored the first 11 points of the game, and Nevada never got closer than five points.

Reggie Larry (20 points) and Matt Nelson (19) were the only Broncos in double figures, but five others scored at least six points to give BSU the balance it craves.

"We jumped out and set the tone right away," BSU coach Greg Graham said. "They made a couple of runs, but we kept control of the game from the get-go."

The Broncos won 95-80 last month in Reno, a victory that was fueled by offense.

Thursday's win was a near opposite, though the Broncos made 16-of-26 shots in the first half to take a 42-30 lead...

Go here for the remainder.

AND

NMSU won as expected in Ruston:

New Mexico State subdues shorthanded Tech men's team
News-Star news services

RUSTON New Mexico State shot 58.7 percent from the field and forced 18 Louisiana Tech turnovers as they pulled away late in the second half for an 85-63 win at the Thomas Assembly Center on Thursday night.

The Bulldogs (4-19, 1-10 WAC), who had only seven healthy players available for tonight's contest, fought hard throughout the evening, pulling within single-digits several times during the second half. But the size and speed of the Aggies (15-12, 9-3 WAC) proved to be too much in the end.

The teams traded baskets over the first 12 minutes of the game and stood knotted at 18 apiece with less than eight minutes to play. But a 20-6 New Mexico State run gave the Aggies a 14-point halftime lead at 38-24...

Go here for the remainder.

Idaho gets a win

We've had some fun at the expense of the Vandals at times so here's some payback: Coach George Pfeiffer's team nabs a league win over visiting Louisiana Tech.

Vandals down Bulldogs, 85-78
Courtesy: Idaho Athletic Media Relations
1/10/2008

MOSCOW, Idaho – Jordan Brooks and Mike Hall combined for 42 points and the University of Idaho men’s basketball team shot 51-percent from the floor in an 85-78 victory over Louisiana Tech Thursday.

The win was Idaho’s (4-10, 1-2) first of the early Western Athletic Conference schedule and its first ever over Louisiana Tech (3-11, 0-2).

“This was an offensive game,” Idaho coach George Pfeifer said. “It was definitely somebody trying to outscore somebody. What was impressive to me tonight was every time they made a run at us, we answered the run. We showed some patience of offensive.”

Clyde Johnson, who started his first game of the season, added a career-high 19 points on 8-of-10 shooting, which included a 3-of-3 performance from beyond the 3-point arc. Brooks added 10 rebounds to earn Idaho’s first double-double of the season and scored 11 of his 21 points from the free throw line. He also tallied five steals and four assists. Hall hit 50-percent of his shots from the floor and from beyond the arc and his four 3-pointers give him 21 in the last five games. Brandon Brown added 12 points off the bench.

The Vandals shot 29-of-57 from the field and 9-of-19 (.474) from beyond the arc. They also hit 18-of-24 free throws and outrebounded the Bulldogs by seven. Idaho also tallied just nine turnovers, which included just three at halftime.

Louisiana Tech scored first in the contest and the scored was tied three times in the first three minutes before Idaho pulled ahead for good at 8-6 with 16:28 remaining. The Vandals moved ahead by seven at the 11:32 mark but the Bulldogs fought back to tie the score on two occasions. With the score tied at 22, Idaho put together a 10-0 run and eventually moved ahead by 12 at 40-28 with 2:05 remaining. Louisiana Tech scored the final eight points of the half, including a 3-pointer at the buzzer, to pull within 40-36 at halftime.

The Bulldogs continued their streak and eventually scored 11 unanswered points to pull within 40-39 at the start of the second half. Idaho responded with six points and eventually moved ahead by 11 after hitting 3-pointers on three consecutive possessions. Idaho’s lead was 71-61 with 8:12 remaining when Louisiana Tech put together a 10-2 run to pull within 73-71 with 4:35 remaining. Idaho responded with the next four points and later hit 7-of-8 free throws in the final 1:04 to hold on for the 85-78 victory.

Stop the presses...the internet too...Idaho wins

Stop the presses!

Same for the 'net. You know, that series of tubes -- okay, okay, not everyone appreciates John Stewart/The Daily Show and that infamous clip featuring Mr. Wizard [aka Alaska Senator Ted Stevens] rattling on in an authoritative discourse about world wide web.

Anyway, THE UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO won a basketball game!

The Vandals defeated Eastern Washington 58-49 Sunday.

Direct from the Idaho athletics web site in all its deserved glory:

MOSCOW, Idaho – The University of Idaho men’s basketball team used its defense to lock down a 58-49 win over visiting Eastern Washington at the Cowan Spectrum Sunday.

The Vandals (2-6) held the Eagles (3-8) to zero field goals over nearly 16 minutes and Eastern Washington committed 19 turnovers in the game. The Eagles were limited to just 15-of-48 (.313) shooting in the contest and hit just 3-of-16 (.188) 3-pointers.

“I was impressed with our defensive performance tonight,” Idaho coach George Pfeifer said. “Trevor (Morris) and Brandon (Brown) had a lot to do with that. Our plan was to play hard, score points and be the aggressor. We simplified everything and we stuck to that plan.”

The win snapped a six-game losing streak and was Idaho’s first win at the Cowan Spectrum since Jan. 18, 2007.

“This team has worked really hard and they are deserving of this pay day. We could have put it away earlier if we would have stayed the course a little more, but we looked like a team who hadn’t won in a while,” Pfeifer said.

Idaho jumped out to a 7-0 lead, but Eastern Washington stormed back with the next six points to pull within one at the 17:30 mark. The Vandals held the advantage until two free throws put the Eagles ahead 10-9 with 15:27 remaining in the half. Eastern Washington moved ahead 14-9 before Idaho came back to retake the lead at 18-16 with 7:42 remaining. EWU led 16-13 with 10:47 remaining in the first half, but that would prove to be the final field goal for the visiting team for nearly 16 minutes. Idaho held Eastern Washington to just one free throw for the remainder of the first half and led 26-17 at the break.

The Vandals moved ahead 30-17 to open the second half before two EWU free throws cut into the margin. Idaho didn’t allow a field goal until the 14:58 mark of the second half when a lay in made the score 35-21. Idaho continued on what would become a 26-5 run and led 39-21 with 13:06 remaining. The Vandals remained up big until their offense hit a bump in the road and allowed the Eagles a 10-0 run that cut the lead to 46-41 with 4:26 remaining. Darin Nagle converted a dunk after the timeout and a missed lay in from Eastern Washington allowed Idaho to move back ahead by 10 at 51-41 with 3:05 remaining. The Vandals converted 7-of-8 free throws during the final 1:15 to hold on for the 58-49 victory.

Jordan Brooks led the Vandals with 14 points and Trevor Morris chipped in 11 points. Brandon Brown came off the bench to score seven points and grab four steals.

The Vandals hit 22-of-52 (.423) shots from the floor and held a 36-31 advantage in rebounding.

The previous list of victors over the Vandals this season includes UC Riverside, Central Arkansas, Idaho State, South Dakota State and others so we felt this win deserved to be highlighted. Hopefully, we haven't gotten too smarmy or nauseating with this.