Lucas Gebhart
Sports Editor
The Idaho State University men’s basketball team lead Montana Tech for 38:24 of the 40-minute basketball game at Reed Gym Friday night, as the Bengals lead by double-digit the entire second half in route to a 76-46 blowout win over a Division II school with six wins to its name.
Montana Tech (6-6) scored the first basket of the game before ISU (3-8) went on a 7-0 run, forcing a Montana Tech timeout and leaving the Diggers in the dust.
The win comes six days after the Bengals lead Bristol University, a USCAA team, a division lower than NAIA, by six with 9:02 to go. The key, according to head coach Bill Evans, was ball movement.
“I tell them all the time that their mommies and daddies have taught them to share,” Evans said. “We’re getting better at that.”
The Bengals had 16 total assists on 25 made baskets, as seven different Bengals registered at least one assist. Robert Jones III lead the way with four.
Jones came off the bench in favor of Keshawn Liggins, who made his first career start Friday night.
Evans planned to redshirt Liggins this season but decided to play the junior forward because of things he does that appear off the stat sheet and his overall playing ability. Liggins finished the night 2-2 from the field with four points and rebounds, two assists and one steal.
“Look at his stats. How many negative things do you see there?” Evans rhetorically asked. “Sometimes your best players don’t always make your best teams. He is not one of my best players, but he makes my team better. That’s all I want is a good team. Teams win games.”
Three Bengals reached double figure points as Brandon Boyd lead the way with 15, followed by Hayes Garrity, who had 14 off the bench, while a rejuvenated Ethan Telfair chipped in 13.
“Brandon played the way I wanted him to play,” Evans said. “I told him I didn’t want him to shoot the ball as much. I want Brandon to throw the ball to Novak and Geno.”
Boyd was 5-11 last Saturday night against Bristol. Friday night, the freshman shot the ball eight times and made four baskets. Evans sees that as a 5 percent increase in made baskets. 50 percent vs. 45 percent.
Telfair, who has been a funk as of late, shot 3-6 from three-point land, had three assists and was in Diggers point guard Kale Guldseth’s grill all night. In one steal, Telfair fought through contact on his way to the basket where he made a tough layup.
After disputing his case with the official over whether he was fouled or not, Telfair applied heavy pressure to the Digger sophomore point guard. Telfair stole the ball before Gudlseth reached the three-point arc and dished a dime to Liggins who finished off the glass.
“The last couple weeks I have had a couple things on my chest that I should have let go earlier,” Telfair said. “It starts with me. If I can pressure the ball and make the other guard uncomfortable that will help us get more stops.”
With Kyle Ingram lost for the season, rebounding has been problematic for ISU this season. ISU out-rebounded Montana Tech 33-30, while the 7-0 Novak Topalovic was doubled in the post every time he touched the ball.
“We drilled that all week. We want to get better at a couple plays right now and just add onto that,” Telfair said.
Topalovic finished the night with six points and four rebounds on a Montana Tech team that started four guards and left a 6-7 junior forward to guard Topalovic in the post. The double teams opened up open looks from behind the arc, as ISU attempted 25 threes and made 11 of them, shooting 44 percent.
The double teams combined with the ball movement enable the Bengals to shoot 46.3% from the field. Against Bristol, ISU shot 41.1 percent from the field. Both nights had their fair share of open looks.
“I feel like we always play well in Reed,” Telfair said. “I don’t even understand why this program makes us switch around so much. It’s confusing. We have been working out in Reed since August. It is our gym.”
ISU will travel to Boise State and BYU before opening conference play in Montana as the Bengals will visit Montana and Montana State Dec. 29 and 31.
