Preview: @UNCO_MBB Tries to Carry Momentum Up to Pocatello

Thursday, February 8

Pocatello, Idaho

7 pm

University of Northern Colorado

Idaho State University

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Photo by: Dean Popejoy

2/7/2018 9:37:00 PM | Men's Basketball

UNC notes for Idaho State Away Game

By: Kurt Maddox, UNCBears.com

Greeley, Colo.—The Northern Colorado men notched their biggest Big Sky win of the year with the help of Andre Spight setting new school records. UNC (15-9, 6-5) will try to replicate their success in Greeley vs Idaho State (10-11, 5-5) all the way up in Bengals country.

The game is set to start at 7 pm Mountain Time and can be seen on Pluto TV. The voice of the Bears Troy Coverdale will be broadcasting it live on 1310 KFKA and you can follow stats live on UNCBears.com

Opening Tip
This will be the 56^th overall meeting between Northern Colorado and Idaho State. Their first bout was in 1947 and the Bengals won the game 47-39. UNC was victorious in the last matchup January 15, 94-80 and that was the second-straight victory in the series for the Bears. ISU leads the overall series 34-21.

Record-Book Watch
Jordan Davis is quickly approaching Will Figures (2006-2010) for ninth all-time in UNC history for points. JD now was 1,271 and sits solidly in 10^th place in the history of men's basketball at Northern Colorado. Figures has 1,287 so Davis will surpass him in the next game at his current average. The Las Vegas native (297) is only two assists behind Troy Graefe (1983-85) (299) for seventh in UNC history.

Last Time Out
Andre Spight didn't come into the game wanting to break multiple school records, but his teammates saw that he was hot and fed him the ball as Dre dropped 41 points in the 86-63 triumph over Montana State. The 41 points are a single-game record as Spight passed Anthony Johnson who scored 37 at Eastern Washington two years ago. Northern Colorado had great performances all around and got back to playing as a team in the 23-point win.

Last Time vs Idaho State
Andre Spight led the way for the Bears by scoring 30. UNC hands Idaho State its second-straight loss this season and in the series between the two teams, 94-80.

Hot Hands
Andre Spight continues to blaze through team after team and he is not afraid to shoot the rock. Spight is coming off multiple school records in the game versus Montana State. The redshirt senior set new school bests:

41-School record for most points in a game
15-Most FG's made in a game
31-Most FG's attempted

The Arizona State transfer also took second place for most 3's made with eight and tied current teammate Chaz Glotta with 21 attempted treys. Those accomplishments earned Spight his second Ready Nutrition Big Sky Player of the Week.
Spight now has 505 points on the season right now and with seven regular-season games remaining, Dre just needs 183 points to tie Devon Beitzel for most points in a single season. He is averaging 24.7 points per conference game and to capture the record he needs to up the average to 26.1 but remember, the Bears will have at least one game in the conference tournament.

Bear Tracks

The Bears are slowly but surely making their way up the scoring list and now average 79.4 points per game overall and 80.5 during the conference season. Because of his recent performance, Spight has moved up the list of top scorers and now puts in 21.0 points per 40 minutes which is third overall. Dre's conference hot streak has sat him atop the list of scorers by averaging 24.7 per game.
The Bears are looking down at everyone else in the league when it comes to defensive rebounds. UNC has pulled down 669 defensive boards while the closest to them is Idaho who has 640 on the season. Their 291 defensive boards are second in the conference season only to Weber State's 302. Jonah Radebaugh is the Bears' leading rebounder on the season with six per game which places him 10^th in the league. Tanner Morgan and Jalen Sanders are in the top in the league with Sanders coming in at 13^th (5.6rpg) and Morgan is 14^th with 5.5rpg.
Spight isn't only scoring the ball as he is in fifth for assists in the conference with 3.7apg.
Dre is tied with Tyler Hall of Montana State in the lead for 3-pointers made per game. Both players hit 3.4 triples per contest but because of his recent outburst, Spight is the leader in this category for the Big Sky season.

Scouting Idaho State

Bill Evans was named the head coach of the Idaho State men's basketball program on March 8, 2012, and he quickly has put his stamp on the program on the court and academically. The 2015-16 Big Sky Conference and NABC All-District Coach of the Year guided the Bengals to a 16-15 record and a fourth-place finish in the Big Sky. Evans is only the fourth ISU coach to be named Big Sky Conference Coach of the Year. Evans coached a Bengal offense in 2015-16 that set a school record for 3-pointers made in a season and ISU had its first first-team all-conference player since 2008-09 in Ethan Telfair.
ISU has gone 2-3 since their loss to UNC January 15. The Bengals went 1-1 on the road and 1-2 at home as they are 7-3 at Holt Arena on the season.
Idaho State as a rare phenomenon as their second-leading scorer Brandon Boyd has not started a game in conference play but does average 14.7 points per game. He has only started four total games this season and averages just over 12 points per game. Boyd was the top Bengal in their loss to UNC in Greeley when he scored 17 points off the bench. The Bengals leading scorer is Jared Stutzman (15.2ppg).
ISU has been outscored by 24 points total all season so expect them to fight to the end and keep it close. They have outpaced opponents by 11 in the first half but has fallen in the second by 35 points.

What's Next
UNC will head back out on the road to face Idaho State on February 8 in Pocatello and Weber State February 10. Both games start at 7 pm Mountain Time.

The next time Northern Colorado will be home will be the last two regular-season games at Bank for Colorado Arena for the team. Northern Arizona comes to town February 15 at 7 pm brought to you by Ehrlich Toyota and Chick-Fil-A senior night will be the 17^th against Southern Utah as UNC will recognize Andre Spight, Tanner Morgan, Anthony Johnson and Tyler Loose for all they have done for the Northern Colorado men's basketball team.