Matt Stucki will take on Idaho, Brigham Young, Utah, and Utah State in Holt Arena for his senior year.

June 5, 2008

2008-09 Men's Basketball Schedule

Printable 2008-09 Schedule

Pocatello, ID --- If there was ever an occasion to get season tickets to Idaho State men's basketball, the 2008-09 season is pretty much chock full of reasons. The 2008-09 complete men's basketball schedule has been released by head coach Joe O'Brien, and it features 16 home games, including non-conference home games with Utah, Utah State, and Brigham Young, with the Cougars making only their second trip to Pocatello in the last 56 years.

The other non-conference home games are a pair of exhibitions at Reed Gym against Montana Tech and Rocky Mountain (that game a doubleheader with the women's team), and regular season games against Long Beach State and Idaho, along with the regular season opener, a November 14th game at Reed Gym against Eastern Oregon.

Idaho State will once again have a challenging road schedule, with games at Hawai'i, Boise State, Washington State, Wisconsin, Wisconsin-Green Bay, Arizona State, Nevada, and Kansas State. In all, the Bengals will take on six NCAA Tournament teams from last season (Portland State, Boise State, Wisconsin, Brigham Young, Washington State, and Kansas State) two NIT teams (Arizona State and Utah State), and two CBI teams (Utah and Nevada), giving the Bengals 11 postseason teams (counting Eastern Oregon's NAIA Sweet 16 appearance), and 10 out of their 14 regular season non-conference opponents. ISU's 14 non-conference opponent have a combined record of 280-180, a .609 mark.

"I think our fans know my philosophy on scheduling," said head coach Joe O'Brien, who guided ISU to a fourth place finish in the Big Sky last year and a berth in the semifinals of the conference tournament. "What is exciting about this year's schedule, particularly non-conference, is that we have six home games, and the two exhibitions, so we won't have to constantly battle these teams on the road, and having four postseason teams in Holt Arena is pretty good for us."

Four of the home games are marquee regional matchups, starting on the Saturday after Thanksgiving on November 29 with Brigham Young, marking the Cougars second trip to Pocatello in the last 56 years. The other game was in 1977, a 94-87 Bengal win. The following Saturday, December 6 sees Utah make only their second Gate City trip in the last 64 years. They last visited Holt Arena in 1978, winning 85-76. After a week for finals, Utah State comes to Holt Arena for their third trip to Pocatello in the last 28 years. ISU also hosts Idaho on December 29.

"Having teams like Brigham Young and Utah coming to Pocatello should give our fans the types of home games to get excited about. BYU, Utah, and Utah State have all been NCAA Tournament teams and postseason regulars, and to get just one of them to Holt Arena is great, but all three makes for a really special home schedule," said O'Brien.

Idaho State opens conference play at home on January 1 against Northern Colorado, and ISU has three Saturday home conference dates, with Montana State on January 17, Eastern Washington on February 14, and Northern Arizona on February 28.

"Conference play as always will be vital for us, and the tough and challenging non-conference schedule should have us well prepared," said O'Brien.

SCHEDULE NOTES: Idaho State currently has no Sunday games at home, but ISU may have to move one game to a Sunday due to potential Holt scheduling conflicts ... 11 of ISU's 23 opponents won 20 games last year, including NAIA Eastern Oregon, who went 26-6. One, Wisconsin, was 31-5 ... not counting Portland State, six opponents won or shared conference titles last year (Boise State, Utah State, Nevada, Wisconsin, Brigham Young, and Eastern Oregon.