For Danny

Bengals Shock RPI #3 Utah 72-68 for First Win Over Utes in Almost 50 Years

Pocatello, ID --- Idaho State University picked up their biggest win in perhaps the past 31 years as Idaho State led nearly from start to finish, and then hit their free throws in the end, shocking Utah, the #3 team in the latest RPI rankings, 72-68 in front of 2,816 fans in Holt Arena, led by an incredible night by Matt Stucki just days after the birth of his first child.

Stucki, who missed ISU's 60-41 loss at Washington State to witness the birth of his first son Colton on Wednesday, nearly turned in the third triple-double in Idaho State history, scoring 20 points and grabbing nine boards while dishing out nine assists.

Idaho State led nearly the whole way, as Austin Kilpatrick drained a three as part of a four-point play to give ISU a 6-2 lead early on, but that was it as Kilpatrick sprained his ankle on the play. Idaho State, who hit seven of their first eight shots, took their biggest lead of the season at 26-18 in the first half, and they pushed that all the way to 15 in the second half, but Utah eventually came storming back.

The scoreboard tells the story

Up 55-42, the Bengals went nearly seven and a half minutes without a basket, and Utah pulled even, and eventually ahead at 61-60 with 4:56 to go on a pair of Shaun Green free throws, but that would be the only lead that Utah would have. Devidias Busma, who held Luke Nevill to just three rebounds on the night, hit a jumper from the foul line to give ISU the lead right back, and then held for three straight defensive possessions until Morgan scored on a driving layup with 2:34 to go for a 64-61 lead.

ISU led 66-61 before Utah got a couple of free throws and then a basket with 36.1 left to make it 66-65, but Morgan hit a pair of free throws, and then Tyler Kepkay missed a three, putting Stucki on the line with 18.1 left. Matt hit one of two, and with 8.1 left, Lawrence Borha hit a wild three-pointer to make 69-68, but Morgan hit two more free throws, and Utah's desperation three with second seconds left missed, and the celebration ensued.

The win over Utah was ISU's first over the Utes (5-2) in six meetings, and their first since a 71-65 win over Utah in the consolation round of the NCAA Tournament in 1959, almost 50 years ago. It also was ISU's first win over Utah in Pocatello in 73 years, dating back to a 35-30 win in 1935.

Asked how it was in the locker room after finally ending a five-game losing streak, head coach Joe O'Brien summed it up in one word..."Great!" He added, "The locker room is an entirely different place right now. I mean we knocked on door at Hawai'I, at Boise State, and against Long Beach, and to woulda coulda shoulda and not win one was frustrating. It wasn't an overtime win, but you know, I think we'll keep this one."

Stucki was the hero, draining a few early threes and he certainly brought a steady hand to an offense that looked mired in quicksand without him on Tuesday night. ISU had more points in the first half, 45, then they did in the entire game against Washington State, 41, and O'Brien felt that having his baby during the week eased things for the senior.

"The Pressure is off for Matt. They had the baby and life is back to normal for him," said O'Brien, who added jokingly, "The mom's do all the work and the dad's worry." Stucki's baby was the first of two this week, as Associate Head Coach Steve Swanson and his wife Sandy welcomed their second daughter on Friday night.

The win was probably the biggest for Idaho State since the 76-75 win over UCLA in the 1977 Sweet Sixteen, but with Utah's RPI at 3 out of 348 schools, it certainly might be the biggest win since then, at least in the regular season. "I don't know if this is bigger than the win over Montana in the conference tournament last year because the tournament is what it is all about, but certainly it's right up there," said O'Brien.

Things however don't get any easy, as ISU heads off to the Midwest for a two-game swing starting Tuesday night at the Kohl Center to face Wisconsin, who are 6-2 and coming off a 61-58 loss at Marquette.

NOTES: Along with Stucki's 20 points, Morgan scored 14, and Demetrius Monroe had 11 ... Utah's Luke Nevill had 22, Shaun Green had 14, and Carlon Brown had 11 ... ISU had a season-low nine turnovers ... Idaho State went 16-for-22 from the line, .727, a marked improvement over the three games when ISU shot under 59% ... ISU shot .621 from the field in the first half ... Joe O'Brien had new glasses for the game, going with a more horn-rimmed type.