Idaho secured a decisive 90-58 win over North Dakota in the first game of the Big Sky-Summit League Challenge, held in Moscow, Idaho. The Vandals improved their season record to 5-3, while the Fighting Hawks dropped to 3-7.
The match remained close during the first eight minutes, but Idaho began to build a lead after a series of plays that included an early three-pointer and an 8-3 run capped by a high-intensity dunk. Junior led Idaho in scoring during the first half with 13 points. Johnson contributed defensively with three steals and one block.
In the second half, Brickner delivered a standout performance. After entering at the 13:06 mark and starting 0-2 from the field, he scored his first three-pointer at 10:58. Brickner then added 23 points in nine minutes, finishing with a career-high total of 26 points on 80% shooting from beyond the arc. This was his best rate for three-point shooting this season.
Idaho made 14 three-pointers in total, extending its streak of games with five or more threes to 54 consecutive contests. The team also out-rebounded North Dakota by a margin of 35-20—its largest rebounding advantage against a Division I opponent this season—and maintained control for over thirty minutes of game time.
“This marks Idaho’s largest win against a D1 opponent since December 2, 2022 against Northern Illinois,” according to Idaho Athletics.
The Vandals will play South Dakota State next on Saturday as part of game two in the Big Sky-Summit League Challenge. Tip-off is scheduled for noon PST and coverage will be available on The Summit League Network and Vandal Radio Network.
Idaho Athletics has announced that all student tickets for football, basketball, volleyball, and soccer home events are free of charge.
To stay up-to-date with Vandal Hoops news and updates about upcoming games or ticket information, fans are encouraged to follow official team channels online.
