Geiger lifts Vandals past Bobcats

by From news services
| November 27, 2011 8:15 PM

MOSCOW - Sophomore guard Stephen Madison hit an awkward, off-balance bank-shot 3-pointer on Idaho's first possession, and it was that kind of game for the Vandal men's basketball team in a 76-67 victory over Montana State on Saturday at Memorial Gym.

Idaho (3-2) shot 52.5 percent from the floor, held Montana State (2-3) to a 38.7 percent clip, opened the game on a 21-6 scoring run and never trailed in winning its 14th game in 15 tries at the team's alternate home arena under head coach Don Verlin.

"I thought we played really well for about 17 minutes, then we played OK the rest of the way," Verlin said. "If you're going to be a good team, you've got to take care of your home court and I thought our guys came out like they wanted to, at least in the first half."

Senior guard Deremy Geiger led all players with 23 points on 6-of-10 shooting, along with four assists and two rebounds, while fellow senior back-courter Landon Tatum nailed all four of his shots for 11 points and junior center Kyle Barone added 11 points and nine rebounds.

Idaho freshman Connor Hill from Post Falls High scored three points on 1-of-5 shooting. His former Trojan teammate, sophomoreShawn Reid, scored five points on 2-of-9 shooting for Montana State.

Idaho plays host to Eastern Washington on Wednesday.

MONTANA ST. (2-3)

Stewart 3-6 3-6 10, Singleton 6-11 3-4 17, Fall 5-8 2-2 12, Reid 2-9 0-0 5, Johnson-Blount 1-5 1-2 4, Dison 0-3 0-0 0, Anderson 0-1 0-0 0, Allou 2-6 0-0 4, Moon 3-6 0-0 8, Budinich 2-7 2-2 7, Brumwell 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 24-62 11-16 67.

IDAHO (3-2)

Tatum 4-4 2-2 11, Bandoumel 4-6 1-2 9, Barone 3-4 5-9 11, Madison 3-8 1-2 8, Geiger 6-10 7-9 23, Habeeb 2-3 0-0 4, Hill 1-5 0-0 3, McChristian 0-0 1-3 1, Borton 0-4 4-5 4, Kammerer 0-0 0-0 0, Faines 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 24-46 21-32 76.

Halftime_Idaho 32-22. 3-Point Goals_Montana St. 8-23 (Moon 2-4, Singleton 2-4, Stewart 1-1, Johnson-Blount 1-2, Budinich 1-5, Reid 1-5, Dison 0-2), Idaho 7-19 (Geiger 4-7, Tatum 1-1, Madison 1-4, Hill 1-5, Borton 0-2). Fouled Out_Allou. Rebounds_Montana St. 33 (Fall, Stewart 5), Idaho 35 (Barone 9). Assists_Montana St. 7 (Stewart 3), Idaho 11 (Geiger 4). Total Fouls_Montana St. 22, Idaho 13. A_906.