Border hoops battle set for tonight in Moscow

MOSCOW - The Idaho and Washington State men's basketball teams meet for the 268th time tonight at 7 (SWX) in the Cowan Spectrum.

"It's a friendly rivalry, like a sibling rivalry," Idaho coach Don Verlin said. "We play with each other all summer long and we watch each other. They come to our games, we go to their games. I hope they win every game but one to be honest with you."

DaVonte Lacy of WSU (3-4) averages a team-best 21.1 points per game to go with 4.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists. Idaho is 4-4.

"Lacy is having a great year but they've got some other really good players," Verlin said. "(WSU coach) Ken Bone always does a great job and Lacy is obviously a great player but D.J. Shelton really hurt us last year and there are a number of guys who can hurt you on that basketball team."

Idaho (4-4) is led by Stephen Madison's 17.0 points 8.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. The senior is shooting 43.6 percent from the field and 34.6 percent from 3-point range. Junior Connor Hill from Post Falls High is coming off a career-high 29 points on 7-of-9 shooting from beyond the arc, and he averages 13.0 points and 2.1 rebounds per game. Senior Glen Dean, who is no stranger to PAC-12 competition after playing at Utah last season, averages 11.9 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game for the Vandals, and has knocked down 16 3-pointers.

"The thing I'm happiest with is we're getting better," Verlin said of his team's progress through the first eight games. "We've got so many new guys and we're putting in a whole new system. Every day we seem to be getting better and that's what our goal is, get a little better every day and hopefully be playing our best basketball at the end of the season."