1986–87 Idaho State Bengals men's basketball team

1986–87 Idaho State Bengals men's basketball
NCAA tournament, First Round
ConferenceBig Sky Conference
Record15–16 (5–9 Big Sky)
Head coach
  • Jim Boutin (2nd season)
Home arenaISU Minidome
Seasons
1986–87 Big Sky men's basketball standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT
Montana State 12 – 2   .857 21 – 8   .724
Boise State 10 – 4   .714 22 – 8   .733
Montana 8 – 6   .571 18 – 11   .621
Nevada 7 – 7   .500 15 – 15   .500
Northern Arizona 5 – 9   .357 11 – 17   .393
Idaho 5 – 9   .357 16 – 14   .533
Idaho State † 5 – 9   .357 15 – 16   .484
Weber State 4 – 10   .286 7 – 22   .241
† Conference tournament winner

The 1986–87 Idaho State Bengals men's basketball team represented Idaho State University during the 1986–87 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. Members of the Big Sky Conference, the Bengals were led by second-year head coach Jim Boutin and played their home games on campus at the ISU Minidome in Pocatello, Idaho.

The Bengals were 12–15 overall in the regular season and 5–9 in conference play, tied for fifth place. At the conference tournament in Flagstaff, Arizona, they were seeded seventh and upset second-seeded Boise State by a point in the quarterfinal round.[1][2] In the semifinal the next night, Idaho State defeated sixth seed Idaho by nineteen and advanced to the final against fourth-seeded Nevada,[3][4] and won by eleven.[5][6]

In the 64-team NCAA tournament, ISU was seeded sixteenth in the West regional and met top-ranked UNLV (33–1) in Salt Lake City. Down by nineteen points at halftime, they lost 95–70,[7][8] and ended the season at 15–16.[9]

This was Idaho State's eleventh NCAA tournament appearance, but its first in ten years, and its most recent.

Postseason results

Date
time, TV 		Rank# Opponent# Result Record Site (attendance)
city, state
Big Sky tournament
Thu, March 5
2:30 pm 		(7) vs. (2) Boise State
Quarterfinal 		W 78–77  13–15
 Walkup Skydome 
Flagstaff, Arizona
Fri, March 6
9:10 pm 		(7) vs. (6) Idaho
Semifinal 		W 82–63  14–15
 Walkup Skydome (3,527)
Flagstaff, Arizona
Sat, March 7
9:10 pm, ESPN 		(7) vs. (4) Nevada
Final 		W 92–81  15–15
 Walkup Skydome (3,752)
Flagstaff, Arizona
NCAA tournament
Thu, March 12*
2:37 pm, ESPN 		(16 W) vs. (1 W) No. 1 UNLV
First round 		L 70–95  15–16
 Special Events Center (11,314)
Salt Lake City, Utah
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
All times are in Mountain time.

References

  1. ^ Boling, Dave (March 6, 1987). "Idaho cures free-throw blues, upsets Griz". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. 25.
  2. ^ "Idaho stays alive, WSU season ends". Idahonian. (Moscow). March 6, 1987. p. 11.
  3. ^ Boling, Dave (March 7, 1987). "First food, then ISU stops Vandals, 82-63". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. B1.
  4. ^ "Ousted: Sky falls on Vandals". Idahonian. (Moscow). March 7, 1987. p. 21.
  5. ^ Boling, Dave (March 8, 1987). "Idaho State takes a surprising Rhode to NCAA". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. D5.
  6. ^ "Rhode: Off the bench to the NCAA". Idahonian. (Moscow). Associated Press. March 9, 1987. p. 11.
  7. ^ Robinson, Doug (March 13, 1987). "UNLV runs, guns, plays defense in routing Idaho St". Deseret News. (Salt Lake City, Utah). p. D1.
  8. ^ "No. 1 UNLV wins by 25, but Tark isn't happy". Spokesman-Review. (Spokesman-Review). Associated Press. March 13, 1987. p. 36.
  9. ^ "Cowboys ready for West shootout". Idahonian. (Moscow). Associated Press. March 13, 1987. p. 11.