CALDWELL, Idaho (Interstat) — The Idaho Vandals used a balanced offensive attack and a dominant second-half performance to pull away from the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks for a 78-58 victory in a Big Sky Conference men’s basketball game Thursday night at Idaho Central Credit Union Arena.

A crowd of 1,744 watched the Vandals improve to 16-13 overall, while the Lumberjacks fell to 10-19.

The most important part of the game was a decisive 18-4 run by Idaho spanning the end of the first half and the start of the second that turned a narrow contest into a comfortable lead. Northern Arizona had closed to within 29-26 late in the opening period, but Idaho scored the final eight points before halftime, capped by a driving layup from Isaiah Brickner with two seconds remaining, to take a 37-29 lead into the break.

The Vandals then opened the second half with 10 of the first 12 points. Brickner started the surge with a layup off an assist from Brody Rowbury, and Jackson Rasmussen followed with a 3-pointer. By the time Biko Johnson connected from beyond the arc at the 17:54 mark, Idaho’s lead had ballooned to 47-31, and Northern Arizona never threatened again.

Idaho’s offense was efficient and shared the wealth. Jackson Rasmussen, a 6-foot-7 sophomore from Meridian, Idaho, led all scorers with 19 points, adding two blocks. Isaiah Brickner, a 6-4 guard from San Diego, provided 15 points and three assists, consistently breaking down the Lumberjack defense. Off the bench, Jack Payne, a Boise native, chipped in 12 points in just 11 minutes, hitting a pair of crucial first-half 3-pointers.

The Vandals also showcased their defensive prowess, registering seven blocks and nine steals. Trevon Blassingame and Miles Klapper each had two blocks, while Rasmussen and Brody Rowbury also contributed to the rim protection. Northern Arizona’s Traivar Jackson did his part defensively for the Lumberjacks, recording four blocks, but Idaho’s length and activity disrupted Northern Arizona’s rhythm throughout the night.

Northern Arizona, which split its season series with Idaho after a home loss to the Vandals just over three weeks ago, struggled to find consistent offense. The Lumberjacks were led by 11 points each from Diego Campisano and Chris Komin. Komin, a guard from Cypress, California, played all 40 minutes, adding two assists. Jackson, from Anchorage, Alaska, finished with five points, four blocks and three steals.

Idaho steadily expanded its lead throughout the second half, with the margin reaching 20 points on multiple occasions. The Vandals’ ball movement was sharp, resulting in 17 assists on their 29 made field goals. Klapper and Aidan Sevilla each dished out four assists.

The game’s statistical projections favored Idaho heavily, with the Vandals entering as a 10.5-point favorite. They easily covered that spread, and the combined score of 136 fell well under the posted over/under of 145.5.

Northern Arizona will look to rebound quickly as it travels to face Eastern Washington on Saturday. Idaho, meanwhile, returns home to host Northern Colorado on Saturday, seeking to build momentum as the regular season enters its final stretch.