OGDEN, Utah (Interstat) — In a game defined by defensive grit and offensive inefficiency, the Idaho Vandals built a commanding early lead and withstood a furious second-half rally from Weber State to secure a 75-67 victory in a Big Sky Conference men’s basketball game Saturday night at the Dee Events Center.

A crowd of 3,202 watched as Idaho (11-7, 3-2 Big Sky) snapped a two-game conference road skid by leveraging a stifling first-half defensive performance. The Vandals held the Wildcats (10-9, 3-2) to just 29 points on 5-of-28 shooting from the field before halftime, racing to a 41-29 lead at the break.

The most important part of the game was Idaho’s immediate and overwhelming defensive pressure, which set the tone and provided the cushion necessary to survive Weber State’s comeback attempt. The Vandals opened the game with a 12-0 run, holding the Wildcats scoreless for nearly the first five minutes. Weber State missed its first nine field goal attempts, a stretch that included three blocked shots by Idaho’s interior defenders. This early drought forced the Wildcats into a chase mode they never fully escaped, despite a valiant second-half effort led by guard Tijan Saine.

Saine, a sophomore from Everett, Washington, spearheaded the Weber State rally, scoring 19 of his game-high 25 points after halftime. His driving layup with 34 seconds remaining cut Idaho’s lead to 65-63, bringing the Dee Events Center to its loudest point of the night. However, Idaho’s backcourt duo proved too steady in the closing moments. Biko Johnson, a junior from Carson, California, answered with two clutch free throws on the ensuing possession. Following a Weber State miss, Kolton Mitchell of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, sealed the game by sinking two more from the line with 18 seconds left, pushing the lead back to six points and effectively ending the threat.

Johnson led the Vandals with 26 points, including 10-of-12 shooting from the free throw line, while Mitchell added 12 points and four assists. Forward Jackson Rasmussen from Meridian, Idaho, provided a critical interior presence with 16 points, two blocks and two steals. His early activity, alongside center Brody Rowbury’s three blocks, established the defensive foundation. Rowbury, also from Meridian, contributed eight points and nine rebounds.

The statistical story underscored a game of contrasting strengths. Idaho won despite being outrebounded 45-33 overall and allowing 15 offensive boards. The Vandals also committed 16 turnovers. They compensated by holding Weber State to a frigid 30.4% shooting from the field, including just 5-of-21 from three-point range. The Wildcats, reliant on free throws to stay close, attempted 39 foul shots, making 28. Idaho shot a more efficient 45.5% from the floor but struggled from deep at 8-of-25 and from the line at 17-of-26.

Beyond Saine’s 25 points and six assists, Weber State received 12 points from Viljami Vartiainen of Helsinki, Finland, and eight points from Nigel Burris of San Francisco. The Wildcats’ offense, which entered the game with a 64% probability of winning according to Interstat’s ELO system, never found a consistent rhythm against Idaho’s aggressive defense.

The victory moves Idaho above .500 in conference play ahead of a two-game homestand next week against Sacramento State and Portland State. Weber State, which saw a three-game winning streak end, faces a difficult road trip to Montana and Montana State. The teams will meet again in Moscow on Feb. 11.

The game’s decisive phase was its inception. By imposing their defensive will from the opening tip, the Vandals created a margin for error that absorbed Weber State’s best punch in the final minutes. In a contest where both teams struggled with offensive flow, Idaho’s initial burst and subsequent poise at the foul line proved to be the difference.