Idaho outlasts Eastern Washington 84-81 in Don Monson tribute game

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Jan. 3—MOSCOW, Idaho — Idaho's tribute game to its late, great coach Don Monson, who died at age 92 Oct. 1, was everything a holiday break crowd that nonetheless almost filled three-fourths of the ICCU Arena could have wanted.

The Vandals finally prevailed 84-81 over Eastern Washington, coached by Monson's son Dan, when former Vandal Jo Jo Anderson's 3-pointer to tie caromed off the rim at the buzzer.

Save for the lack of an explosion at the scorer's table over a disputed call, for 28 turnover spread between the Vandals and Eagles, and for an eager reliance on three pointers by both teams that would have made him cringe like a trip to the dentist, Don Monson would have loved this game. If it had been against any other team.

"As my mom said, 'I know he would have been bleeding red today,' " Dan Monson said.

Idaho coach Alex Pribble said the last time the Vandals played the Eagles Don Monson was at the game, "and he told me 'this is the only time I will be rooting against the Vandals.' "

A commitment to defense and mid-range jumpers, signatures of Don Monson's Idaho teams were on display by both the Vandals and Eagles, as was the grit to take the outcome to the buzzer.

"I am proud of my guys. We battled. But (Idaho) made one more play," Monson said.

Idaho improved to 9-5 with the win, 1-0 in the Big Sky Conference. EWU is now 2-12, 0-1.

To the players today, Don Monson is a name emblazoned on a wall above the ICCU Arena concourse noting his 100-41 record between 1978-83, and for the Eagles he may also be an anecdote or two from their coach, a Moscow High School and Idaho grad himself, who played football at Idaho.

Black and white photos of Kibbie Dome crowds approaching 10,000 when Monson led the Vandals to a top 10 NCAA ranking, two trips to the NCAA tournament including the Sweet 16 in 1982, look today like something generated by artificial intelligence.

But they were real.

It was quite a time to be a Vandal fan.

Pribble hoped the barn burner against the Eagles may start to rekindle the era.

"The first thing that comes to mind is gratitude for the Vandal fans who came out tonight," he said. "Big Sky Conference basketball comes down to one possession most nights."

From the opening tip, both teams were in it. The lead never varied more than six points in the first period, and the score was 37-all at halftime. Dan Monson said "we were right on track with where we wanted them."

However, Idaho went on a 14-5 run to open the second half. It gave the Vandals enough of a cushion to withstand an Eagles' comeback that had EWU leading, 79-77, when Tyler Powell buried a three-pointer from the top of the lane with fewer than 50 seconds to play.

Idaho reversed that when Biko Johnson answered with a three-pointer of his own to send the Vandals back in front, 80-79. Kolton Mitchell sank a pair of free throws with 8.4 seconds remaining to extend Idaho's advantage to 82-79. Anderson got back two points for the Eagles on free throw with 6.1 seconds to play, and .7 seconds later Johnson established the final score with a pair of free throws of his own for Idaho.

The Eagles got a hurried look at the end, but Anderson's fallaway three-point attempt fell off the rim.

Mitchell led all scorers with 32 points for Idaho. His line included going six of nine from the arc. He got hot early and stayed that way, scoring 18 of his points in the first half.

"We can't let their best offensive player get in a rhythm," Dan Monson said.

Johnson added 20 for the Vandals. EWU featured balanced scoring with Kiree Hule leading the way with 16 points. Isaiah Moses added 15, Anderson 11, and Alton Hamilton IV and Powell 10 each.

For the game, the Eagles hit eight of 22 three-point attempts. Idaho went 11 of 29 from the arc.

The three-pointer was just coming into the game when Don Monson coached Idaho, and he incorporated it into his offense reluctantly, at best.

Both teams wore a uniform patch commemorating Don Monson, and a halftime video retrospective of his career played on the giant scoreboard above the court.

"Idaho has been a class act since he passed away, said his son. "It's just very meaningful for the family and for my mom."

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