1973–74 Idaho State Bengals men's basketball team

The 1973–74 Idaho State Bengals men's basketball team represented Idaho State University during the 1973–74 NCAA Division I men's basketball season.

1973–74 Idaho State Bengals men's basketball
Big Sky Champions
ConferenceBig Sky Conference
1973–74 record20–8 (11–3 Big Sky)
Head coach
Home arenaISU Minidome
1973–74 Big Sky men's basketball standings
Conf  Overall
TeamW L PCT  W L PCT
Idaho State †11–3 .786  20–8  .714
Montana11–3 .786  19–8  .704
Weber State8–6 .571  14–12  .538
Gonzaga7–7 .500  13–13  .500
Boise State6–8 .429  12–14  .462
Idaho5–9 .357  12–14  .462
Montana State5–9 .357  11–15  .423
Northern Arizona3–11 .214  3–18  .143
† One-game playoff winner

The Bengals were led by third-year head coach Jim Killingsworth and played their home games on campus at the ISU Minidome in Pocatello. They finished the regular season at 19–7 overall, with a 11–3 record in the Big Sky Conference, as did the Montana Grizzlies, and the teams split their season series.[1][2]

With two years until the conference tournament was introduced, the Big Sky title was decided with an unscheduled one-game playoff at Missoula on Tuesday night. Before a record crowd at Dahlberg Arena, the visiting Bengals won 60–57 and advanced to the 25-team NCAA Tournament, their first appearance in fourteen years.[3][4][5]

ISU hosted the first round (subregional) of the West regional, and met #17 New Mexico (20–6)[6] in the nightcap on Saturday night.[7][8] The visiting Lobos, WAC champions, won by eight to end the Bengals' season at 20–8.[9]

Idaho State returned to the NCAA Tournament three years later and advanced to the Elite Eight, which remains the best-ever showing for a Big Sky team.

Postseason results

Date
time, TV
Rank# Opponent# Result Record Site (attendance)
city, state
Big Sky Playoff
Tue, March 5
at Montana
Playoff
W 60–57  20–7
Dahlberg Arena (8,343)
Missoula, Montana
NCAA Tournament
Sat, March 9*
9:10 pm
vs. No. 17 New Mexico
First round
L 65–73  20–8
ISU Minidome (9,000)
Pocatello, Idaho
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
All times are in Mountain time.

References

  1. "ISU, Montana win, share Sky crown". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. March 2, 1974. p. 14.
  2. "Big Sky loser may be winner". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. March 4, 1974. p. 15.
  3. "ISU holds off Grizzlies". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. March 6, 1974. p. 13.
  4. "Growing rookie key for Bengals". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). Associated Press. March 6, 1974. p. 17.
  5. "ISU wins Big Sky; Montana waits NIT". Deseret News. (Salt Lake City, Utah). UPI. March 6, 1974. p. D1.
  6. "SC climbs to seventh; UCLA third". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. March 5, 1974. p. 3B.
  7. "NCAA regionals". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). March 9, 1974. p. 2B.
  8. "NCAA pairings". Milwaukee Sentinel. March 9, 1974. p. 1, part 2.
  9. "New Mexico edges ISU". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. March 10, 1974. p. 14.
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