1979–80 Idaho Vandals men's basketball team

The 1979–80 Idaho Vandals men's basketball team represented the University of Idaho during the 1979–80 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Vandals were led by second-year head coach Don Monson and played their home games on campus at the Kibbie Dome in Moscow, Idaho.[1]

1979–80 Idaho Vandals men's basketball
ConferenceBig Sky Conference
1979–80 record17–10 (9–5 Big Sky)
Head coach
Assistant coaches
MVPDon Newman
Home arenaKibbie Dome
1979–80 Big Sky men's basketball standings
Conf  Overall
TeamW L PCT  W L PCT
No. 17 Weber State †13–1 .929  26–3  .897
Idaho9–5 .643  17–10  .630
Montana8–6 .571  17–11  .607
Montana State7–7 .500  14–12  .538
Nevada5–9 .357  10–19  .345
Idaho State5–9 .357  9–17  .346
Northern Arizona5–9 .357  14–12  .538
Boise State4–10 .286  10–16  .385
† Conference tournament winner
Rankings from AP poll

After five consecutive seasons in last place in the Big Sky Conference, the Vandals were expected by most to stay there,[2] but climbed up to second in the final standings and qualified for the four-team conference tournament for the first time.[3][4]

In non-conference games, the Vandals fell to Oregon State, Washington, and neighbor Washington State, but had wins over Gonzaga,[5][6] Penn State,[7] Oregon, and Nebraska. The Cornhuskers traveled to the Kibbie Dome in early January,[8] led by former Vandal head coach Joe Cipriano, stricken with cancer.[9][10] The attendance was 5,500, the second-largest attendance for basketball on campus at the time.[8]

Idaho lost their first three conference games in early January,[11] then won nine of eleven to end the regular season at 9–5 and 17–9 overall. An NIT invitation was likely if they won their first game of the Big Sky tourney at Ogden, Utah (and an NCAA tourney berth with two wins).[12]

The Vandals met Montana in the semifinals, whom they had swept in the regular season, but lost the third meeting on the neutral court. Sensing that Montana was a less formidable opponent in the finals for host Weber State, the Ogden fans sided with Montana and the Grizzlies outscored the Vandals 16–2 in the final five minutes and won by ten points.[12][13] The loss in the semifinals cost them an NIT bid;[12] Idaho missed the postseason and finished at 17–10.[14] It was their best season in seventeen years, since Gus Johnson packed Northwest gyms and led the Vandals to a 20–6 record in 1963, Cipriano's final season as head coach.[4]

The overtime loss to Boise State on January 12 was the last home defeat for the Vandals for over three years, until February 1983.[11][15]

Notes

Senior Don Newman was a unanimous selection to the all-conference team,[16][17][18] and the player of the year.[19] He played professional football in Canada for several seasons and later was a basketball coach in the college and NBA ranks. Forward Reed Jaussi went to medical school, served as a flight surgeon in the Air Force, and is an ophthalmologist in Las Vegas.[20]

Monson and the freshmen (Brian Kellerman,[21] Phil Hopson, and reserve Ben Ross) led Idaho to the best four-year stretch in program history. Kellerman was the player of the year (and state champion) in Washington as a high school senior, and was a four-year starter at Idaho.[21] He was first-team all-conference for three years (honorable mention as a freshman),[22][23] and was the Big Sky player of the year as a sophomore.[24]

Roster
1979–80 Idaho Vandals men's basketball team
PlayersCoaches
Pos.#NameHeightWeightYearPrevious schoolHometown
G 3 Don Newman 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)190 lb (86 kg) RS SrLSU New Orleans, LA
G Ted Strugar 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
—
 SoArchb. Grace HS Minneapolis, MN
C 11 Jeff Brudie 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)
—
 JrBonneville HS Idaho Falls, ID
G 12 Brian Kellerman 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)180 lb (82 kg) FrColumbia HS Richland, WA
F 14 Reed Jaussi 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
—
 SrIdaho Falls HS Idaho Falls, ID
F 20 Gordon Herbert 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)205 lb (93 kg) JrN.Idaho, Penticton HS Penticton, BC
G 22 Al Williams
—
—
 JrNorth Idaho Chicago, IL
F 31 Dan Forge 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
—
 JrLewiston HS Lewiston, ID
G 32 Ben Ross 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)180 lb (82 kg) FrCoeur d'Alene HS Coeur d'Alene, ID
C 35 Mike Dow 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)
—
 Jr
F 44 Phil Hopson 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)190 lb (86 kg) FrJefferson HS Portland, OR
C 52 Ron Maben 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
—
 JrSpokane CC,
West Division HS		 Milwaukee, WI
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • (W) Walk-on

Roster

Schedule and results
Date
time, TV		 Rank# Opponent# Result Record Site (attendance)
city, state
Sat, Dec 1*
8:00 pm		 Pepperdine W 78–72  1–0
 Kibbie Dome 
Moscow, Idaho
Mon, Dec 3*
 Washington L 71–80  1–1
 Hec Edmundson Pavilion (2,034)
Seattle, Washington
Fri, Dec 7*
 vs. Chicago State
Malibu Classic		 L 65–68  1–2
 Firestone Fieldhouse 
Malibu, California
Sat, Dec 8*
 at Pepperdine
Malibu Classic		 W 77–62  2–2
 Firestone Fieldhouse 
Malibu, California
Tue, Dec 11*
8:00 pm		 Whitworth W 116–56  3–2
 Kibbie Dome 
Moscow, Idaho
Thu, Dec 13*
8:00 pm		 Seattle Pacific W 99–77  4–2
 Kibbie Dome 
Moscow, Idaho
Fri, Dec 21*
8:00 pm		 Gonzaga
Rivalry		 W 50–49  5–2
 Kibbie Dome (2,512)
Moscow, Idaho
Wed, Dec 26*
7:00 pm		 vs. No. 18 Oregon State
Far West Classic		 L 59–100  5–3
 Memorial Coliseum (11,025)
Portland, Oregon
Fri, Dec 28*
1:00 pm		 vs. Penn State
Far West Classic		 W 50–46  6–3
 Memorial Coliseum (4,500)
Portland, Oregon
Sat, Dec 29*
3:00 pm		 vs. Oregon
Far West Classic		 W 72–69 OT 7–3
 Memorial Coliseum (6,518)
Portland, Oregon
Wed, Jan 2*
8:00 pm		 Nebraska W 64–55  8–3
 Kibbie Dome (5,500)
Moscow, Idaho
Fri, Jan 4
7:00 pm		 at Idaho State L 57–65  8–4
(0–1)		 ISU Minidome (4,586)
Pocatello, Idaho
Sat, Jan 5
7:00 pm		 at Weber State L 41–42  8–5
(0–2)		 Dee Events Center (11,144)
Ogden, Utah
Wed, Jan 9*
 vs. Washington State
Battle of the Palouse		 L 57–63  8–6
 Spokane Coliseum (5,159)
Spokane, Washington
Sat, Jan 12
8:00 pm		 Boise State L 68–71 OT 8–7
(0–3)		 Kibbie Dome (5,200)
Moscow, Idaho
Thu, Jan 17
8:00 pm		 Montana State W 100–91  9–7
(1–3)		 Kibbie Dome (3,300)
Moscow, Idaho
Sat, Jan 19
8:00 pm		 Montana W 63–62  10–7
(2–3)		 Kibbie Dome (5,700)
Moscow, Idaho
Thu, Jan 24
6:30 pm		 at Northern Arizona W 72–61  11–7
(3–3)		 Walkup Skydome 
Flagstaff, Arizona
Sat, Jan 26
8:00 pm		 at Nevada-Reno L 62–72  11–8
(3–4)		 Centennial Coliseum (3,929)
Reno, Nevada
Thu, Jan 31
8:00 pm		 No. 15 Weber State W 51–45  12–8
(4–4)		 Kibbie Dome (5,800)
Moscow, Idaho
Sat, Feb 2
8:00 pm		 Idaho State W 80–50  13–8
(5–4)		 Kibbie Dome (6,100)
Moscow, Idaho
Sat, Feb 9
 at Boise State W 81–69  14–8
(6–4)		 Bronco Gymnasium (3,800)
Boise, Idaho
Thu, Feb 14
 at Montana W 51–41  15–8
(7–4)		 Adams Fieldhouse 
Missoula, Montana
Sat, Feb 16
 at Montana State L 74–89  15–9
(7–5)		 Brick Breeden Fieldhouse (5,779)
Bozeman, Montana
Thu, Feb 21
8:00 pm		 Nevada-Reno W 89–70  16–9
(8–5)		 Kibbie Dome (4,800)
Moscow, Idaho
Sat, Feb 23
8:00 pm		 Northern Arizona W 85–63  17–9
(9–5)		 Kibbie Dome (6,200)
Moscow, Idaho
Big Sky Tournament
Fri, Feb 29
8:00 pm		 (2) vs. (3) Montana
Semifinal		 L 53–63  17–10
 Dee Events Center (8,089)
Ogden, Utah
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
All times are in Pacific time.

References
  1. Missildine, Harry (November 30, 1979). "Vandals looking up in openers". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. 46.
  2. "Vandals roll to win". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). February 25, 1980. p. 23.
  3. Missildine, Harry (February 22, 1980). "Two Vandal victories might help put the Palouse Axis on the map". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. 21.
  4. "Vandals drub NAU". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). February 24, 1980. p. C1.
  5. Barrows, Bob (December 22, 1979). "Newman's bucket gives Idaho 50-49 win". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 1C.
  6. Missildine, Harry (December 22, 1979). "Vandals squeeze past Zags, 50-49". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. p. 23.
  7. "Idaho grinds down Nittany Lions". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). December 29, 1979. p. 3C.
  8. Emerson, Paul (January 3, 1980). "Vandals de-husk Nebraska, 64–55". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 1B.
  9. Emerson, Paul (January 7, 1980). "Fighting back: Joe Cipriano". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 1C.
  10. Missildine, Harry (November 20, 1979). "Joe Cipriano: a cage career marked by humor, success". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. 24.
  11. Barrows, Bob (January 13, 1980). "Unsinkable Broncos outlast Idaho". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 5D.
  12. "Idaho wilts in Big Sky tournament". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). March 1, 1980. p. 21.
  13. Barrows, Bob (March 1, 1980). "Montana ends Idaho's dream". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 1C.
  14. Barrows, Bob (March 3, 1980). "Vandals handled NIT teams, but to no avail". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. p. 1C.
  15. Killen, John (February 13, 1983). "SNAP! Montana breaks it all to stop Idaho". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 1B.
  16. "Newman named All Big Sky". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). March 6, 1980. p. 3C.
  17. "Collins, Newman picked for Big Sky All-Stars". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. March 6, 1980. p. 25.
  18. "Intercollegiate athletics". Gem of the Mountains, University of Idaho yearbook. 1980. p. 22, part 4.
  19. "MVP: Idaho's Newman named top player in Big Sky". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). March 8, 1980. p. 2C.
  20. "Dr. W. Reed Jaussi". Las Vegas, Nevada: Center for Sight. Retrieved February 22, 2018.
  21. Yamaguchi, Andy (January 24, 1980). "Richland's Kellerman bring Vandals winning attitude". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. 25.
  22. "Kellerman honored". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. March 16, 1983. p. C2.
  23. "Big Sky". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. March 16, 1983. p. 2C.
  24. "Kellerman honored". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. March 12, 1981. p. 52.
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