1988–89 Idaho Vandals men's basketball team

{{short description|American college basketball season}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}

{{Infobox NCAA team season

|CoachRank=

|APRank=

|mode=Basketball

|year=1988–89

|team=Idaho Vandals

|image= Idaho Vandals logo.svg

|image_size=80

|conference=Big Sky Conference

|division=

|short_conf=Big Sky

|record=25–6

|conf_record=13–3

|head_coach=Kermit Davis

|hc_year = 1st

|asst_coach1=Steve Barnes

|ac1_year=1st

|asst_coach2=

|mvp=

|stadium=Kibbie Dome

|champion=Big Sky champions

|bowl=NCAA tournament

|bowl_result=First round

}}

{{1988–89 Big Sky men's basketball standings}}

The 1988–89 Idaho Vandals men's basketball team represented the University of Idaho during the 1988–89 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. Members of the Big Sky Conference, the Vandals were led by first-year head coach Kermit Davis and played their home games on campus at the Kibbie Dome in Moscow, Idaho.

The Vandals were {{nowrap|23–5}} overall in the regular season and {{nowrap|13–3}} in conference play, co-champions in the standings with Boise State; the teams split their late-season series.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=q1xWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=CfADAAAAIBAJ&pg=2153%2C1171294 |work=Spokesman-Review |location=(Spokane, Washington) |last=Boling |first=Dave |title=UI lead proves unblowable, barely |date=March 3, 1989 |page=C1}}{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=npUrAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ntAFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1955%2C3675058|work=Idahonian |location=(Moscow) |last=Schulte |first=Chris |title=Vandals, crowd hold off Boise State |date=March 3, 1989 |page=7A}} At the conference tournament in Boise, the Vandals again earned a bye into the semifinals, where they beat Montana by 21 points.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=s1xWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=CfADAAAAIBAJ&pg=6957%2C6152024 |work=Spokesman-Review |location=(Spokane, Washington) |last=Boling |first=Dave |title=Idaho, Boise roll to rematch |date=March 11, 1989 |page=B2}}{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=j5UrAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ntAFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1903%2C2663776 |work=Idahonian |location=(Moscow) |last=Schulte |first=Chris |title=Vandals one game away from the crown |date=March 11, 1989 |page=1D}} In the final against Boise State, Idaho defeated the host team by seven to earn their first NCAA berth in seven years.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=l5UrAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ntAFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2021%2C2526029 |work=Idahonian |location=(Moscow) |last=Schulte |first=Chris |title=Vandals complete BSC dream season |date=March 13, 1989 |page=1B}}{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=p29OAAAAIBAJ&sjid=7vkDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6591%2C1736658 |work=Spokane Chronicle |location=(Washington) |last=Boling |first=Dave |title=Idaho will play UNLV in NCAAs |date=March 13, 1989 |page=C1}}

Seeded thirteenth in the West region, Idaho met fourth-seed #15 UNLV back in Boise and lost by twelve.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=q29OAAAAIBAJ&sjid=7vkDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5480%2C2468039|work=Spokane Chronicle |location=(Washington) |last=Boling |first=Dave |title=Rebels negate Vandals' plans |date=March 17, 1989 |page=C1}}{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=nJUrAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ntAFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1987%2C2059064|work=Idahonian |location=(Moscow) |last=Schulte |first=Chris |title=UNLV rebels at free throw line |date=March 17, 1989 |page=1B}}{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=04xfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=9i8MAAAAIBAJ&pg=2425%2C642059 |work=Lewiston Morning Tribune |location=(Idaho) |last=Grummert |first=Dale |title=Idaho rolls craps against UNLV, 68-56 |date=March 17, 1989 |page=1D}}