Idaho State Bengals men's basketball
{{More citations needed|date=January 2016}}
{{Infobox college basketball team
| current = 2024–25 Idaho State Bengals men's basketball team
| name = Idaho State Bengals men's basketball
| logo = Idaho state wordmark 2018.png
| logo_size = 250
| university = Idaho State University
| conference = Big Sky
| location = Pocatello, Idaho
| coach = Ryan Looney
| tenure = 6th
| arena = Reed Gym
| capacity = 3,214
| nickname = Bengals
| NCAAchampion =
| NCAAfinalfour =
| NCAAeliteeight = 1977
| NCAAsweetsixteen = 1954, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1977
| NCAAtourneys = 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1974, 1977, 1987
| conference_tournament = (Big Sky) 1977, 1987
| conference_season = (RMAC) 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956,
1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961
(Big Sky) 1974, 1976, 1977
}}
The Idaho State Bengals men's basketball team represents Idaho State University in the Big Sky Conference in NCAA Division I. Currently led by head coach Ryan Looney, the Bengals play their home games on campus at Reed Gym in Pocatello, Idaho.{{cite news|last=Guernsey|first=Madison|title=Idaho State moving all men's basketball home games to Reed Gym|url=https://www.idahostatejournal.com/members/idaho-state-moving-all-mens-basketball-home-games-to-reed-gym/article_a60f7021-851d-5ceb-a061-595c3cc5a290.html|newspaper=Idaho State Journal|date=June 27, 2019|access-date=March 22, 2021|language=en}} Prior to the 2019–20 season, home games were primarily played at the ICCU Dome (formerly known as Holt Arena), with Reed as a secondary venue.{{cite web|title=Holt Arena|url=http://isubengals.com/sports/2010/10/11/GEN_1011102301.aspx?path=general|website=ISUBengals.com|date=October 11, 2010|access-date=March 31, 2017}}{{cite web|title=Reed Gym|url=http://isubengals.com/sports/2010/10/11/GEN_1011105822.aspx|website=ISUBengals.com|date=October 11, 2010|access-date=March 31, 2017}} The Bengals have appeared in eleven NCAA Tournaments, most recently in 1987.
Idaho State Bengals coaches list
{{See also|List of Idaho State Bengals men's basketball head coaches}}
Postseason
=NCAA tournament results=
The Bengals have appeared in eleven NCAA Tournaments and have a cumulative record {{nowrap|of 8–13.}} The team came to national prominence as a member of Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) under head coach Steve Belko, who arrived in 1950 and stayed for six seasons, followed by John Grayson for the next three. Belko left for Oregon, Grayson for Washington.
In the sixth season under head coach Jim Killingsworth, Idaho State advanced to the Elite Eight in 1977. It was a 32-team field, and remains the furthest any Big Sky team has advanced in the NCAA tourney. The Bengals won an opening round game at home at the Minidome and then upset second-ranked UCLA by a point in the Sweet Sixteen in Provo, Utah.{{cite news|last=Rushdi|first=Farid|title=Sweet 16 ISU's lucky number for ’77 season: Beating UCLA turned Bengals into Cinderella|url=http://www.idahostatejournal.com/members/sweet-isu-s-lucky-number-for-season-beating-ucla-turned/article_7717214c-9f5d-11e2-8aee-0019bb2963f4.html|newspaper=Idaho State Journal |location=(Pocatello)|date=April 7, 2013|access-date=March 30, 2017}} {{nowrap|Both teams}} entered the game with records {{nowrap|of 24–4.}} After the high-scoring loss to fourth-ranked UNLV in the regional final, Killingsworth left for Oklahoma State.
| class=wikitable style="text-align:center"
{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=Idaho State Bengals|Year|Seed|Round|Opponent|Result}} | ||||
| 1953 | style="background:#E6E8FA;"| | Round of 22 | Seattle | L 77–88 |
| 1954 | style="background:#E6E8FA;"| | Round of 24 Sweet Sixteen Regional 3rd Place | Seattle USC Colorado State | W 77–75OT L 59–73 W 62–57 |
| 1955 | style="background:#E6E8FA;"| | Round of 24 | Seattle | L 63–80 |
| 1956 | style="background:#E6E8FA;"| | Round of 25 | Seattle | L 66–68 |
| 1957 | style="background:#E6E8FA;"| | Round of 23 Sweet Sixteen Regional 3rd Place | Hardin–Simmons San Francisco BYU | W 68–57 L 51–66 L 54–65 |
| 1958 | style="background:#E6E8FA;"| | Round of 24 Sweet Sixteen Regional 3rd Place | Arizona State California San Francisco | W 72–68 L 43–54 L 51–57 |
| 1959 | style="background:#E6E8FA;"| | Round of 23 Sweet Sixteen Regional 3rd Place | New Mexico State Saint Mary's Utah | W 62–61 L 71–80 W 71–65 |
| 1960 | style="background:#E6E8FA;"| | Round of 25 | California | L 44–71 |
| 1974 | style="background:#E6E8FA;"| | Round of 32 | New Mexico | L 65–73 |
| 1977 | style="background:#E6E8FA;"| | Round of 32 Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight | Long Beach State #2 UCLA #4 UNLV | W 83–72 W 76–75 L 90–107 |
| 1987 | 16{{nnbsp}}W | Round of 64 | (1{{nnbsp}}W) #1 UNLV | L 70–95 |
- Through 2023, Idaho State has not participated in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT).
=NAIA Tournament results=
The Bengals appeared in one NAIA Tournament, with a record of 1–1.
| class=wikitable style="text-align:center"
{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=Idaho State Bengals|Year|Round|Opponent|Result}} | |||
| 1938 | First Round Second Round | Manchester (IN) New Mexico State | W 41–38 L 40–56 |
=Idaho State Bengals in the NBA/ABA=
- Ron Boone (SG), 1969–1981, 4 x All-Star, 1041 consecutive games
- Jeff Cook (PF), 1980–1988
- Greg Griffin (SF), 1978–1978
- Steve Hayes (C), 1981–1986
- Charles Parks (F), 1969–1969
- Dale Wilkinson (PF), 1985–1985
References
{{reflist}}