LOGAN, Utah -- Idaho couldn't keep pace with hot-shooting Utah State, couldn't-miss guard Cardell Butler in particular, as the Vandals opened Big West Conference men's basketball play with a 69-56 loss Saturday night.
"Cardell Butler went bananas," said UI coach Leonard Perry, alluding to 10 of 11 shooting and 28 points.
The Aggies shot 54.2 percent from the field and 56 percent from 3-point range.
In contrast, the Vandals -- who led for the first 12 minutes -- lapsed into a second-half drought that allowed USU to construct leads of as many as 22 points before a late UI surge accounted for the final margin.
Idaho's early success was the result of effective post play and an ability to keep the Aggies off guard with its tenacious man-to-man defense.
Eventually, though, Perry said USU's tradition and experience began to take a toll.
"They just wore us down," said Perry, whose ballclub drops to 3-7 and remains winless on the road. "Our kids came out focused and we executed offensively. We really guarded well early but you're only going to do that so long against a good offensive team like this."
Idaho led 15-9 midway into the first half, but what would be its largest advantage of the game. The Vandals clung to the lead for the next couple of minutes before the massive momentum swing went to the Aggies.
USU's Chris Huber tied the game at 17 with 8:30 to go in the first half and launched the Aggies on a run that would lead to a 36-27 halftime edge. The momentum never came back the Vandals' way as they opened the second half in an offensive funk that lasted until game's end.
Dwayne Williams had 11 points and Dandrick Jones had 10 to lead the Vandals.
IDAHO (3-7)
Jones 5-13 0-0 10, Hayes 3-8 3-5 9, Lyons 2-5 0-0 4, Powell 2-2 2-4 7, Shepard 3-9 2-4 9, Radlovic 0-1 0-0 0, Higdon 0-0 0-0 0, D. Williams 4-10 0-0 11, Kahrimanovic 1-5 0-0 2, Davis 2-3 0-0 4. Totals 22-56 7-13 56.
UTAH STATE (9-1)
J. Williams 1-7 2-2 4, Nelson 1-6 1-4 3, Ahmad 3-4 0-3 6, Butler 10-11 2-3 28, M .Brown 2-7 2-2 6, Harvey 0-0 0-1 0, Harris 8-10 1-1 17, C. Brown 0-0 0-0 0, Huber 1-3 0-0 3, Neil 1-1 0-0 2, McVey 0-0 0-0 0, Evans 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 27-49 8-16 69.
Halftime--Utah State 36, Idaho 27. 3-Point goals--Idaho 5-20 (D. Williams 3-8, Shepard 1-4, Powell 1-1, Jones 0-2 , Lyons 0-1, Radlovic 0-1, Kahrimanovic 0-3), Utah State 7-14 (Butler 6-7, Huber 1-2, M. Brown 0-3, Nelson 0-2). Fouled out--none. Rebounds--Idaho, 26 (Lyons, 6), Utah State, 37 (Nelson, 12). Assists--Idaho, 6 (Jones, 3), Utah State 17 (M. Brown, 6). Total fouls--Idaho 14, Utah State 16. A--6,763.