Rebounding key for Bengals — ISU men's basketball begins season with plenty of goals to achieve

Basketball season is here.

The Idaho State Bengals sit five days away from their exhibition opener with Dickinson State.

The Blue Hawks finished last season 12-18 overall and were picked last in the Frontier Conference’s preseason coaches’ poll.

But the Dickinson State game, whatever the ultimate result is, means nothing in Idaho State’s final win-loss record. After 33 days of practice it is coach Bill Evans and the Bengals’ first opportunity to see the 2013-14 roster in action during a live game.

With eight newcomers, that’s a big deal because Evergreen visits Pocatello Nov. 9, and that game does count. After that, ISU travels to Arizona State, San Francisco and California State, Bakersfield.

Consider Dickinson State a dress rehearsal.

And one area Evans will watch closely is the Bengal’s rebounding performance.

A year ago, Idaho State was outrebounded 1,033 to 855 and finished last in the Big Sky in rebounding margin.

A team that cannot rebound means an opponent picks up extra possessions, more shots and it demoralizes a defense that worked hard for 30 seconds and forced a contested jump shot only to have the offense scramble to the miss first.

Rebounding, or the lack of it, made a difference in a two-point loss to Central Michigan (rebounding margin, -15), a two-point loss to Southern Utah (rebounding margin, -14) and a two-point defeat at Montana State (rebounding margin, -1). Look up and down ISU’s 2012-13 schedule. Close losses are abundant and while rebounding did not solely swing the ultimate result one direction or another, it helped.

The Big Sky race is tight. Weber State is a clear and heavy favorite. But nabbing one of the other six spots available in the postseason tournament will come down to details. A rebound here or there can make the difference.

Evans and the ISU coach staff are, of course, aware of its important importance. In the offseason, they recruited accordingly.

Evans brought in Jeffrey Solarin, Scotty Tyler, Ajak Magot and Justin Smith, guys who either play in the post (Solarin, Tyler, Magot) or are athletes that can compete at the Division I level for rebounds.

Solarin, Tyler, Magot and Smith join returnees Andre Hatchett, Chris Hansen and Ayibakuro Preh as forwards and wings tasked with the rebounding burden (though, when it comes to the boards, ISU is taking an all-hands-on-deck approach).

“One area that I’ve seen that I’m pretty sure we’re better at is the ability to rebound the ball,” Evans said. “We’re bigger. We just have a bigger team.”

The outlook for an improved rebounding squad took a hit when ISU found out that two foreign players, 6-foot-5 Ben Wilson and 6-foot-9 Andre Slavik, will be forced to redshirt this season. Each faces amateurism issues with the NCAA.

It makes the future even brighter for Bengal basketball, but it means in the present day that Preh and Magot have to perform at a high level right away.

As a junior, Preh, a 6-9 center, started 15 games and averaged 2.0 points and 2.3 rebounds in 16.2 minutes.

He’s ready to make a leap in his final year at ISU, but Preh broke his foot in the offseason right as the summer workout session was about to begin.

“I felt a little set back because the summer workout really helps improve personal development and skills,” Preh said. “... But I’m going to try and not let that affect my effort on the court.”

From what Evans has seen in the preseason, Preh’s feel for the game is much better this year despite the summer spent with a walking boot.

And Preh’s demeanor has taken the biggest jump.

“I don’t like guys to hang their head,” Evans said. “He would do that occasionally. Not out of disrespect. I think almost more culture than anything. I think he’s doing a better job of understanding that he’s going to make mistakes and he can’t hang his head.”

It’s not just Preh’s play on the court that’s critical. He needs to bring along Magot, a rangy 6-foot-11 center from Cochise College.

“He’s come a long way. It’s a new system for him, obviously,” Preh said. “I’ve experienced it since last year. I think he’s really picking it up and he’ll be good for us this year.”

Preh and Magot can form a one-two punch in the middle of Idaho State’s defensive zone that protects the rim and, naturally, cultivates a positive rebounding margin.

“It’s really important getting rebounds,” Magot said. “You can’t win games without rebounds or defense.”

Idaho State’s exhibition game with Dickinson State is Monday at 7:05 p.m. in Reed Gym.