GAME NOTES: The Idaho State Bengals shoot for their first win over a Division I foe on Saturday, as they host the Pacific Tigers in non-conference action at Holt Arena.

The Bengals began the 2014-15 campaign with four straight defeats, scoring no more than 68 points in any one of those setbacks. But on Tuesday, the team finally broke through with an 86-66 thumping of Montana Western at home.

As for the Tigers, they've won two in a row and three of the last four outings in order to move two games over .500. However, the latest victories have come against some questionable competition in Alaska-Anchorage, Mercer, and three nights ago, Cal State East Bay by a score of 80-51.

According to Idaho State sources, the Bengals hold a slim 5-4 advantage in the all-time series entering action on Saturday. The most recent meeting took place on Feb. 12, 2012 in Stockton, CA where the hosts captured a thrilling 66-64 overtime decision.

The Tigers were tossed a bone on the schedule earlier this week when the team tangled with Cal State East Bay, a meeting that served to boost the Pacific stats more than anything else. The visitors were held to only 33.3 percent shooting from the field and 6-of-24 behind the 3-point line, while the Tigers connected on an even 50 percent from the floor and 8-of-13 (.615) out on the perimeter, not to mention outscoring East Bay by a 30-11 margin at the free- throw line.

Because the Pacific starters played minimal minutes, not one of them scored in double figures, rather it was Alec Kobre who led the way with 23 points in only 24 minutes off the bench as he made every shot he attempted, ranging from five triples to eight free throws.

Although he has missed one of the team's eight outings, T.J. Wallace remains the leading scorer for the Tigers with 13.7 ppg despite his 37.7 percent shooting from the floor. Dulani Robinson, who has come off the bench more often than not, checks in with 10.4 ppg and is also first for Pacific with 3.5 apg as the team generates 67.9 ppg and allows 63.4 ppg.

The Bengals fell behind Montana Western by five points less than 20 seconds into their meeting earlier this week, but ISU then knocked down 9-of-15 shots from behind the 3-point line in the period in order to pull out to a double- digit lead and never looked back. Unfortunately, the hosts made only one of their 10 chances beyond the arc after intermission, preventing the meeting from becoming a bigger blowout. Chris Hansen accounted for 21 points, Evann Hall 17 and six boards off the bench, followed by Jeffrey Solarin with 12 points and five rebounds in the romp.

After five games, Hansen leads the program in scoring with 18.2 ppg, having converted 15-of-40 beyond the arc where the team as a whole is shooting just 31.5 percent. Solarin is the only other double-digit scorer with 10.8 ppg and is first on the glass with 8.0 rpg, so maybe you can excuse the fact that he has but four assists in 154 minutes of action for a team that is averaging only a shade over 10 dishes per contest.

Idaho State simply does not have the power to keep up with the Tigers at both ends of the floor. Maybe the Bengals can put up some points on occasion, but they won't be able to shut down Pacific at the same time.