Lincoln University (CA) vs Idaho prediction: Idaho's rebuilt champions get a first look against Lincoln (CA)
The Big Sky tournament champions return little of last season's production, so Idaho's home opener against a non-Division I visitor is mostly a first look at who carries the new Vandals.
- Idaho should control this at home; the interest is in which new pieces Alex Pribble trusts with minutes.
- Watch Kristian Gonzalez, who played one game last season after an injury and returned in the Oct. 10 exhibition.
- No spread or total has been posted; Idaho returns just 13.8% of last season's minutes, so last season's numbers are a weak guide.
A title team starts over
Idaho won the Big Sky tournament last season and finished 21-15. The Vandals were still picked sixth in the league's preseason polls, and the reason is the roster. Only 13.8% of last season's minutes and 11.4% of its points are back. The four biggest departures include Jackson Rasmussen, the league's Freshman of the Year, who averaged 13.5 points, and Kolton Mitchell, who averaged 13.7.
Pribble, now in his fourth season, has a contract extension and a lot of open minutes to hand out. Against a visitor from outside Division I, the game is a low-pressure trial for those minutes before league play opens Dec. 3.
Gonzalez is the headliner
Gonzalez is the one returner who has carried an offense at this level, even briefly. In his only game last season he scored 18 points in 18 minutes, with a usage rate of 32.5%, before an injury ended his year. Gonzalez was back on the floor for the Oct. 10 exhibition against Boise State.
Titus Yearout missed all of last season with an injury, and there has been no update on his status. Seth Joba and Miles Klapper are the other returners, and both played reserve roles last season.
What carried over, if anything
Last season's Vandals took a lot of threes: their 3-point attempt rate, the share of shots taken from deep, ranked 34th of 365. Their defensive rebound percentage ranked 4th. With this much turnover, neither trait is guaranteed to return. If the shot profile and the work on the glass look familiar, that tells you something about how Pribble builds a team.
The visitor
Little is known about Lincoln (CA)'s current roster or coaching staff. Lincoln (CA) is slated to play at Loyola Marymount on Nov. 6 and at UC Irvine on Nov. 11, so this trip falls between two road games. The game is set for Sunday, Nov. 8, with the time still to be announced.
Key players
- Kristian Gonzalez (Idaho): Scored 18 points on 3-of-4 from three in his only game last season before an injury.
- Seth Joba (Idaho): Played 17.2 minutes a game off the bench last season and hit 36.2% of his threes.
- Miles Klapper (Idaho): Shot 42.9% from three in limited minutes last season.
- Hudson Ward (Idaho): Averaged 4.5 points and 3.4 rebounds in 13 games at Western Michigan last season.
Numbers that matter
| Returning minutes | 13.8% | Idaho brings back little of last season's playing time, so last season's team numbers say little about this one. |
|---|---|---|
| Last season's record | 21-15 | The record behind a Big Sky tournament title run. |
| Defensive rebound % rank, last season | 4th | Idaho's best trait last season, though the players who built it are mostly gone. |
| 3-point attempt rate rank, last season | 34th | A shot profile heavy on threes that a new roster may or may not keep. |
Lincoln University (CA) vs Idaho: quick answers
When is Lincoln University (CA) vs Idaho?
Sunday, November 8, 2026 at 12:00 AM ET.