In 2025, Idaho ranked 345th in KenPom's Adjusted Defensive Rank. They went 14-19 overall and missed the NCAA Tournament.
In 2026, Idaho ranked 138th in KenPom's Adjusted Defensive Rank. They went 21-15 overall, won the Big Sky Conference Tournament, and earned a 15-seed in the NCAA Tournament.
That 207-spot jump in defensive rank was one of the biggest in the country last season, and it was a big reason head coach Alex Pribble got Idaho into the NCAA Tournament in just his third season.
The craziest part? Opposing offenses shot BETTER from three in 2026 than in 2025, despite Idaho's overall defense being much better in 2026.
So how did Pribble turn this defense around in just one season? A change in defensive identity is the answer.
Alex Pribble took over an Idaho team that went 10-22 the season prior. It wasn't a great start to his tenure, as Idaho went just 11-21 in his first season, including the 308th-ranked offense and 307th-ranked defense.
But then the offense took a big jump in 2025, finishing 169th in the country as Idaho improved to 14-19.
All this is to say that in just three seasons, Pribble has vastly improved both Idaho's offense and defense.
