Vandals adjusting to Callandret's return

Pat Ingram's perspective in Saturday's game against North Dakota was a little different.

After playing in 10 straight conference games, and averaging 22 minutes per game while starting point guard Perrion Callandret was out with foot sprain, the junior college transfer watched last weekend's 65-64 victory from the bench due to Callandret's return.

While he wasn't as animated on the bench as he might have on the court, he said the reduction in playing time didn't bother him.

"I didn't really have any problem with it. I told people before that I would love to have Perrion back playing with us," Ingram said. "It was a big win for us. It was one of our only sweeps that we had here at home. I was excited. I probably didn't show it, but I was excited."

Muted excitement aside, his behavior illustrates how the Vandals (16-10, 8-5 Big Sky) have weathered an injury-plagued season and frequently received career nights from seldom-used players.

Jake Straughan, another first-year player, found himself in a similar position as Ingram on Saturday. Just two days after the best game of his career - 23 points in 15 minutes on 6-of-7 shooting from three - the former Colton Wildcat played just four minutes and attempted only one shot.

But because so much of coach Don Verlin's rotation is determined by the flow of the game - "It's a feel thing and who's playing well," he said - players like Straughan and Ingram know they have to be ready at any given moment. It starts in practice, where some players, Ingram included, know that a strong effort behind closed doors can forecast a potential breakout performance.

"Their job as players is to make me look bad when I don't play them," Verlin said. "So when they get their opportunity, they need to play well, and both those guys have done a good job of that."

Ingram, playing his first year with the Vandals after one-year stints at Iowa and Trinity Valley Junior College, averaged five points and two assists in the eight games he saw extended minutes. For the 6-foot-2 guard it was a learning experience, and a time for the coaches to adequately evaluate the talented ball-handler with the explosive first step and a knack for bullying his way to the basket.

"Pat's really explosive going to the rim. He can dang sure play at this level from that aspect," Verlin said. "He's a good defender. What he's gotta do is continue to do that and continue to practice hard, continue to grow and improve. He'll do that because he's a good person. He has the ability to be an athlete and he has the ability to take the ball to the basket against anybody in this conference."

Idaho begins its final road trip tonight against Portland State. Last time against the Vikings, Ingram played 19 minutes, Straughan played six. They could easily repeat those numbers tonight. Or they might not have a drop of sweat touch their jersey's.

Either way, the fact that Verlin knows he can call on his bench at a moment's notice - or never call their name at all - may be the most overlooked contribution the team's success this season.

"Whatever coach decides to do, it's on him. I'm going to trust what he does and everything he tells us to do," Ingram said. "If that's me not playing then so be it. I still got a job to do in practice, and even on the bench cheering my team on. I don't get caught up in that. If he decides to do that then I'm all for it."

Michael-Shawn Dugar can be reached at (208) 883-4629, by email to mdugar@dnews.com or on Twitter to @MikeDugar.