krobinett@journalnet.com

POCATELLO - Matt Stucki has no regrets.

Looking back, he believes being by his wife's side while she gave birth to the couple's first child, a baby boy named Colton, at 1:09 p.m. Wednesday was worth any sacrifice imaginable.

"Supporting her (Chelsey) and seeing the miracle at the end was an amazing experience," he said.

Still, that didn't stop the senior guard from pacing around the hospital the night before while his teammates on the Idaho State men's basketball game struggled to make baskets and lost 60-41 at Washington State.

Stucki said he listened to Jerry Miller's entire call of the game on the radio and continually called his father to ask how the Bengals looked on TV.

"It was very frustrating," he said. "You want to be in two places at the same time. It was hard to listen to the different challenges they faced, knowing I probably could have helped them out."

Oh well, there are more important things than basketball games.

ISU coach Joe O'Brien understands that better than anyone. At practice Thursday, he congratulated Stucki on his newborn and said he too had no regrets about leaving one of his top scorers at home from a game that lacked offense.

"It's what had to be done," O'Brien said.

It may be done a few more times this season.

Two of O'Brien's assistant coaches, Steve Swanson and Geoff Alexander, are expecting newborns in the next few months.

Alexander's wife, Kiersten, isn't due until January, but Swanson, who is in charge of scouting future opponents and organizing Idaho State's offense, said his wife, Sandy, is due to give birth to the couple's second child on Dec. 16.

Idaho State doesn't play a game between Dec. 11 (at Wisconsin-Green Bay) and Dec. 20 (Utah State), so if she delivers as planned no special arrangements will need to be made.

But Swanson said it is looking like the child will be born early enough to interfere with Tuesday's road game at Wisconsin.

So Idaho State could be without its "offensive coordinator" against the Badgers.

"We're looking at the possibility of leaving (Swanson) home for that one," O'Brien said. "That's just part of life. We'll take care of things without him if that's what needs to be done."