The 2008–09 Idaho Vandals men's basketball team represented the University of Idaho during the 2008–09 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. Members of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC), the Vandals were led by first-year head coach Don Verlin and played their home games on campus at Cowan Spectrum in Moscow, Idaho.
The Vandals were overall in the regular season and in conference play, tied for third in the standings. They met sixth-seed Louisiana Tech in the quarterfinals of the conference tournament in Reno and lost by eight points. Invited to the inaugural edition of the 16-team CollegeInsider.com Tournament (CIT), Idaho advanced to the quarterfinals.
Verlin was hired in March; he was previously an assistant at Utah State under Stew Morrill.