Miller Leads NU to Victory Over Yotes
KIRKLAND, Wash. -- Northwest U. rebounded from their loss to Eastern Oregon with a 94-80 victory over the College of Idaho in Kirkland tonight. The game featured a battle of the 3-point shots between C of I’s Josh Owen and Northwest’s Derek Miller.
The Eagles lead early as Derek Miller hit the first of eight three pointers on the night giving NU a 16-8 lead at the 13:27 mark in the first half. The Yotes would out score NU 11-6 in the following possessions to pull to within 2 points at 19-17 with 11:59 ticks left on the clock. One of Josh Owens seven three pointers would make the score 34-31 with 5:44 left in the half and a second trey by Owen would knot the score at 34-all eighteen seconds later. An 8-0 run by the Eagles would increase their lead to 42-34 with 3:36 and two free throws by Miller would give NU their biggest lead at 54-38 with 30 seconds left in the half, but a NU foul on J.R. Maggard’s jumper that was good followed by his free throw would cut the lead to 54-41 as the teams headed to the locker room.
A 5-2 C of I run to start the second half would cut Northwest’s lead to ten (56-46) at the 17:13 mark, but the Eagles would go on a 21-2 run capped by another Derek Miller three would increase NU’s lead to 77-48 with 10:42 to go in the contest. A 3-pointer by C of I’s Bryan Champ would cut NU’s lead to 27 (79-52) with 9:56 on the clock, but a 4-0 spurt by Northwest and Chase Van Cleave’s three pointer would put NU up by 31, 84-53, at the 7:18 mark. C of I would slowly cut into Northwest’s lead and whittle it down to 17 with two J.R. Maggard free throws at the 2:03 mark. Andy Maxwell’s three with 39 seconds to go in the game would end the scoring for both teams.
Derek Miller (Jr., Cheney, WA) led Northwest U. (13-14, 9-9 CCC) with 27 points going 8 for 12 from the 3-point line. Freshman Greg George (Seattle, WA) scored 15 points while teammate Pat Mattson (Sr., Everett, WA) scored a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds on the night. Eddie Coulson (Jr., N. Las Vegas, NV) and Lucas Ashe (Fr., Spokane, WA) each scored 10 for the Eagles. NU shot 49% on the night and 51% from the 3-point arc. NU out rebounded C of I, 47-30 including 17 offensive boards.
The College of Idaho (12-16, 9-9 CCC) was led by senior Josh Owen’s (Caldwell, ID) game high 33 points (7 for 11 from 3-point range) while teammate Bryan Champ (Jr., Boise, ID) scored 14 for the Coyotes from Caldwell, Idaho while senior J.R. Maggard (Caldwell, ID) added another 11 points on the night. C of I shot 40% from 2-point range and 46% from the 3-point line. The Yotes were 17 for 21 (81%) from the free throw line.
Northwest U. travels to Portland for two games against Cascade College on Friday night and Warner Pacific on Saturday night while the College of Idaho returns to Caldwell to host rival Eastern Oregon on February 19.