Craig McGee's lay-up at the buzzer wins it for C of I Sunday in Olympia.
Buzzer-Beater Lifts Yotes to Upset of No. 15 Evergreen, 71-69
OLYMPIA, Wash. - Craig McGee was the hero for The College of Idaho, as his lay-up at the final horn lifted the Coyotes to a 71-69 upset victory over No. 15 ranked Evergreen State in the CRC Gymnasium.
After Nick Moore made the second of two free throws with 24 seconds remaining to tie the score at 69-69, the Yotes (9-8, 5-2 CCC) milked the clock, with Kelvin Potts driving in the paint with three seconds left. Potts found McGee alone under the basket, with his uncontested lay-up setting off a Purple and Gold celebration – as the Yotes moved above the .500 mark for the first time this season and extended a winning streak to four.
The Yotes trailed early 5-3, but a 10-0 run helped The C of I build a nine-point first half lead, with the visitors leading 40-33 at the break. The Geoducks (10-5, 6-2) would rally in the second half, as a pair of Moore free throws gave Evergreen their lone lead in the second half at 45-44. McGee would answer with a lay-up of his own, and the Yotes would not relinquish the lead until the waning seconds.
Steffen Spinks led the Yotes with 20 points and six rebounds, while McGee registered his second-straight double-double, scoring 14 points with 12 boards.
Nate Menefee led all scorers with 21 points, but hit only 6-of-17 shots from the field. Moore had 14 points in only 19 minutes of action for the Geoducks, who lost at home for the first time this season.
The Coyotes return to action on Friday night, opening a three-game homes with a 7:30 p.m. tip-off with Concordia.