Yotes Win Foul-Fest with Northwest Christian
CALDWELL, Idaho - In a game marred by 55 fouls and 72 free throws, charity tosses from Kelvin Potts and Craig McGee inside the final 30 seconds proved the difference, as The College of Idaho stopped Northwest Christian, 71-65, inside the J.A. Albertson Activities Center.
The Coyotes (6-8, 2-2 CCC) used a 15-4 first half run, capped by a Brian Bergerson triple, to take a 21-15 lead, pushing the margin to 39-30 at the break. A Bryan Champ three-ball would give the Yotes their biggest lead at 47-34, but NCU would not fold. With four C of I starters on the bench with four fouls, the Beacons (9-6, 3-3) whittled at the margin, closing within 66-65 on a Dylan Perry lay-up inside the final minute.
However, defense played the final card, as Potts corraled a rebound after a missed Erik Quick-Warner driving lay-up with 24 seconds left and hit two free throws, the McGee grabbed a big board with ten seconds left off a missed trey in the corner from Jordan Whittenberg, making his two freebies to put the game out of reach.
McGee led the Yotes with 20 points and seven rebounds, with Bergerson coming off the bench to tally 13. Champ had 12 points, but did not have a rebound - the first time in 71 games that the senior did not record a board. Jabari McIntosh had a career-high 11 points and seven rebounds in the win. The C of I canned 32-of-41 free throws on the night, including 21-of-26 in the second half.
Quick-Warner led NCU with 16 points, with Brent McKee adding 14, and Cameron Marshall registering a double-double with ten points and ten rebounds.
The Coyotes return to action on Tuesday night, hosting No. 22 ranked Eastern Oregon at 7:30 p.m.