Steve Peres scored ten points in Coyotes loss to NNU
CALDWELL, Idaho - Jamie Eisinger hit 1-of-2 free throws with five seconds remaining to provide the winning margin, as Northwest Nazarene defeated The College of Idaho, 55-54, in the first game of the 2010 United Heritage Tip-Off Series, before a sold out crowd of 2,422 fans inside the J.A. Albertson Activities Center.
The Crusaders, who were playing the game as an exhibition, built a 41-31 second half lead, but watched as the host Coyotes (2-3) used a 9-0 run, capped by a Kelly McCarty bucket, to pull within a point. Two McCarty free throws with 5:26 remaining would get The C of I even at 46-46.
The Yotes would have their chances to take the lead, but three consecutive turnovers loomed large, as NNU built a 52-48 lead on two Eisinger freebies with 1:04 left. Tyler Young would nail a three with 16 seconds remaining to pull the Coyotes within a point – but a pair of Anthony Golden free throws pushed the margin to 54-51, and the 25th turnover of the night by The C of I proved to be the dagger. Eisinger’s free throw gave the Crusaders a 55-51, before a McCarty trey at the horn closed the scoring.
Both teams struggled offensively in the first ten minutes, as the Yotes needed nearly eight minutes to record their first field goal, as a Steve Peres triple gave The C of I a 4-3 lead with 12:51 remaining. After the third trey of the half by Peres gave the Yotes a 14-13 lead, NNU used a 13-2 run to take their biggest lead of the period at 26-16, before the hosts scored the final four points of the half.
It marked the first time that the road team in the “Oldest College Basketball Rivalry in Idaho” picked up a victory – dating back to the 1997-98 season, when NNU defeated the Coyotes at the Golden Rule Shoot-Out.
Eisinger led all scorers with 16 points, with Brian Barkdoll adding 12 points and transfer Darius Walker tallying 11. Peres was the lone Coyote in double-figures with ten points – before leaving the game midway through the first half with a nasty gash above his right eye that required stitches. Young and McCarty each scored nine for the Yotes, with Krispin Banks scoring eight points and a game-high 16 rebounds.
The Yotes dominated the glass by a 40-27 margin and hit 12-of-13 free throws, but NNU outscored The C of I 22-6 off turnovers, providing the winning margin.
The C of I returns to action on Friday, meeting NCAA Division I St. Mary’s in Moraga, Calif., in the first of two exhibition games this season. Tip-off is slated for 9:30 p.m. (MST)