Middleton sees ‘20-20’ as Cavs defeat Yotes

1/4/2014 8:26:00 PM

Concordia 95, College of Idaho 89?? Stats Comparison CU CI Points 95 89 Rebounds 48 40 Assists 15 11 Fouls 17 23 Shooting % 49.3% 42.7% 3-point % 30.8% 34.5% Free Throw % 87.5% 64.3% CU Leaders CI Velasquez 23 Points 23 Pruett Middleton 20 Rebounds 8 Pruett Velasquez 5 Assists 3 Wilson Perkins Middleton Matthews 1 Blocks 2 Pruett Velasquez 4 Steals 4 Pruett

PORTLAND, Ore.—With three players scoring at least 20 points, Concordia held off College of Idaho for a 95-89 win at home on Saturday.

Surrendering a long-held lead late in the second half, Concordia (12-4, 2-3 CCC) made 16 of 18 attempts from the free throw line in the second half to secure the win.

Up 31-19, the Cavs generated a 12-point lead with 8:11 in the first following a Kory Kirwan (Hillsboro, Ore./Glencoe H.S.) layup, but with senior Taylor Pruett making four shots from 3-point range, the Coyotes put together a 20-8 run of their own to knot the game up at 39-all.

CU's Esvan Middleton (Culver City, Calif./Culver City H.S.), who finished with 21 points and 20 rebounds, provided the final two points of the half on a Willy Ligon (Corona, Calif./Centennial H.S.) assisted dunk with 45 seconds to play to give CU a 45-41 edge at the break.

Early in the second, Concordia improved its lead to 10 after with layups by Adam Herman (Vancouver, Wash./Prairie H.S.), Anthony Holton (Portland, Ore./Sunset H.S.) and Tyler Velasquez (Colorado Springs, Colo./Doherty H.S.).

Not wavering, the Yotes retaliated by evening the contest at 60-60 on Ben Van Lith put back with 10:47 to play. The teams traded baskets over the next five minutes of action with C of I finally breaking through for a brief lead with 5:41 on the clock as Zach Peterson drained a 3-pointer for a 70-68 advantage.

Velasquez returned down the court with a 3-pointer of his own to regain the lead for Concordia, a lead the home side would not relinquish down the stretch. Another Pruett 3-pointer with 1:03 to play cut the lead to 88-85, but the Yotes managed just two more shot attempts in the final minute, missing on a 3 from Demetrius Perkins and converting on a Van Lith layup with five seconds left.

In addition to Middleton's 21 points, Concordia's Adam Herman (Vancouver, Wash./Prairie H.S.) finished with 20 points to finish one point shy of tying the school's all-time career scoring record currently held by Alphonso Niles who scored 1,883 points from 1996-2000. Velasquez led CU with 22 points, five assists and four steals.

Pruett led the Coyotes with 23 points and eight rebounds while Josh Wilson (13), Sydney Donaldson (13), Van Lith (12) and Perkins (10) also reached double figures in the scoring column for a balanced C of I offense.

Concordia will return to action on Jan. 10 when it travels to face Northwest Christian University. Opening tip is set for 7:30 p.m. in Eugene, Ore. College of Idaho, meanwhile, will travel to meet No. 24-ranked Eastern Oregon.