Garrett Leads Yotes to I-84 Cup Crown
CALDWELL, Idaho – Antonio Garrett scored 15 points to lead a balanced College of Idaho scoring attack, as the No. 8 ranked Coyotes won their eighth-straight, stopping Eastern Oregon, 67-54, inside the J.A. Albertson Activities Center.
The Yotes (21-5, 12-2 CCC) never trailed in the game in completing a season sweep of their I-84 Cup rival for the first time since the 2004-05 season. C of I also improved to 12-0 on the season at home – holding the Mountaineers to their lowest scoring night of the season. It also pulled the Coyotes one win away from at least a share of their first Cascade Conference regular-season crown since 2004.
Garrett scored 11 points in a key first half Coyote run, including back-to-back three-pointers, and a nifty give-and-go three-point play with Joe Vaz, helping C of I take a 33-22 lead late in the period.
EOU (14-10, 5-9) was within 37-28 early in the second half after a Kalvin Johansen runner, but the Yotes put the game out of reach, holding the Mounties without a made field goal for a six-minute stretch. The 13-1 Coyote run featured a pair of Demetrius Perkins baskets, a Garrett driving lay-up, a Sydney Donaldson runner, and a Josh Wilson three-point play, giving the hosts a 50-29 lead.
C of I limited Eastern to 1-of-17 shooting from outside the arc, before making a pair of three’s in a 16-2 run late in the game that pulled the visitors within 62-53 – before the Yotes closed out the game at the foul line.
Vaz had 10 points and nine rebounds, with Perkins scoring 10 – as seven different C of I players scored six-or-more points. The Yotes withstood an off-shooting night, making just 36-percent of their field goals, but made up for it with 13 offensive rebounds and 20 free throw makes.
Tony Eackles Jr. scored 12 of his 13 points in the first half for EOU, with Johanson adding 11 points, and Derek Maloney logging 10 points and eight rebounds off the bench.
C of I hits the road next weekend for games at Northwest Christian and Corban.