Coyotes Rally From 22 Down To Stun Whitworth, 77-75
SPOKANE, Wash. – Channeling the energy from an NAIA national title 25 years ago, Charles Elzie hit two free throws with five seconds left to cap a 22-point rally, as The College of Idaho stunned Whitworth University, 77-75, inside Whitworth Fieldhouse.
In the first meeting between the schools since the epic 1996 title game, the Yotes (3-6) rallied from a 44-22 first half deficit behind five players in double-figures and a career-best 15-point effort from Elzie.
The Pirates (0-1), the defending Division III Northwest Conference champions, blitzed C of I in the first half and led 54-34 with 15 minutes to go – but the Coyotes whittled away at the margin.
The Yotes held WU without a made field goal for a five minute stretch, as 3-pointers from Elzie and Johnny Radford fueled a 13-4 run that pulled the visitors within 58-47. After the Bucs pushed the lead to 13, Elize and Radford hit triples and Jalen Galloway made three free throws, with the 9-0 run getting C of I within 62-58.
Derek Wadsworth capped the 34-13 outburst with a transition 3-pointer with 4:20 remaining to give C of I their first lead at 68-67.
Whitworth wasn't done, as a J.T. McDermott inside basket giving the Pirates a 72-69 lead, but two Elzie free throws and a pull-up jumper by Ricardo Time, sandwiched around a WU free throw, tied the score at 73-73. After the two teams traded free throws, C of I got the ball to Elzie, who was fouled on a drive – making the freebies to give the Yotes the two point lead – with the sophomore blocking a final Whitworth shot attempt at the buzzer to seal the victory.
Things did not look good for C of I – as 14 first half turnovers led to the big deficit. Liam Fitzgerald scored five points in a 12-2 Pirates run that gave the hosts an 18-8 lead, while Tanner Fogle canned consecutive 3-pointers in a 12-3 run that gave WU a 39-18 lead.
Galloway led all scorers with 16 points, with Time scoring 15, Jake O'Neil tallied 11 points and seven rebounds, with Radford scoring eight of his 10 points in the second half.
Fitzgerald led the Bucs with 14 points, with Fogle going 3-of-3 from outside the arc, part of a 12-point night.
The two teams close out the series tomorrow with a 6 p.m. rematch.
NOTES:
- C of I made a season-high 22 free throws in the win, just the sixth time in the last 40 games that the Yotes have made 20-or-more free throws
- The Yotes held a 39-29 rebound edge and made 16-of-29 field goal attempts in the second half
- It was C of I's eighth-straight win over Whitworth and their third win in a row on the Pirates home floor
- It was the biggest comeback win for the Yotes since rallying from a 36-16 first half deficit in a 2016-17 win over Corban (78-74)