Yotes Lose Exhibition Thriller at NNU, 114-108 - Cascade Collegiate Conference Skip To Main Content

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Yotes Lose Exhibition Thriller at NNU, 114-108

Yotes Lose Exhibition Thriller at NNU, 114-108

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NAMPA, Idaho - Drew Eisinger scored five of his game-high 28 points in overtime, as Northwest Nazarene withstood 20 three-point makes by The College of Idaho, knocking off the Yotes, 114-108, in the second game of the United Heritage Tip-Off Series before 2,020 fans inside the Johnson Sports Center.

The win for the Crusaders (5-1) was their tenth-straight non-conference home win, while the game counted as an exhibition for the Yotes. It was the second highest scoring game in the "Oldest College Basketball Rivalry in Idaho," behind a double-overtime, 125-117 thriller in 1985 - that current Yote head coach Mark Owen scored 47 points in The C of I win.

In a game that featured 23 lead changes and 14 ties, the Yotes Noah Gottlieb's driving lay-up with two seconds left in regulation tied the game at 102, sending the rivalry match-up to an extra session. In overtime, NNU hit 4-of-5 shots, including a bucket from Eisinger with just under two minutes left that pushed the lead to 112-105 - as the Coyotes hit just 2-of-10 field goal attempts in the extra period.

NNU came out of the gates on fire, hitting their first six shots, jumping out to a 13-2 lead - but the Coyotes, playing without All-America center, Craig McGee, stormed back, taking their first lead of the night on one of six treys from Steve Peres. The Yotes would push their lead to 45-40 on a Matt Ballenger three, but a pair of free throws by Crusader big man Brian Barkdoll gave the hosts a 52-50 lead at the break.

The Crusaders looked to put the game away midway through the second half with a 12-2 run to build a 86-79 lead, but the Yotes would get eight Ballenger points in a 15-4 burst to claim a 94-90 advantage with five minutes left. The two teams would trade the lead four times in the final two minutes before the extra period.

Peres led all scorers with 29 points, with Gottlieb going 6-for-7 from outside the arc as part of his 28 point-ten rebound night. Ballenger added 25 points before fouling out late in regulation, with Kelvin Potts logging 16 points and six assists.

Anthony Golden came off the bench to score 23 points for NNU, with Barkdoll adding 16 points and 13 rebounds - as the Crusaders held a commanding 52-31 edge on the glass.

Both teams will head to Caldwell this weekend for the C of I/NNU Holiday Classic - as NNU meets Montana Western on Friday at 6 p.m., followed by the Coyotes and Portland Bible at 8 p.m.
 

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