Rodney Delgardo scored a game-high 22 in win over UM Western
Coyotes Build Big Lead, Hold Off Montana Western
Mike Safford
CALDWELL, Idaho – Rodney Delgardo scored a game-high 22 points and The College of Idaho blocked 11 shots, as the Coyotes hung on for an 80-73 victory over Montana Western in the late game of the 26th Annual Golden Rule Shootout, inside the J.A. Albertson Activities Center.
Box Score
Delgardo hit a career-high five three-pointers and added eight rebounds as the Coyotes (3-4) won their second-straight game against an NAIA Division I opponent.
The C of I got five points from Miguel Rodriguez in a 13-3 run to open the game, but watched as the Bulldogs (6-3) closed the gap to 19-18 with 6:20 left in the period on a Jake Owsley lay-up. Delgardo answered with a jumper and two three-pointers and Rodriguez added a triple, as the Yotes built a 30-18 edge and led 36-23 at the break.
The lead would grow to 51-31 in the second half before Western chipped away – as the Coyotes made just 11 of their first 24 free throws in the second half. The Bulldogs would get within 77-73 and have possession of the ball, but missed a pair of shots and the Yotes connected on 5-of-6 at the stripe to end the game.
Taylor Pruett hit 7-of-11 shots from the field, scoring 16 points, adding nine rebounds and four blocks, with Rodriguez scoring a career-high 13. Ben Van Lith, in his first action in two weeks, scored 11.
Kris Collins had 15 points to lead Western, going 6-of-20 from the floor. Owsley added 12 points and 12 rebounds, but the Bulldogs hit just 33-percent of their field goal chances.
In the early game, Westminster got 18 points from Blake Skidmore to defeat Walla Walla, 85-44.