No. 10 Yotes Outlast No. 21 Concordia, 84-79
CALDWELL, Idaho – Holding Concordia University to just one made field goal over the final eight minutes, The College of Idaho rallied from 10 points down to defeat the Cavaliers, 84-79, inside the J.A. Albertson Activities Center.
The No. 10 ranked Coyotes (19-5, 10-2 CCC) closed the game on a 22-7 run – limiting CU to 1-of-11 shooting and two turnovers in crunch time – to improve to 10-0 at home this season and build a two-game lead in the Cascade Conference standings.
C of I used a commanding 55-40 edge on the glass, including 22 offensive rebounds in the win, while tying a school record with 12 blocked shots – equaling the mark set during the 1998-9 season against Montana Tech.
The Cavaliers (19-5, 7-4), who saw a nine-game win streak snapped, got a three-point play and a three-point bucket from Willy Ligon in an 11-2 run midway through the second half to grab a 58-50 edge. The margin would extend to 72-62 after an Adam Herman dunk and two Ligon free throws, but the visitors went quiet from the floor.
A Demetrius Perkins three-pointer started a 9-0 run to get the Yotes within a basket, before a Ligon three-point play with 4:28 left gave CU a 75-71 lead. C of I responded, with a three-point play from Taylor Pruett to get the squad within a point, with Pruett grabbing one of 16 rebounds and putting home the carom to give the Coyotes a 78-77 lead.
Herman, who was 12-of-12 from the line, was fouled on the Cavs next possession and drained the freebies to give CU their final lead, but the hosts answered at the line themselves. Sydney Donaldson was fouled on a drive and converted both free throws to give the Yotes a 79-78 lead. After a CU miss, Pruett missed two free throws, but Ben Van Lith grabbed a crucial offensive rebound and was fouled – making both attempts to extend the lead to three.
The Cavaliers had one final try, but Tyler Velasquez missed a 25-foot three to tie.
The Yotes bolted out of the gate, as Pruett scored 14 points and reserve post Joe Vaz added six points and eight first half rebounds, as C of I led 27-14 with 7:20 left the half. Ligon scored nine points in a 12-0 CU run to even the score at 33-33, before Van Lith converted a lay-up, stole the inbounds pass, and converted the bucket to give C of I a 37-33 lead at the half.
Pruett had 24 points, including knocking down 4-of-8 three-point attempts. Perkins had 15 of his 17 points in the second half for the Yotes, with Van Lith adding 15 points and nine rebounds. Vaz finished with eight points, 11 rebounds, and four blocked shots.
Herman led CU with 26 points, with Ligon scoring 25 points off the bench. Esvan Middleton, who had 21 points and 20 meetings in the first meeting, was limited to five points and 13 rebounds in the loss.
C of I returns to action tomorrow night, hosting Warner Pacific at 7:30 p.m.