NAMPA, Idaho –
Joey Nebeker scored a career-high 38 points, but a 14-3 Northwest Nazarene run late in overtime lifted the Crusaders to a wild 100-96 victory over the College of Idaho in the United Heritage Mayors' Cup match-up inside the Johnson Sports Center.
Nebeker scored 23 second half points to rally the Coyotes (3-1) from 78-71 deficit inside the final three minutes, burying a 3-pointer with nine seconds left to send the game to overtime. His fourth triple of the night gave C of I their largest lead in the extra session at 90-83 with three minutes remaining – but the visitors could not hold on.
Mike Wright converted a 3-point play with 98 seconds left to cut the margin to 93-90, and then buried a trey with 54 seconds left to cut the gap to 94-93. After a C of I turnover, Detwon Rogers took a pass on a back cut for a lay-up to give the Crusaders a lead they would not relinquish.
Nebeker finished 13-of-25 from the field and was 8-for-8 from the foul line, recording the most points by a Coyote since Matt Ballenger scored 39 points in a win over Evergreen during the 2010-11 season. The junior also became the first C of I player with back-to-back 30-point efforts since Josh Owen recorded three consecutive 30-point games during the 2007-08 season.
The teams traded first half runs, as NNU got a pair of 3's from Pol Olivier, sandwiched around a Rogers dunk, to rattle off an 8-0 run, taking a 24-21 lead with five minutes left in the period. Four quick Nebeker points gave C of I the lead, with
Curtis Brever adding a lay-up and a triple, with Nebeker capping the 17-2 run to end the half with a dunk, as the Yotes led 38-26 at the break.
A Nebeker 3-pointer early in the second half gave C of I their largest lead at 43-28, only to watch the Crusaders can six triples in a 31-9 run over an eight minute stretch to regain the lead at 59-52.
Aitor Zubizarreta had 18 points and a team-high nine rebounds and
Dominique Jordan adding 12 for the Yotes.
Marck Coffin had six points, eight rebounds, six assists and five steals, with
Emanuel Morgan scoring nine points – including a huge 3-pointer late in regulation – to go along with six assists and three steals.
Wright led NNU with 25 points and six assists, while Rogers had 24 points and 10 rebounds in his Crusader debut. NNU won despite 24 turnovers, making 14-of-31 shots from outside the arc and holding a commanding 45-31 edge on the glass in the 199th all-time meeting between the rivals.
C of I returns to action on Saturday, traveling to Salt Lake City for a meeting with Westminster College.
