CALDWELL, Idaho –
Kiara Skinner canned five 3-pointers, part of a 19-point evening, as the College of Idaho held off Montana Tech, 71-64, in the finale of the 16th Annual Best Western Caldwell Inn and Suites Lady Yote Classic inside the J.A. Albertson Activities Center.
Box ScoreThe win for the Lady Yotes (1-5) ended a five-game losing streak to open the season, as three players scored in double figures, with C of I holding a 52-46 edge on the glass against the NAIA Division I opponent.
C of I never trailed in the victory, as treys from
Jaycin Tini and Skinner, along with a lay-up from
Brittany Wirth fueled an 8-0 run spanning the end of the first quarter and the start of the second period, giving the Yotes a 22-12 lead. The Orediggers (4-7) would cut the gap to 30-29 on a Sammy McGree jumper, but a Skinner triple started a 12-3 run to end the half, as the hosts built a 42-32 edge at the break.
Leading 48-36 early in the third quarter, the Yotes watched Tech rattle off an 8-0 run, including a 3-pointer and three free throws from Kourtney Coverdell, to get within 48-44, but the Diggers could not get closer the rest of the way.
Ryleigh Swagerty came off the bench for the Lady Yotes to score a career-high 14 points, with Wirth scoring 13 points and adding nine boards. Skinner had 10 rebounds and four blocked shots for C of I and
Madison Pilster recorded nine points and 10 rebounds.
McGree led the Diggers with 18 points and eight rebounds, Coverdell had 16 points and five steals, with Rachel Farris scoring 10 points and recording a game-high 12 rebounds. Tech converted just 7-of-28 shots from outside the arc and made just 13-of-28 free throws in the loss.
C of I returns to action on Tuesday night, hosting No. 14 ranked Eastern Oregon in their Cascade Conference opener, with tip-off set for 5:30 p.m.
