CALDWELL, Idaho –
Aitor Zubizarreta scored 21 points, including a season-high six 3-pointers, as the College of Idaho held off pesky Corban University, 70-68, inside the J.A. Albertson Activities Center.
Box ScoreA Zubizarreta trey with just over two minutes remaining gave the Yotes (13-8, 8-4 CCC) a 66-63 lead – only to see the Warriors A.J. Monterossi splash a triple with a minute left to even the score at 68-all. Zubizarreta would give C of I a 69-68 lead with a free throw with 44 seconds left – with the Yotes withstanding a pair of chances by the visitors – as Monterossi was called for charging with two seconds left, and Cyrus Ward missed a desperation 60-footer as time expired.
C of I opened the game on a 13-2 run, including back-to-back triples from Zubizarreta – only to watch the Warriors (11-8, 5-6) chip away at the deficit. Cyrus Ward scored 14 of his team-high 18 points in the opening period and Caleb Herzberg hit two late treys to pull Corban even at 35-35, before a
Dominique Jordan jumper gave the hosts a 37-35 lead at the break.
The Yotes would take their largest lead of the second half at 48-43 at the 15 minute mark, but a Herzberg triple and a Joel Johnson dunk sparked an 8-2 run that gave the visitors at 51-50 lead. A Johnson basket extended the margin to 59-56, only to see
Joey Nebeker convert a lay-up in traffic and Zubizarreta pop a long trey, part of a 7-0 run that set up the wild finish.
Zubizarreta finished 6-of-8 from outside the arc and led the team with eight rebounds. Nebeker had 21 points and seven rebounds, with
Marck Coffin scoring 10 points, adding seven rebounds and a career-high six steals. The Yotes outscored Corban 15-5 at the foul line and forced 21 Warrior turnovers.
Johnson had 13 points and eight rebounds for Corban, with Caleb Dozier scoring all 12 of his points in the second half. Monterossi was held to a season-low seven points in the loss after scoring a season-high 35 vs. C of I in the first meeting of the season, a 93-88 Warriors win.
C of I returns to action tomorrow night, hosting No. 10 ranked Northwest Christian at 7:30 p.m. The game was named earlier this week the Stretch Internet NAIA Game of the Week.
