OLYMPIA, Wash. –
Aitor Zubizarreta scored a career-high 45 points, the most by a College of Idaho player in a quarter century, helping the Yotes to a key 100-85 road victory at the Evergreen State College inside Costantino Recreation Center.
Box Score The junior transfer converted 19-of-24 field goal chances, adding nine rebounds and five assists, as the Yotes (14-10, 9-6 CCC) moved back into fourth-place in the Cascade Conference standings. He became just the fourth player in C of I history to score 45 points in a game – joining Elgin Baylor (53 in 1954-55, 45 in 1954-55),
Mark Owen (47 in 1984-85) and Johnnie Hilliard (46 in 1990-91) in the elite club.
Zubizarreta started quickly, scoring seven points in a 13-3 run in the first three minutes to stake the Yotes out to an early lead. The Geoducks (8-15, 5-10) would score 10-in-a-row to tie the game at 13-13, but only watched as a
Dominique Jordan jumper, a
Marck Coffin lay-up and a
Joey Nebeker triple gave C of I a lead they wouldn't relinquish.
All eyes were then on the native of the Basque Country, who scored nine-straight points to give C of I a 29-20 lead, closing the half with a short jumper to give his team a 44-35 lead at the break.
ESC got within 65-61 at the 11 minute mark of the season half after a Taylor Drey 3-pointer, but a pull up jumper and transition 3-ball from Jordan started an 11-2 run that put the game away. Zubizarreta capped the game with two late 3-pointers and an emphatic dunk.
Nebeker had 23 points in the victory, with Jordan scoring 14 of his 16 points after halftime.
Emanuel Morgan did not score, but added 10 assists and four steals. The Yotes made 59-percent of their field goals, including 22-of-31 after the break.
Drey led ESC with 25 points, with Danny Powell scoring 23 points with 15 rebounds in a losing cause.
C of I closes out their regular-season home schedule next weekend with game against Warner Pacific and Multnomah.
