LEWISTON, Idaho – A dominating first half defensive performance lifted the College of Idaho to the team title of the Clearwater River Casino Classic, defeating Montana Tech, 62-46.
The No. 7 ranked Coyotes (3-1) forced 19 first half Tech turnovers, holding the Orediggers to just one made field goal over the final 15 minutes of the period to take a 28-10 lead at the break – the fewest points allowed in a half by a Coyote team since the shot clock was instated in the 1980s.
MT (4-3) took a 7-4 lead on a John Chapman triple with 15 minutes left in the period – but the NAIA Division I program went ice cold, finishing the half missing 14 of their final 15 shots.
A 3-point play by
Talon Pinckney started the game-changing 24-3 run – as
Joey Nebeker,
Emanuel Morgan and
Aitor Zubizarreta each added a pair of baskets in the surge.
Roosevelt Adams added a triple and a bucket and Morgan drained a triple early in the second half to extend the lead to 38-14 – as the Yotes had 15 players on their bench each get at least three minutes of playing time.
Pinckney led C of I with 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting, with Adams adding 10 points. Morgan and Nebeker each scored eight points in the win.
The Orediggers got a game-high 14 points from Kale Guldseth, making just 32-percent of their field goal chances on the day and recorded 30 turnovers.
C of I returns to action next Friday, opening the home schedule with a date against Colorado Christian.
