KIRKLAND, Wash. – A 3-point attempt for
Joey Nebeker was blocked at the buzzer, as Northwest University outlasted the College of Idaho, 70-68, in a Top-25 battle inside the NU Pavilion.
Ben Tucakovic converted a right handed runner in the lane with 94 seconds left to give the No. 13 ranked Eagles (13-2, 5-2 CCC) a 69-68 lead. C of I had four chances to tie or take the lead, but three missed shots inside the paint and a turnover – coupled by a free throw by Kaelan Hicks – extended the NU lead to two.
Hicks missed a second free throw with eight seconds left, with the Yotes (11-5, 4-2) rushing the ball up floor.
Aitor Zubizarreta was forced to the baseline, locating Nebeker at the top of the key, but his contested triple at the horn was deflected by Michael Dupree giving the Eagles the victory.
C of I opened the game on a 32-13 run, as
Roosevelt Adams scored all 10 of his points in the surge, with the Yotes making five of their first seven 3-point attempts. The Eagles answered, cutting the margin to 41-31 at the break. The Coyotes extended the lead to 49-33 with just over 16 minutes to play on a Zubizarreta lay-up – but C of I would make just one field goal over the next eight minutes, with NU going on a 19-3 run to get even at 52-52 on a pair of Justice Martion free throws.
The two teams would combine seven ties and seven lead changes in the final seven minutes – with the Yotes taking their final lead at 68-67 on a Zubizarreta 3-point play inside the final two minutes.
Hicks was the story for the Eagles, recording career-highs with 18 points and 14 rebounds – as NU held a 43-34 rebound edge, including 20 offensive boards that turned into 20 second chance points. The hosts also outscored C of I 16-6 at the free throw line.
Nebeker led C of I with 15 points, with Zubizarreta adding 12. The Yotes tied a season high with 20 turnovers and lost despite holding NU 25 points under their season average and limiting the Eagles to just 37-percent shooting from the floor.
The Coyotes return home next weekend, hosting Multnomah and Warner Pacific in the Activities Center.
