NAMPA, Idaho – Maurice Jones scored 13 of his game-high 21 points in the second half, as Northwest Nazarene defeated a short-handed College of Idaho squad, 69-60, in the United Heritage Insurance Mayors' Cup match-up inside Johnson Sports Center.
Jones had an inside bucket and a 3-pointer in a 12-1 second half run for the Crusaders (4-4) that erased a 38-34 C of I lead. The NNU lead would reach 54-45 on a Jayden Bezzant floater, before the Yotes (7-4) rallied with an 8-0 run, including two
Aitor Zubizarreta baskets, to get within a point.
C of I trailed just 56-55 with six minutes to play, but the visitors - playing without two key injured players, starting forward
Joey Nebeker and back-up point-guard
Talon Pinckney – made just 1-of-11 field goal attempts in crunch time, while NNU made 9-of-10 free throws to close out the win.
The first half was a see-saw affair, as the Yotes jumped to a quick 8-2 lead, only to watch the Crusaders answer with a 10-2 run, capped by a Jones basket, to regain the lead. C of I used a 15-4 run, including triples from
Roosevelt Adams and Zubizarreta, to take their largest lead of the night at 31-25 – with the two sides playing to a 34-34 deadlock at the break.
NNU held a 40-32 edge on the glass and outscored C of I 15-3 on second chance points and 32-18 in the paint.
Zubizarreta led the Yotes with 16 points, with Adams finishing with 15 points and 11 rebounds.
Emanuel Morgan filled out the stat sheet, scoring nine points, adding five rebounds and five assists, plus a game-high six steals. C of I's bench scored 14 first half points - including five from
Curtis Brever and four from
Jake Bruner – but were held scoreless after the break.
Jones made 8-of-13 field goals for the Crusaders and led all players with 12 rebounds. Bouna N'Diaye had 18 points and was a perfect 8-of-8 from the line for the victors.
C of I returns to action on Sunday, traveling to Walla Walla for a 3 p.m. (PST) tip-off.
