KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. –
Joey Nebeker scored 27 points, including the go-ahead bucket with 39 seconds remaining, as the College of Idaho rallied late for a 78-76 victory at Oregon Tech, inside Danny Miles Court.
The victory for the Yotes (16-11, 11-7 CCC) gives the team a game and a half lead for fourth place in the league standings and can clinch a CCC Championships quarterfinal home date with a victory in one of their final two games.
Tied 76-76 inside the final minute, the Coyotes worked the ball into Nebeker, who converted the right-handed lay-up to give the visitors the lead. OIT (19-8, 9-8) had two chances to win, as Lavar Moore missed a 3-pointer in the left corner with 20 seconds left and following two missed C of I free throws, missed a wide open trey from the head of the key in the waning seconds.
Both teams traded runs throughout the game, as three Brandon Halter triples in the first half helped OIT take a 16-9 lead, only to see C of I get a pair of
Aitor Zubizarreta treys in a 19-5 run to take their largest lead at 28-21 with six minutes left in the period.
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Marck Coffin basket early in the second half gave the Yotes a 43-38 lead, but an Austin Flint 3-pointer and baskets from Joel Yellow Owl and Moore fueled a 12-2 run that gave Tech the lead. OIT pushed the margin to 68-62, before huge 3s from Coffin and
Emanuel Morgan got the Yotes even at 72-72 – staging the wild finish.
Nebeker added 11 rebounds and was a perfect 7-of-7 from the free throw line in the win. Coffin scored 17 points and had three steals and Zubizarreta had 15 points, seven assists and six rebounds – as C of I made 11-of-26 3-pointers on the night.
Moore had 27 points in the loss for OIT, with Yellow Owl logging 17 and Derek Evans leading all players with 12 rebounds.
C of I has a quick turn-around, meeting No. 14 Southern Oregon tomorrow at 3 p.m. (PT) – with the game live on ESPN Boise (96.5-FM / 730-AM).
