EUGENE, Ore. – Brendyn Taylor hit two free throws with 26 seconds left to break the seventh and final tie of the game, as Northwest Christian outlasted College of Idaho, 84-80, in a Top-20 match-up inside the Morse Event Center.
The No. 17 ranked Yotes (14-8, 7-5 CCC) tied the game at 80-80 on an
Aitor Zubizarreta 3-pointer with 39 seconds remaining, but NCU got the ball in the hands of Taylor, who drove the right side of the lane and was fouled at the basket – and drained both freebies. C of I had two chances to tie – but
Talon Pinckney was called for traveling with 13 seconds left, and after Michael Loomis made 1-of-2 free throws for the Beacons, Pinckney missed a triple from the head of the key with two seconds left.
C of I controlled most of the first half, using a 10-0 run to erase an NCU (16-3, 10-2) 12-10 lead – getting two of five
Emanuel Morgan 3-pointers in the surge. The lead would build to 30-18 on a Morgan 3-point play, before the No. 13 ranked Beacons got consecutive Jack Hackman triples to pull the hosts within 42-40 at halftime.
NCU would take a 47-44 lead early in the second half, but a pair of
Roosevelt Adams treys and a 3-ball from Zubizarreta keyed an 11-0 C of I run to give the visitors a 55-47 lead with 16 minutes to play. However, the Beacons were able to utilize a sizeable advantage at the foul line – going 22-of-26 at the stripe in the second half to get back in the game.
Zubizarreta had a season-high 22 points in the loss for the Yotes, with Morgan, playing in his home town, scoring 20 points – tying a school record by going 5-of-5 from 3-point range. Adams had 10 points and
Aziz Leeks logged 10 points and a team-high eight rebounds for the Yotes. C of I lost despite making 13-of-27 3-point attempts – but were outscored 27-5 at the free throw line.
Jay Mayernik recorded his 11th double-double of the season, scoring 21 points with 10 rebounds to lead NCU. Kenny Blackwell had 17 points, including 8-of-10 shooting from the stripe, and Hackman tallied 14. The Beacons had a 37-29 edge on the glass and forced 14 C of I turnovers.
C of I returns home this weekend, starting a string of six home games over their final eight contests, hosting Northwest University at 7:30 p.m.
NOTE – Morgan tied Derek Brown (2003 vs. Rocky Mountain), Andy Harper (2003 vs. Cascade), Billy Offill (2001 at Corban) and Tennison Tripple (2000 at Patten)
