CALDWELL, Idaho –
Dominique Jordan scored all 14 of his points in the second half, including four key 3-point baskets, as the College of Idaho improved to 4-0 at home in Cascade Conference play with a hard-fought 71-67 victory over Warner Pacific.
The victory for the No. 24 Coyotes (13-5, 6-2 CCC) kept the team in a tie for second-place in the conference standings and avenged a 26-point loss to the Knights in the Activities Center last season.
The back-and-forth game saw the Knights () take a 22-19 lead with 5:36 remaining in the first half on a De'Corrius Sampson-Young 3-pointer – but the Coyote defense did not allow another bucket the rest of the period. Two treys from
Emanuel Morgan and a jumper and two free throws from
Roosevelt Adams helped C of I close the half on a 10-0 run for a 29-22 lead at the break.
After WPC scored the opening bucket of the second half, the Yotes used a 12-0 run to pull away – as Adams and
Aitor Zubizarreta hit triples and Morgan added a steal and a basket to give the hosts a 41-24 lead at the 16:39 mark.
The Knights wouldn't quit, making 9-of-15 3-point attempts in the final 20 minutes, as Collin Malcom canned a trey to start 13-2 run to cut the deficit to 43-37, with Adam Westfall splashing a trey to pull the visitors within 52-51. Jordan countered with a pair of 3's and Morgan converted a lay-up after one of four steals on the night, as C of I regained a 65-55 lead.
WPC had one last push, as Westfall drained consecutive 3-pointers and Malcolm buried a long trey to cut the margin to 65-64 inside the final 90 seconds. Zubizarreta countered with a free throw line jumper and following a defensive stop,
Joey Nebeker and Zubizarreta each drained a pair of free throws to close out the win.
Zubizarreta led C of I with 17 points and seven rebounds, Adams had 13 points and six rebounds, with Morgan scoring 10 points with seven assists. The Coyotes made 43-percent of their field goal attempts – including 13 makes from outside the arc.
Malcolm led the Knights with 14 points and had a game-high 17 rebounds – as WPC recorded a 37-35 rebound edge. Keaton Bankofier had 13 points, with Westfall and Charles Honest each scoring 12.
The Coyotes return to action next Saturday, the first of four-straight road games, traveling to Oregon Tech for a 3 p.m. (PT) tip.
YOTE NOTES:
- The Coyotes improved to 6-1 at home this season with the win, holding their fourth-straight opponent to 70 points or less
- Zubizarreta tied a season-high with three made 3-pointers and recorded a season-high in rebounds
- Jordan recorded his third game with four or more 3-pointers in a game this season
- Nebeker had seven points and seven rebounds – with his biggest board coming inside the final minute, an offensive rebound off a missed C of I free throw that led to a trip to the foul line.
- Morgan recorded multiple steals for the tenth-straight game and now averages 2.7 steals a night – No. 3 in the NAIA Division II.
