CALDWELL, Idaho –
Aitor Zubizarreta led six College of Idaho players in double figures with 19 points, as the Coyotes extended their win streak to seven games with a 91-79 victory over 16th-ranked Eastern Oregon, before 2,120 fans inside the J.A. Albertson Activities Center.
The No. 25 ranked Coyotes (21-8, 14-5 CCC) pulled into a 3-way tie for second-place in the Cascade Conference standings – running their home win streak to nine games in the process – and avenging a 83-79 loss at EOU last December.
Leading 56-54 with just over 12 minutes remaining exploited the Mountaineers (21-7, 14-5) zone defense – as Zubizarreta splashed a free throw line jumper and added a rebound basket off a missed C of I shot. The senior drained a triple from the left corner to extend the margin to 63-56 – with
Dominique Jordan and
Chris Vines splashing treys of their own in the 19-4 run that gave the hosts a 75-58 edge with six minutes to play.
The two teams traded runs in the first half – as EOU made four of their first six 3-point attempts, taking a 20-15 lead midway through the half. C of I answered with a 19-6 run – including two Zubizarreta 3-balls, to take their biggest lead of the opening stanza at 34-26 – only to have the Mounties score the final seven points of the half to trail just 34-33 at the break.
EOU got consecutive inside buckets from Kentrell Washington in a 6-0 run early in the second half to take a 39-36 lead, but a bank-shot from
Roosevelt Adams and inside baskets from Zubizarreta and
Joey Nebeker gave C of I a lead they would never relinquish.
Zubizarreta finished 7-of-11 from the field, making 3-of-4 3-pointers in the win, adding six assists, four rebounds and three steals. Jordan was a perfect 3-of-3 from distance, scoring 12 off the bench; Adams recorded his sixth double-double of the year with 12 points and 10 rebounds;
Emanuel Morgan scored 12 points with seven assists; with Nebeker and
Aziz Leeks each scoring 11.
C of I finished the night making 53-percent of their field goal attempts and connected on 19-of-25 free throw chances.
All five EOU starters scored in double figures, led by Max McCullough with 15 points – making 6-of-7 field goals, including three 3's. The CCC's leading scorer, Bryan McGriff, was limited to just 14 points, Washington scored 12 and both Travis Meeker and Austin Winegar added 10. The Mounties lost despite making 63-percent of their second half field goals.
C of I closes out the regular-season on Saturday night, hosting Walla Walla at 9 p.m. A pre-game ceremony will honor the seven Coyote senior student-athletes who will be playing in their final home regular-season game.
NOTES: Morgan broke the C of I career games played record, seeing action in his 129th contest in the Purple and Gold – surpassing the previous record of 128 games, set by Derek Brown, from 2002-05…the 57 second half points by the Coyotes were a season high, with C of I scoring 86 or more points for the fourth-straight game…C of I has held all 19 CCC opponents this season under their scoring average.
