PORTLAND, Ore. – A balanced attack and an efficient offensive game plan helped the College of Idaho run their win streak to three games, earning a key 77-61 win at Warner Pacific.
The win pulled the Yotes (17-8, 10-5 CCC) within a half-game of Southern Oregon for fourth-place in the loop standings – with the 16-point victory margin the highest by a C of I team at Bart Valentine Court since a 130-91 win during the 1990-91 season.
Aitor Zubizarreta had a game-high 18 points, including three of the Yotes 11 made 3-pointers – with C of I making 50-percent of their field goal attempts on the night. The senior canned back-to-back triples to close the first half, capping an 11-1 run that gave the Coyotes a 35-27 lead at the break.
Zubizarreta added a trey and a driving lay-up early in the second half to extend the margin to 46-32, but the Knights (8-15, 4-11) responded. Montel Shirley scored seven-straight points, part of a 16-point, 10-rebound night, to cut the gap to 48-43.
Matt Duniphan answered with an inside bucket,
Gibson Berryhill splashed a triple, and
Talon Pinckney went coast-to-coast for a basket to extend the lead to double-digits and the Yotes made 60-percent of their second half field goals to earn the win.
Roosevelt Adams scored 12 of his 14 points in the first half, with he and Duniphan each recording eight rebounds.
Emanuel Morgan scored all 10 of his points in the second half; Berryhill scored nine on 3-of-3 shooting from long range; and Pinckney scored eight points and had a career-high five assists.
Keaton Bankofier had 14 points for WPC, including 3-of-8 shooting from 3-point range, but the rest of the Knights squad was a woeful 1-of-14 from outside the arc.
C of I returns to action tomorrow night with a 7:30 p.m. tip-off at Multnomah University. The game can be heard live in the Treasure Valley on 99.1-FM ESPN Boise.
