SALEM, Ore. –
Keun Palu-Thompson scored eight of his game-high 17 points in a 17-2 second half run, lifting the College of Idaho to a 75-53 win at Corban University inside the C.E. Jeffers Sports Center.
Playing as the No. 1 team in the Division II for the first time in 27 years, the Coyotes (14-1, 3-0 CCC) remained unbeaten against NAIA competition – recording their most lopsided victory at Corban in the 40 meetings between the teams in the Capitol City - surpassing the 89-68 win by Marty Holly's 1987-88 team.
The Warriors (9-3, 0-2) held C of I to just one made field goal over the first six minutes of the second half – cutting an 11-point halftime deficit to 44-40 after a Beau Tilleman lay-up. However, the Yotes locked down defensively – allowing Corban to make just two field goals over the final 10 minutes of the game.
Fueled by the defensive effort, Palu-Thompson caught fire, draining a 10-foot jumper and a driving lay-up – while converting a 4-point play after being fouled on a long 3-point attempt – as C of I took a 71-49 lead with just four minutes to play.
C of I never trailed on the night – blowing the game wide open in the first six minutes of the contest.
Jake Bruner drained triples on three-straight possessions to give the Yotes a 13-2 lead, with consecutive 3-pointers from
Nate Bruneel and an
Ivory Miles-Williams lay-up extending the margin to 21-4.
Corban battled back, as 3's from Jaxon Hughes and Tyler Wadleigh pulled the hosts within 28-24 after a 14-4 run – only to see the Yotes'
Justin Saunders answer. The sophomore canned a 15-footer, a head of the key 3 and was fouled making a triple – with the 4-point play pushing the lead back to 13, with C of I taking a 41-30 lead to the break.
Saunders finished with 15 points and Bruneel scored 13, as the Yotes made 13 3-pointers on the night. Bruner had nine points and eight rebounds, with Connor Desaulnier adding a career-high 14 boards – as C of I held a 43-35 edge on the glass against the top rebounding team in the NAIA.
Talon Pinckney scored just four points, but added five assists and four steals, with
Gibson Berryhill scoring five points with five dishes.
Beau Roggenbach led Corban with 12 points and seven rebounds and A.J. Hodges scored nine – but the Yotes zone defense held the Warriors to just 35-percent shooting, including 5-of-20 shooting from 3-point range.
C of I returns to action tomorrow afternoon with a 4 p.m. (PST) meeting at Northwest Christian.
