CALDWELL, Idaho –
Jake Bruner led five College of Idaho players in double-figures with a career-high 16 points, as the Coyotes remained unbeaten at home with an 87-79 victory over Montana Western in the late game of the Domino's Classic.
The Coyotes (6-1) will meet unbeaten Lewis-Clark State tomorrow at 7 p.m. in the title game – as LCSC earned an 86-73 win over Corban in the early contest.
Bruner, along with
Nate Bruneel and
Derek Wadsworth each hit 3-pointers in a 21-8 run to open the game, but Western (3-3) rode 12 first half points from James Jones, including a late triple to give the Bulldogs a 38-37 lead at the half.
Consecutive inside buckets from Connor Burkhart gave Western a 50-48 lead, but Bruneel tied the game with a deuce and splashed a 3-pointer, with an
Ivory Miles-Williams post move and a Galloway jump hook completing a 9-0 C of I run.
The Yotes extended the lead to 73-59 with seven minutes to go – thanks to 3's from Bruner and Bruneel in a 10-0 run. The Dawgs made one last push, holding C of I without a field goal for four minutes, cutting the margin to 81-75 inside the final minute, but could not get closer.
Bruner added five rebounds on the night, with
Connor Desaulniers and Bruneel each recording 15 points with seven boards. Wadsworth scored 11 off the bench, with
Talon Pinckney finishing with 11 points, eight assists and four rebounds.
Cedric Boone paced Western with 17 points, with Jones scoring 14. The Bulldogs lost despite making 52-percent of their field goals, but were outrebounded 40-33, including a 14-5 edge on the offensive end.
