CALDWELL, Idaho –
Madison Holly saved her best performance in a College of Idaho uniform for her final regular-season home game, pouring in a career-high 29 points, as the Yotes rallied inside the final 30 seconds to defeat Warner Pacific, 92-90, inside the J.A. Albertson Activities Center.
In a game that featured 17 ties and 25 lead changes – with neither team leading by more than four points in the second half – the Yotes (14-12, 10-8 CCC) converted a season-high 35-of-43 attempts from the foul line to earn the victory. The win moved C of I into sole possession of fifth-place in the CCC standings – and keeps the Yotes slim hopes alive for a potential CCC Tournament quarterfinal home date.
Holly gave the Yotes their largest lead of the night, canning a 3-pointer with 1:46 left, as C of I took an 82-78 lead. The Knights (13-12, 9-9) answered, as Bailey Allen converted a 3-point play and WPU stole the ensuing inbounds pass, leading to a Kendyl Cone bucket for the lead.
The margin would grow to 87-84 following two Grace Prom free throws, before the teams each connected on two free throws on the following three possessions. Leading 89-88 with 24 seconds left, Darbi Pink missed two freebies for the Knights, with
Jocelyn Cook-Cox grabbing the rebound and was fouled – making both free throws to give the hosts the lead.
WPU had a chance to regain the lead, but Pink tossed an errant pass inside the final five seconds that was grabbed by
Mackenzie Royce – with the junior canning both freebies to put the game away.
The Knights blitzed C of I over the first two minutes of the contest – scoring the first nine points – only to see the hosts slowly battle back, tying the game for the first time at 23-23 on an
Emily Harwood 3-pointer. The Yotes took their first lead at 28-27 on a Holly lay-in, with the two sides playing see-saw the rest of the night.
Royce had 15 points, seven rebounds, five assists and four steals, with Cook-Cox going a perfect 8-of-8 from the line, adding seven rebounds. C of I made 57-percent of their second half field goals and held a 42-31 rebound edge.
Gabriella Bruno scored 25, with WPU losing despite shooting 53-percent on the night. Allen scored all 18 of her points in the second half, with Deepika Kapil adding 12.
C of I closes out the regular-season next weekend with key road match-ups against Southern Oregon and Oregon Tech.
