CALDWELL, Idaho – Defense and depth were the key for the College of Idaho, as the third-ranked Coyotes ran their win streak to 11 with a late-night 84-45 victory over Walla Walla University inside the J.A. Albertson Activities Center.
The Coyotes (17-3, 10-0 CCC) became the first Cascade Conference team since 2006-07 to start the league slate with a 10-0 mark – riding a 51-2 edge in bench scoring and tallying 31 points off 23 WWU turnovers.
Reserves
Derek Wadsworth and
Jalen Galloway led C of I with 13 points, with Charles Elzie adding 10 points and three steals, while
Ivory Miles-Williams had nine points and 11 rebounds.
C of I held the Wolves (5-14, 3-6) to just 27-percent shooting from the field – with WWU becoming the eighth-straight opponent held under 65 points.
Connor Desaulniers scored six of his nine points in a 15-4 run to open the game – including a slam dunk on the Coyotes first possession. A Zayne Browning 3-pointer pulled WWU within 18-12, but C of I held the Wolves without a made field goal for an 8-minute stretch – as Elzie had a highlight-reel 3-point play and a jumper in the 12-0 surge. Back-to-back 3's from Elzie and
Nate Bruneel, and an alley-oop dunk by Bruneel closed out the half, as the Coyotes took a 43-21 lead to the break.
The Yote defense clamped down further in the second half, as WWU was held without a made field goal for a 9-minute stretch – as C of I extended a 46-25 lead to 61-27 following a
Ricardo Time triple.
Time finished with 10 points, with Desaulniers had nine rebounds – part of a 54-35 edge on the glass for the victors.
Browning had 18 points and 11 rebounds, with Kiandre Gaddy adding 18 points in the loss for the Wolves.
The two teams meet again Sunday at 3 p.m. to close out the weekend.
