CALDWELL, Idaho –
Ricardo Time made the most of is only field goal of the night, draining a game-winning corner 3-pointer with two seconds remaining, capping an improbable College of Idaho 9-0 run, as the Yotes stunned Southern Oregon, 73-72, before over 2,000 fans in the J.A. Albertson Activities Center.
The win for the No. 3-ranked Coyotes (19-3, 12-0) extended their win streak to 13 games, with C of I becoming the first Cascade Conference team to win their first 12 league games.
No. 15-ranked SOU (15-5, 9-3) was in control after Tez Allen rattled home a fade away 15-footer as the shot clock expired, giving the Raiders a 72-64 lead with 55 seconds on the clock.
The top defensive team in the CCC took over – turning defense into offense.
Talon Pinckney raced up floor for a quick lay-up, with Time stealing the inbounds pass – setting up Charles Elzie, who was fouled on a 3-point attempt – making two freebies to cut the deficit to 72-68.
Aaron Borich was fouled with 26 seconds left, but the 83-percent free throw shooter missed the front end of a 1-and-1, with Pinckney racing the distance for a contested lay-up to pull the hosts within a basket.
SOU threw away the inbounds pass – giving the Yotes two cracks at a win.
Nate Bruneel missed a runner in the paint with four seconds left, but C of I forced a held-ball – with the possession arrow favoring the hosts. Triggering from the baseline, Pinckney found Time curling off a
Connor Desaulniers screen, draining the triple for the Coyotes only lead of the second half.
C of I withstood a last-second chance by Southern, but Tate Hoffman's 35-foot 3-point attempt was blocked by Bruneel at the horn.
Pinckney led the Yotes with a season-high 24 points, adding seven rebounds and seven assists - making 9-of-13 field goals.
The Raiders got a pair of Borich 3-pointers in the first five minutes, as SOU jumped out to a 12-4 lead. C of I battled back, as Pinckney and Elzie had lay-ups in a 9-point surge to give the Coyotes their first lead. The Yotes built a 26-19 lead late in the half, but a Borich 3-pointer and a Hoffman dunk closed out a 10-2 Southern run, giving the Raiders a 34-32 halftime lead.
SOU led by as many as eight on a pair of occasions in the second half, making 48-percent of their field goals after the break – but could not hold off the final C of I rally.
Bruneel had 11 points and six rebounds, with
Connor Desaulniers and
Ivory Miles-Williams each scoring 10 for the Yotes. C of I had a 42-30 edge in rebounds – including 17 offensive boards.
Hoffman led all scorers with 22 points, 15 rebounds and six assists; Jordan Hunt scored 15; with Borich scoring all 12 of his points in the first half.
C of I returns to action tomorrow night, hosting No. 5-ranked Oregon Tech at 7:30 p.m.
