KIRKLAND, Wash. – A record setting first quarter set the tone for The College of Idaho, as the Coyotes withstood a Northwest University rally to earn a key 71-68 road victory inside Kristi Brodin Pavilion.
Taryn Riley hit a pair of free throws with three seconds left to give the Yotes (12-7, 6-5 CCC) a 3-point lead, but NU had a chance at the buzzer. Maya DuChesne missed a contested 3-pointer, as C of I won for the first time on the Eagles home floor since the 2016-17 season.
C of I had a near-perfect first quarter – making 14-of-15 field goals – bolting out to a 30-16 lead. The Yotes made 13 consecutive field goals at one stretch, as
Allie Cannon scored 14 of her 16 points in the period. The guard had consecutive fastbreak baskets in an 11-0 run and capped the quarter with a corner 3-pointer.
A put-back bucket from
Emma Anderson gave the Yotes their largest lead of the night at 35-18, before the Eagles (11-7, 5-6) whittled the lead down to 50-41 by making 14-of-14 first half free throws.
NU clamped down defensively in the second half – holding C of I to 5-of-25 shooting from the field – but the Coyotes were resilient.
Kaylee Krusemark canned a 3-pointer early in the fourth quarter to give the visitors a 65-57 lead and following a 6-0 run by the Eagles,
Sienna Riggle got an offensive rebound and putback with three minutes to play to push the lead to four.
C of I closed the win out at the line – finishing the game 11-of-11 from the stripe, including 4-for-4 shooting in the final minute.
Krusemark led the way with 19 points, with Cannon scoring 17 and both Riggle and
Lexi Mitchell scoring 10.
Caitlin Monten scored 15 in the loss for the Eagles.
The Yotes return home for four of their next five games, beginning Friday night against Southern Oregon.
