CALDWELL, Idaho – College of Idaho avenged is lone Cascade Conference loss of the season, getting 10 points from both
Drew Wyman and
Ricardo Time, with
Jake O'Neil adding 14 rebounds in a gritty 59-56 victory over Oregon Tech in the J.A. Albertson Activities Center.
Despite not making a field goal over the final seven minutes of the contest, the No. 13-ranked Coyotes (18-3, 11-1 CCC) ran their win streak to 11 – pulling into a first-place tie with the Hustlin' Owls. It as C of I's 20th-straight home conference win.
Following a first half defensive struggle featuring four ties and five lead changes – the Yotes grabbed a 26-25 lead at the break on a late 3-pointer from
Ricardo Time.
OIT (15-6, 11-1), which saw their 11-game win streak snapped, took a 30-28 second half lead on a Matt Van Tassell triple, only to have Time can a 3-pointer,
Caden Handran convert a inside basket and
Tyler Robinett drain a long trey, as the 8-point run gave the hosts a 36-30 lead.
The lead would grow to 56-46 on a
Drew Wyman jumper with 6:42 left in the game – but C of I would finish the game 0-for-5 from the floor with two turnovers.
The Owls would battle back – as Van Tassell connected on consecutive 3's, adding a put-back lay-up to pull OIT within 57-56 inside the final minute.
C of I would drain the clock, with Tech fouling Time, who made both ends of the 1-and-1 with 19 seconds to extend the margin to three. OIT would have two chances to tie – as Jamison Guerra missed a 3-pointer and after an offensive rebound, Keegan Shivers came up short as the final horn sounded.
The Coyotes limited Tech, the top shooting team in the CCC, to a 40-percent clip on the night. C of I held a commanding 45-30 rebound edge – including 18 on the offensive glass.
Eight of O'Neil's 14 rebounds were on the offensive end, with
Paul Wilson adding six points and six rebounds.
Van Tassell led OIT with 14 points.
The Coyotes return to action on Tuesday, traveling to La Grande for a match-up at Eastern Oregon.
