CALDWELL, Idaho – Indicative of what the senior class of
Tyler Harris,
Jake O'Neil,
Johnny Radford,
Aaron Strings,
Tyler Robinett and
Paul Wilson has meant to the No. 3 College of Idaho men's basketball team was on display in the final regular season home game on Saturday night.
The Yotes held the visiting Warriors of Corban to 29.3% shooting from the field and 14 first half points is only part of the story as the offense for College of Idaho picked up where the defense left off as they scored 41 points and made five 3-pointers on its way to an 88-46 rout.
College of Idaho (26-2, 21-1 CCC) won its 21st in a row with a balanced scoring effort that saw O'Neil record a double double with 16 points and 11 rebounds.
Samaje Morgan score a game-high 19 to lead three Yotes in double digits. The third was
Dougie Peoples, who quietly added 10 as the Yotes reserves outscored Corban, 53-10 in the win. Also for the Yotes, Wilson grabbed a career-best 13 rebounds.
Corban (17-10, 14-8 CCC) were paced by an 11-point effort from Collin Warmouth. He was joined in double figures by Taylor Anderson, who added 10.
Even after a pair of free throws by the Warriors gave the visitors an early lead, it was not going to spoil the Senior Day for the Yotes, who managed to score 19 of the next 21 for a lead that they would not relinquish. After shooting just 43.2% in the first half, College of Idaho turned it up on the offensive side of the ball in the second half as they shot 53.1% (17-for-32) in the final 20 minutes.
By virtue of Friday's win, the Yotes have secured a spot in the NAIA National Tournament and the No. 1 seed in the upcoming Cascade Collegiate Conference Tournament. The Yotes enter the conference tournament having won the last five on its way to a league-high 11 occasions. The defense of the tournament will get underway with a 7:30 p.m. matchup on Wednesday against Northwest University.
