KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The College of Idaho secured its third NAIA Men's Basketball National Championship in program history Tuesday night with a commanding 93-65 victory over Oklahoma Wesleyan at Municipal Auditorium.
The Yotes (35-2) wasted no time asserting their dominance, jumping out to a 49-29 halftime lead and never looking back. They shot an impressive 55.7% from the field and drained 16-of-30 three-pointers (53.3%), while holding Oklahoma Wesleyan (28-8) to just 37.1% shooting and 3-of-15 from beyond the arc.
Samaje Morgan led the charge for College of Idaho with 28 points on 11-of-15 shooting, while Dougie Peoples added 21 points, hitting five three-pointers. Johnny Radford and Tyler Robinett also reached double figures with 12 and 10 points, respectively.
The Yotes' defensive pressure proved too much for the Eagles, as they forced 16 turnovers and recorded 11 steals. College of Idaho also controlled the glass, outrebounding Oklahoma Wesleyan 37-35.
With the victory, College of Idaho extended its winning streak to 25 games and completed a dominant national tournament run, outscoring opponents 477-357. The Yotes, who also won NAIA titles in 2023 and 1996, have now appeared in the national championship tournament 27 times, compiling a 42-23 all-time record. The program is now 3-0 in NAIA National Championship games.
Tuesday's triumph also marked the final game for an accomplished senior class that included Caden Handran, Paul Wilson, Tyler Robinett, Straton Rogers, Johnny Radford, Drew Wyman, Bryan St. Clair, and Alex Germer. All five of this season's starters were on the 2023 championship team, though they were not starters at the time, bringing valuable experience to the Yotes' dominant performance.
Samaje Morgan was named the Player of the Tournament after his outstanding performances throughout the national tournament. Additionally, Morgan, along with Tyler Robinett, Johnny Radford, and Drew Wyman, earned First Team All-Tournament honors.
The Yotes reached the title game after rolling through the final site, avenging last season's national semifinal loss to Langston with an 95-65 Sweet 16 win, handling Georgetown 83-71 in the quarterfinals, and overwhelming Arizona Christian 72-45 in the semifinals. In the championship game, College of Idaho never trailed, leading by as many as 30 points in the final minutes.
With another banner secured, the Yotes cement themselves as one of the premier programs in NAIA basketball, adding another chapter to their storied history.
