CALDWELL, Idaho – The College of Idaho men's basketball team delivered a championship-worthy performance Monday night, storming past Lewis-Clark State, 86-69, to claim its fifth Cascade Collegiate Conference Tournament title in the last seven years.
At the heart of the Yotes' victory was Drew Wyman, who put together one of the best performances of his career. The senior forward was nearly unstoppable, pouring in 21 points on 9-of-16 shooting, grabbing eight rebounds, and making crucial plays on both ends of the floor. His energy and efficiency helped fuel a Yotes squad that turned an early deficit into a dominant display of championship basketball.
LCSC (24-7, 17-5 CCC) came out firing, jumping to an early 9-2 lead in the opening minutes. But Wyman and the Yotes (29-2, 21-1 CCC) quickly responded, using a 14-4 run to seize control. With crisp ball movement and suffocating defense, College of Idaho took a 43-33 lead into halftime and never looked back.
The second half belonged to the Yotes, who shot 58.6% from the field after the break. Every time LCSC attempted to chip away at the lead, Wyman had an answer—knocking down shots in the lane, cleaning up the glass, and setting up teammates. Johnny Radford added 17 points, including a pair of deep threes, while Tyler Robinett chipped in 13 points and three blocks.
History was also made on the night, as Straton Rogers etched his name in the record books with his 290th career offensive rebound, surpassing former Yotes legend Jake O'Neil.
For LCSC, John Lustig led the Warriors with 20 points, while Alton Hamilton posted a double-double with 17 points and 13 rebounds. Jayceon Smith provided a spark off the bench with 11 points, but it wasn't enough to overcome the Yotes' relentless attack.
Already locked into the NAIA National Tournament, College of Idaho now sets its sights on hosting the First and Second Rounds on March 14-15, aiming to build on yet another championship moment in Caldwell.
