CALDWELL, Idaho – The College of Idaho men's basketball team made its return to Elgin Baylor Arena in impressive fashion Friday night, rolling past the University of Providence (Mont.) 85-61 in its 2026-27 home opener. Behind a dominant performance from beyond the arc and a strong second-half surge, the Yotes improved to 2-1 on the season in front of 1,024 fans.
Rey Johnston stole the spotlight with a game-high 24 points, connecting on an impressive eight three-pointers in 10 attempts. Johnston's shooting performance helped fuel a College of Idaho offense that knocked down 14 three-pointers on the night, shooting 46.7 percent from beyond the arc.
The Yotes wasted little time establishing their presence, responding to Providence's opening basket with a three-pointer from Johnston to take an early lead. College of Idaho continued to find success offensively, building a 12-6 advantage before extending its lead to 27-19 midway through the opening half.
Providence refused to go away quietly, using a scoring run to trim the deficit to just two points at 33-31 with under four minutes remaining before halftime. The Yotes responded with timely baskets from Jaxon Lysne and Tucker Tiddens, closing the half with a 40-34 advantage.
Coming out of the locker room, College of Idaho shifted into another gear.
Johnston opened the second half with three three-pointers in the first two minutes, sparking a decisive offensive surge. Combined with contributions from Dougie Peoples and Reece Sasser-Gunson, the Yotes outscored Providence 16-2 over the opening four minutes to stretch their lead to 56-36.
The Argos struggled to find an answer as College of Idaho continued to control the tempo throughout the second half. Johnston added three more triples later in the period, while Jackson Rogers provided a spark off the bench with three three-pointers of his own.
The Yotes maintained their double-digit advantage throughout the remainder of the contest, eventually pushing the lead to 24 points before securing the 85-61 victory.
While Johnston led the offensive charge, the Yotes received contributions throughout their lineup. Peoples finished with 12 points and three assists, while Tiddens added 11 points and four rebounds. Rogers contributed nine points off the bench, connecting on all three of his made field goals from beyond the arc.
Sasser-Gunson made his presence felt on the glass, collecting a team-high eight rebounds, including six offensive boards, while adding six points. Lysne chipped in seven points, and Kareem Barnett finished with five points and a team-high three steals.
As a team, College of Idaho shot 48.3 percent from the field and held a commanding 36-23 advantage on the boards. The Yotes were particularly effective on the offensive glass, collecting 15 offensive rebounds and converting them into 22 second-chance points compared to just two for Providence.
Defensively, College of Idaho limited the Argos to 27 second-half points and just 25 percent shooting from three-point range for the game. Providence was led by Jai Ackey with 14 points and six rebounds, followed by Quinn Swanson with 13 points and Preston Condie with 12.
The Yotes also received 28 points from their bench, showcasing the depth of their lineup in the home-opening victory.
With the win, College of Idaho moves to 2-1 on the season, opening its home schedule with a statement performance in front of the Yote faithful.
