CALDWELL, Idaho – The College of Idaho men's basketball team delivered a strong performance on both ends of the floor Saturday night, defeating Carroll College 66-50 inside Elgin Baylor Arena. Behind an efficient offensive attack and a relentless defensive effort, the Yotes improved to 3-1 on the season while handing the Fighting Saints (4-1) their first loss of the year.
Tucker Tiddens led the way for College of Idaho with a game-high 22 points and seven rebounds, shooting 8-of-12 from the field. Jackson Rogers provided a spark off the bench with 16 points on an impressive 6-of-7 shooting performance, including three 3-pointers, while Dougie Peoples added 12 points and a game-high three steals.
The Yotes finished the night shooting 56.3 percent from the field, connecting on 27 of their 48 attempts while holding Carroll to just 39.1 percent shooting. College of Idaho dominated the interior, outscoring the Fighting Saints 42-20 in the paint and holding a 15-0 advantage in second-chance points.
Carroll opened the contest with an early advantage, building an 11-7 lead before the Yotes began to find their rhythm offensively. Rogers knocked down a 3-pointer to even the score at 12 with 10:33 remaining in the first half, igniting a decisive stretch for College of Idaho.
A dunk from Kareem Barnett gave the Yotes their first lead since the opening minutes, and College of Idaho never looked back. Rogers continued to provide an offensive boost, scoring 12 first-half points while connecting on all three of his attempts from beyond the arc. The Yotes used a 23-5 run to turn a four-point deficit into a 30-16 advantage before carrying a commanding 35-21 lead into the halftime break.
College of Idaho shot 56 percent from the floor in the opening 20 minutes while limiting Carroll to 33.3 percent shooting. The Yotes' defensive pressure forced 11 first-half turnovers, helping establish control of the contest.
The Fighting Saints came out aggressively to begin the second half, trimming the deficit to eight points early before continuing to chip away at the Yotes' advantage. A pair of free throws from Isaac Patik brought Carroll within four at 48-44 with 11 minutes remaining, marking the closest the visitors would get in the second half.
College of Idaho responded when it mattered most.
Tiddens converted a pair of free throws before Kairi Shepherd added a layup to push the lead back to eight. The Yotes continued to answer Carroll's attempts to close the gap, using timely baskets and defensive stops to maintain control down the stretch.
With the Fighting Saints trailing 56-50 and just over four minutes remaining, College of Idaho put the game away with a dominant closing stretch. Rogers connected on a layup before Tiddens threw down a dunk to extend the advantage to 12. Another Rogers layup and a final basket from Tiddens capped a 10-0 run to close the contest, securing the 66-50 victory.
Beyond the scoring contributions, College of Idaho received valuable production throughout its lineup. Barnett finished with six points on 3-of-6 shooting, while Shepherd contributed five rebounds and a team-high three assists. Rey Johnston added four rebounds, two blocks and two steals, helping anchor the Yotes' defensive effort.
College of Idaho also received 24 points from its bench compared to just five for Carroll, showcasing the team's depth throughout the contest. The Yotes forced 18 turnovers while committing only 10 of their own, converting those opportunities into 19 points.
For Carroll, Viktor Bystrom led the Fighting Saints with 13 points and five rebounds. Kellen Harrison and Drew Jones each contributed 12 points, with Jones also collecting five rebounds.
The victory marked another strong showing for the Yotes in front of their home crowd, with 1,055 fans in attendance at Elgin Baylor Arena. College of Idaho held Carroll scoreless over the final 4:15 of regulation, closing out the night with a convincing 16-point win.
