KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. - The No. 5 seed College of Idaho advanced to the Cascade Collegiate Conference semifinals after outlasting No. 4 Oregon Tech 74 to 70 on Wednesday night at Danny Miles Court.
Dougie Peoples scored 17 points, including three clutch free throws in the final 32 seconds, and Utrillo Morris added 16 points with eight assists to send the Yotes (20-9) into Saturday's semifinal at top-seeded Lewis-Clark State.
College of Idaho took control with a dominant first half. After trailing 8 to 3, the Yotes ripped off a 24 to 4 run fueled by three made threes from Conner Sheets and 14 points from reserve Tucker Tiddens. The surge pushed C of I to a 38 to 33 halftime lead and a margin that eventually reached 18.
Oregon Tech (19-10) stormed back behind 20 points from Jared Sucher, 17 from Jackson Cooper, and a 15 point, 14 rebound effort from Dakota Reber. The Hustlin Owls tied the game at 48 to 48 with 13:14 remaining on Sucher's third three pointer, setting up a tense finish.
College of Idaho answered each challenge. Morris converted drives into timely buckets, Tiddens scored twice inside, and Rey Johnston anchored the defense with seven rebounds. Johnston hit two free throws with 57 seconds left to make the score 71 to 66.
After a defensive stop, Peoples sank two free throws with 32 seconds remaining to push the Yotes to 73 points, a cushion they would not relinquish. He added one more with 17 seconds left. OIT scored twice in the final three seconds, but the earlier free throws sealed the road upset.
The CCC bracket saw more upheaval as Corban defeated Eastern Oregon and Bushnell knocked out Southern Oregon. College of Idaho now joins two other lower seeded teams in the semifinals.
The Yotes travel to Lewiston on Saturday night seeking a berth in the conference title game.
