CALDWELL, Idaho - With 1,400 fans rocking Elgin Baylor Arena, the College of Idaho fed off every roar, every gasp and every momentum swing Friday night, outlasting Northwest University 78-73 in a back-and-forth Cascade Conference battle defined by grit, timely playmaking and a second-half surge from key players.
After scoring just five points in the first half, Dougie Peoples played all 20 minutes after the break and rediscovered his rhythm, finishing with 16 points while delivering the steady, late-game shot-making the Yotes needed to finally separate. Whether attacking the rim or stepping into rhythm threes, Peoples controlled the second half's tempo.
But the heart of the Yotes' win came from Tucker Tiddens, whose box score (11 points, 12 rebounds, a block and a steal) still undersells just how important he was. Tiddens grabbed momentum-saving rebounds throughout the night and repeatedly disrupted Northwest's offense with deflections, forced turnovers and a drawn charge that energized the arena.
His signature moment came in the second half: a soaring put-back and-1 that sent the crowd erupting and swung momentum firmly back to C of I. Earlier, he threw down a highlight dunk off a feed, but it was that tough second-chance finish through contact that embodied the grit the Yotes needed. All this added up to the freshman's first career double-double.
Offensively, Rey Johnston (12 points) and Utrillo Morris (12 points, 5 assists) each contributed critical stretches. Morris' slashing aggression opened driving lanes and kick-outs, while Johnston's early shooting helped C of I withstand Northwest's fast start. Conner Sheets added 10 efficient points off the bench, including a pair of clutch buckets during the Yotes' first-half push.
C of I tightened the screws defensively in the second half, holding Northwest to 11 percent from three after the break and winning the rebounding battle 43-41. Every time Northwest threatened, whether through Lucius Fox's 16 points or Ethan Martin's 18, the Yotes countered with a key stop or Tiddens tracking down another contested board.
The turning point came with just under three minutes remaining, when Peoples finished a strong drive and the Yotes forced a turnover on the ensuing possession, sending the home crowd to full volume. From there, College of Idaho closed it out at the line and on the glass.
In a game packed with lead changes, emotion and highlight plays, the Yotes' toughness and balance lifted them, fueled by Peoples' second-half surge and Tiddens' game-shaping presence that went far beyond the numbers.
