CALDWELL, Idaho - The defending national champion College of Idaho men's basketball team is set to begin its postseason run on Friday, March 13 in Orange City, Iowa, as part of the NAIA Tournament Naismith Bracket. The Yotes (20-10) will face William Penn (Iowa) in the opening round, with the winner advancing to play the victor of host Northwestern and Taylor (Ind.) Saturday. Only the winner of the Orange City bracket moves on to the NAIA Final Site in Kansas City, joining 15 other teams from across the country.
No. 12-Seeded College of Idaho enters the tournament after capturing its third NAIA national championship last season (second in three seasons) and finishing the season with a 20-10 record, including a 14-6 mark in the Cascade Conference. The Yotes feature three all-conference standouts: First Team selections Dougie Peoples and Utrillo Morris, and Cascade Conference Freshman of the Year Rey Johnston. The team averages 80.9 points per game, shooting 47.4 percent from the field, while holding opponents to 71.2 points per contest.
The Yotes' strategy in the midwestern bracket will hinge on controlling the pace. Midwestern basketball has a reputation for being fast-paced and high-scoring, and No. 5 William Penn executes an aggressive man-to-man defense, but will be unfamiliar with the Yotes' zone or their ability to switch defensive strategies on a whim. College of Idaho will need to slow the tempo, forcing the Statesmen out of comfort, while relying on its preseason matchups against faster, highly athletic teams to maintain competitiveness in this style of basketball. With seven freshmen fielded this season, the team is hitting its stride late in the year as the group improves with each week of practice. The squad will focus on controlling the boards and leveraging technical execution to gain an advantage, combining their preseason lessons with their Cascade Conference tenure.
Individually, Dougie Peoples leads the Yotes at 14.8 points per game with 64 three-pointers, while Rey Johnston averages 12.8 points and a team-best 5.4 rebounds per contest. Morris contributes 12.7 points per game and a team-leading 171 assists, fueling an offense built on ball movement and smart shot selection. Complementing the perimeter attack, Tucker Tiddens provides interior strength, shooting over 55 percent from the field and anchoring the boards.
William Penn (25-6) enters the tournament on a seven-game winning streak, led by Heart of America Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year Foday Sheriff, who averages 16.2 points and 9.6 rebounds per game. Daivion Boleware adds 14.6 points per game and first-team all-conference honors, while Javion Belle-McCrary anchors the defense. The Statesmen, coached by John Henry in his 25th season, are making his 14th trip to the Tournament and have twice reached the Fab Four in 2017 and 2018.
Host Northwestern (26-5) earned the No. 4 seed by capturing the GPAC Tournament Championship and boasts one of the nation's most explosive offenses, averaging 94.5 points per game while shooting 56.8 percent from the field and 46.7 percent from beyond the arc. GPAC Player of the Year Jesse Van Kalsbeek averages 27.9 points and 12.4 rebounds, while Jalen Langsy adds 27.4 points per game on 51 percent three-point shooting. The Red Raiders mark their 28th tournament appearance in program history.
No. 13 Taylor (19-10) rounds out the field with two all-conference selections and a first Naismith appearance since 2017. The Trojans average 81.1 points per game and 37.6 rebounds, led by Izaiah Day, who shoots 42.3 percent from three while averaging 16.3 points per game, and Pete Combs, who contributes 15.2 points per contest. Taylor's last Fab Four appearance came in 1991.
The Yotes, led by head coach Colby Blaine, a seasoned tournament veteran, enter the bracket with a rich history of success at the municipal auditorium: last season's national championship (2024-25), a Fab Four finish in 2023-24, and multiple previous deep runs, including another national title in 2022-23. With experience, depth, and championship pedigree, the Yotes aim to bring their technical style, rebounding strength, and tempo control to bear in a fast-paced Midwestern bracket with the goal of securing a return trip to Kansas City.
For game times, live stream, live stat, and ticket information please visit the Yotes Men's Basketball Schedule.
