Box Score
POCATELLO, Idaho- The Idaho State men's basketball team edged out Northern Colorado in double-overtime 99-94 at home in Holt Arena. This is the first double-overtime victory for the Bengals since 2003, where they defeated Eastern Washington 86-84 win in 2003. The win improves the Bengals record to 4-4 in Big Sky Conference play while Northern Colorado dropped to 3-5.
“The guys really stuck together,” Idaho State Interim Head Coach Deane Martin said. “There were some times when things could have gone completely the other way. There were times when things were going horrible for us but they stuck together. It is a great result for them to be able to do what they did. You have to appreciate what they did for us and the fans. To have our fans enjoy a game like this is a special night.”
Chase Grabau led the Bengals in scoring with 30 points on 11-of-15 shooting from the field. He and
Melvin Morgan were 5-for-7 from the 3-point line. Grabau played 46 minutes before fouling out.
“
Chase Grabau always seems to give us a spark one time or another,” Martin said. “He does some things that are unbelievable and we started to hit some shots.”
Melvin Morgan had 22 points and a team-high five assists. Andre' Hatchett led the Bengals with four rebounds with four teammates tallying three boards.
The Bengals shot 56.7 percent from the field, making 31 of their 58 baskets and hit 14-of-27 3-pointers. The team went 23 for 29 from the free throw line and forced 26 turnovers to only nine Northern Colorado assists.
“Fourteen 3's is pretty good,” Martin said. “We had a good flow going from the beginning. I liked our flow from the start. We hung in there and that is what you have to do. You just have to hang around and get things moving a little bit.”
The game was tied nine times and had 10 lead changes. The Bengals led by as much as 11 and only trailed by as much as six points midway through the second half.
Idaho State trailed 86-83 with 33 seconds remaining in the first overtime period.
Kenny McGowen was able to drive coast-to-coast and convert a layup and foul into a three-point plays left to tie the game and send it in a second-overtime.
“Kenny is a guy that can go make a play off the bounce like that,” Martin said. “It was a heck of a play he made to get us to the basket.”
In the final five minute period the Bengals outscored Northern Colorado 13-8 to earn the win. The key basket in the game came when
Sherrod Baldwin hit a 3-pointer with 14 seconds left to put ISU on top 98-94.
Northern Colorado's Tevin Svihovec and Emmanuel Addo kept their team in the game with 30 and 28 points, respectively. Northern Colorado drops to 6-13 overall.
The Bengals will host Weber State Saturday (Jan 28) at 7 p.m. (MST).
We Are Your Bengals
