Figures Triple With 1.3 Remaining Lifts Bears Past Lumberjacks

Jan. 31, 2008

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GREELEY, Colo. - With 1.3 ticks remaining on the clock, sophomore guard Will Figures made arguably the biggest shot of his career, nailing a three-pointer to give the University of Northern Colorado men's basketball team the 80-77 victory over top-ranked Northern Arizona. With the win the Bears improve to 9-12 on the year and 3-6 in Big Sky Conference play, while the Lumberjacks fall to 14-8 overall and 6-3 in league action.

The triple for Figures was one of four on the night as he scored 14 in 16 minutes of action. Senior guard Sean Taibi led the team with a season-high 26 points behind 6-of-7 shooting from beyond the arc and junior forward Jabril Banks added 12 points and tied for the team lead with seven rebounds with sophomore forward Jefferson Mason. Junior guard Robert Palacios led the team with five assists.

"You try to get shooters out there and spread the floor," said Head Coach Tad Boyle on the last play of the game. "Jefferson made a great read and Will knocked it down."

"Our team needed it (the win) psychologically," Boyle continued. "They have been busting their tails in practice and when you see a team do that you want them to win."

The Lumberjacks were led by senior forward Kyle Landry with 24 points and 12 rebounds, while guard Nate Geiser added 14 points and Josh Wilson had a game-high six assists. Landry also had two blocked shots, including one with 1:09 with the game tied at 75-75.

Northern Colorado trailed by as many as 17 in the game, 36-19 with 3:42 left in the first half after Geiser hit one of his four three-pointers in the game, but Taibi scored on a four-point play and knocked down another three to help close the gap to 10 at halftime, 40-30.

The Bears cut the lead to five, 46-41 with 16:07 on the clock on a layup by Taibi, but NAU extended the lead back to 10, 61-51 with 11:09 remaining. NC used an 8-0 run with three pointers by Figures and Mason to bring the score within two, 61-59 with 9:13 on the clock. The Lumberjacks answered with a 7-0 run to take the lead back to nine, 68-59 with 6:13 remaining. The first lead for the Bears in the game came on a three-pointer by Figures with 1:44 left. A free throw by Matt Johnson tied the game for the first time at 75-75, Banks made a jumper for the 77-75 lead with 36 seconds left. Zarko Comagic tied the game with two free throws for the `Jacks with 17 ticks left and Figures made the winning shot with 1.3 on the clock.

The win snaps a four-game losing streak for the Bears, who move into a tie for seventh place in the Big Sky standings with Eastern Washington.

Northern Colorado plays at Sacramento State on Saturday evening to begin a three-game road trip. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. (Pacific).