University of Northern Colorado Athletics
Saturday, February 6
Greeley, CO
7:00 p.m.
University of Northern Colorado
8-15 (5-6BSC)
57
vs
90
Idaho State University
11-11 (6-4BSC)
1
2
F
Idaho State
45
45
90
Northern Colorado
24
33
57
Team Stats
ISU
UNCO
FG%
.582
.426
3FG%
.650
.111
FT%
.813
.429
RB
35
31
TO
11
13
STL
6
7
Game Leaders
Pts
16
FGM
6
3FGM
1
FTM
3
Pts
11
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Pts
8
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Pts
6
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's BasketballPhoto by: Dean Popejoy
@unco_mbb Handed Lopsided Loss By Idaho State
2/6/2016 10:32:00 PM | Men's Basketball
The Bears fell 90-57 at home on Saturday night to the Bengals.
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GREELEY, Colo. – A hot shooting first half for Idaho State (11-11, 6-4 Big Sky) was too much for Northern Colorado (8-15, 5-6 Big Sky) to handle as the Bears fell in the lopsided contest, 90-57 on Saturday night in Bank of Colorado Arena.
The 33-point defeat was the worst loss the Bears have been handed in league play since joining the Big Sky Conference.
UNC struggled to get anything going from beyond the arc, finishing just 2-of-18 (11.1%), meanwhile the Bengals seemed like they couldn't miss from downtown, ending the night 13-of-20 (65.0%), scoring 39 of their 90 points from three-point range.
"That's as poor of an effort in terms of competing that I've seen in my ten years here," head coach B.J. Hill said. "We talked about, even before we left the locker room 48 hours ago – we talked about not having a letdown mentally because Idaho State is very good. All we preached about in practice, team meals, individual meetings – anytime we were together over the last 48 hours, all we did was preach about bringing toughness and bringing a competitive desire and we obviously missed that message greatly."
Junior guard, Anthony Johnson led the team with 16 points on 6-of-13 (46.4%) shooting in 35 minutes of court time. Redshirt freshman forward, Ibrahim Sylla was the only other Bear to reach double figures adding in career-best 11 points.
UNC also shot a season-low 42.9% (9-of-21) from the free throw line in the loss.
"Tonight, other than Ibrahim Sylla I felt like we were outmanned at every position, so I need to look at what we're doing in the weight room," Hill added. "Three years ago we had some of the best bodies in the Big Sky. I don't feel like we have that anymore and that's affecting our level of play. When two bodies collide ours is not winning that matchup right now."
After Northern Colorado took the early, 12-9 lead off a Sylla lay-in down low, ISU reeled off 11 straight points during a six minute scoring drought for UNC.
Another bucket underneath the hoop from junior forward, Tanner Morgan, stopped the scoreless streak, but not the Bengals as they outscored Northern Colorado 36-12 in the last 15 minutes of the first half, sending the Bears into the locker room down, 45-24.
UNC's defense was ineffective against ISU in the first 20 minutes of regulation as the Bengals shot 77.8% (7-of-9) from three and 56.7% (17-of-30) from the floor.
Meanwhile, the Bears woes continued on the offensive end, concluding the first half 10-of-26 (38.5%) from the field and just 2-of-10 (20.0%) from long range.
ISU picked up the second half right where they left off going on a fatal 18-5 run and putting the game out of reach.
"I don't care about making shots, I know we were two of eighteen from three, I don't care about that – I just want guys that are going to compete and leave it all out there on the floor," Hill closed with. "I want guys like Tyler Loose that are going to absolutely bust their tails and do everything we ask of them. God Bless him, he's not the most talented guy in the world, but he can play on one of my teams any day."
Men's hoops is now on the road for the next three games, starting the trip at Idaho on Feb. 11 for a 7:00 p.m. tip against the Vandals.
Stat Of The Game:
- The Bears posted season lows in three point shooting (11.1%) and free throw percentage (42.9%).
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