Recap: Free Throws Ice @unco_mbb Win Over Pepperdine

Friday, November 17

Malibu, Calif.

8 pm

University of Northern Colorado

1-2

Pepperdine University

1-2

Northern Colorado

Pepperdine

Photo by: Dean Popejoy

11/18/2017 10:21:00 AM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

Northern Colorado men's basketball picked up its first win of the year over Pepperdine 84-82

By: By Kurt Maddox, UNCBears.com

MALIBU, Calif. – A strong effort for 40 minutes and solid free throw shooting when it counted most propelled UNC into the win column with an 84-82 victory at Pepperdine Friday night. Playing outside of Colorado for the first time this season, The Bears (1-2, 0-0) put together their most consistent game of the year. UNC shot nearly 45% from the field, including 33% from three, and led virtually the entire before icing the win by hitting four consecutive free throws in the game's final 15 seconds.

How It Happened
UNC jumped out to an early 10-2 lead and played from ahead virtually the entire game, trailing just once. Andre Spight was the catalyst early, getting to double digits with 10 points in just the first eight minutes of the game. Spight added four boards and one assist in that period.

The Waves made a run to pull one at 19-18 before the Jordan Davis of a season ago showed up. Davis registered a solo 5-0 run to put UNC up by six. The rest of the half was a battle of runs as the momentum seesawed back and forth until Pepperdine took their first and only lead of the game at 28-27 with 3:22 to play in the half. The teams went into the half knotted up at 35.

Davis scored the first point of the second half on a free throw, giving UNC the lead for good. The Waves battled back to tie the game at 45 nearly five minutes into the second half, but the Bears used a 16-6 run over the next five minutes to open up their largest lead of the game at 10. UNC hit four-of-five threes during that pivotal stretch, including a pair by Anthony Johnson.

Free throws were a factor on both sides. Pepperdine got into the bonus early, shooting freebies from the 11-minute mark on, and made it count. The Waves hit 15-of-16 free throws in the second stanza. Pepperdine brought the game within one when Ross hit a three with 4:50 to go and pulled within two on three occasions in the game's final minute. Johnson then stepped up big time with a key rebound and at the charity stripe late in the game, hitting the last four free throws to ice the win.

Game Changer
Andre Spight's 23 points is a career high for the redshirt senior guard. He shot 7-of-15 overall, including 4-of-9 from three. Spight hit five of his six free throw attempts, grabbed a team-high seven boards and dished out three assists.

Key Stat
The Bears worked their way to the foul line 37 times, hitting 25 free throws. Pepperdine only made it to the line 22 times, hitting 19. Johnson was the Bear to take the free shot the most. He hit 9-of-10 while Spight hit 5-of-6. The Bears only toed the foul line 28 times in their first two games combined.

In Their Words
Head Coach Jeff Linder

Opening Statement
"It was just a resilient effort. That was the thing we really talked to our guys about after the Colorado and UC Davis game. We were in position to win those games but for whatever reason, we didn't have the collective will, spirit or grit to finish out those games. We really challenged these guys to really finish a game. We were up seven of eight with the opportunity to break their backs ad they made a run. Instead of our guys looking down or pointing fingers, they just rallied together and played like the team that we knew we had in us. It has been hard to get to that point a little bit since we are in our third game. Getting Anthony, Dre (Andre Spight) and JD (Jordan Davis) on the same page and used to each other, it might have taken a little bit longer than expected but I think people right now saw how good we can be and how hard of a team we are to guard.

On Johnson's play down the stretch
We struggled to get to the foul line the first two games, to get to the foul line 37 times on the road, and to finish a team off at the foul line. Anthony Johnson is an unbelievable guy to have in the clutch. He is a guy that is automatic from the foul line. He was nine for ten and that was the difference in the game."

On hanging in there on the glass
"That's where I challenged Anthony Johnson with his athleticism and his strength. He needs to be the guy that is helping us get extra possessions on the offensive glass. That is something we didn't do the first couple of games. It is something we pride ourselves on and for him to get in there and get that last one on Dre's miss, that was the reason we won the game. They are a big team. Their fours and fives are big and they have a big lineup with Edwards at the three. We did a good job even though we would've liked to win the battle on the boards. With a team like that, they are head to keep off the glass."

On Spight's big night
"It was great for him to come back home and play in front of his family…being a kid that is from Southern California. He hasn't played in a year and hasn't played with this group of guys. Dre did a really good job of not over-dribbling the ball….to use his ability to pound the ball, to create shots and to get paint touches. He played a heck of a game."

Notable Stats

The Bears were 9-of-27 (33%) from behind the arc for the game. They got hot in the second half, hitting six 3's including a stretch where they hit four of five to open the lead to 10.
UNC got solid production from the bench. Bears reserves players notched 22 points for the game, surpassing their season total of 18 combined in the first two games.
UNC overcame a 46-28 scoring edge in the paint for the bigger Waves.
After allowing their first two opponents to shoot 37% from three, the Bears held Pepperdine to just 25% (3-of-12) shooting from three for the game.
With 18 points in the game, Davis is now just 65 points away from the 1,000-point mark for his UNC career.

What's Ahead
Northern Colorado comes home for one game versus Northern New Mexico College Tuesday, November 21. Tickets are available at UNCBears.com or 970-351-4849 M-F from 10am-5pm. The Bears then make a quick turnaround and head to Sioux Falls, South Dakota for the Sanford Pentagon Showcase. UNC plays three games in three days starting Friday, November 24. Their opponents: Youngstown State, Southern Mississippi and South Dakota. UNC then travels to UC Davis November 29 for a rematch with the Aggies before returning to Bank of Colorado Arena for a three-game stretch. That home stand opens Sunday, December 3, when the Bears host Head Coach Jeff Linder's alma mater, Western State Colorado, at 5pm following a UNC women's game versus Pacific. Single game tickets are just $3 each in advance at UNCBears.com.