Recap: @UNCO_MBB Hits Clutch Free Throws Late to Win Fourth Straight

Saturday, November 25

Sioux Falls, S.D.

5:30 pm

University of Northern Colorado

4-2

University of South Dakota

5-2

South Dakota

Northern Colorado

JD close to 1,000 points

Photo by: Dean Popejoy

11/25/2017 9:57:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

By: Kurt Maddox, UNCBears.com

Sioux Falls, S.D.—The Northern Colorado men's basketball team overcame sloppy play early to win its fourth-straight game Saturday night. Andre Spight's last two points of his career-high 28 were the most important as UNC downed South Dakota 63-62.

The win is the fourth in the row for Northern Colorado bringing its record to 4-2 on the season, and 2-0 in the Sanford Pentagon Showcase, after also defeating Youngstown State on Friday 80-67.

How It Happened
It was an ugly game early on both sides, but South Dakota jumped out to the early lead at 7-3. The squads combined for 23 total turnovers in the first 20 minutes of play. The Bears struggled to see the ball to fall through the hoop until Jordan Davis took the team on his back. Davis scored six straight points to pull the Bears within four at 17-13. Once Davis started to get going, Andre Spight and Anthony Johnson chipped in as well, keeping Northern Colorado close but Davis tied the game at 19 with two freebies.

UNC took its first lead of the game with JD scored two of his 14 first-half points on the Bears' first assist of the game from Spight with 2:02 remaining in the first half. Northern Colorado ended the half on an 8-3 run to take the lead into the locker room, 27-23. In the last ten minutes of the first half, the Bears improved its shooting percentage from 20 percent to 38 percent.

Both teams came out from the half trading buckets, with the lead changing hands seven times and game ended up being tied 10 times. South Dakota charged ahead with an eight to nothing run, building a 45-40 lead with 9:05 remaining in the game. Spight took matters into his own hands following that USD run, hitting shots from downtown. Spight hit his fifth 3-pointer with two minutes left and that tied it up at 57.

The game came down to the final minute of play in which it became a matter of free throws as both teams worked their way to the free throw line. Jonah Radebaugh hit a pair to put UNC up 61-60 with 29 seconds on the clock. The Coyotes drove down and Matt Mooney nailed a jumper to give the lead back to USD. Spight quickly brought the ball up the court and bolted to the bucket drawing the foul for a chance to reclaim the lead for UNC with just four seconds remaining. Spight calmly stepped to the charity stripe and sank both free throws to put Northern Colorado 63-62. The Yotes threw up a desperation attempt at the buzzer but it was wide left.

Game Changer
Andre Spight set his career-high for the second time this year in scoring on Saturday night. Spight put up 28 on 10-of-21 shooting and hit five 3's but his most important points of the night were the last two. He was a perfect 3-of-3 from the charity stripe, which includes the game-winner.

Stat of the Game
Spight wasn't the only one to hit his free throws when needed. The Bears only got to the line 19 times but hit 16 of them. The 84.2 percent shooting from the stripe is 20 points higher than the Bears season average of 63.7 percent.

So Close to 1,000
Jordan Davis tried to pass the 1,000 point mark tonight but came up eight points shy. Davis scored 23 in the win on 7-of-14 shooting and hitting on 9 of his 12 free throw attempts. He also had three rebounds and an assist in the game.

Notable Stats

Head coach Jeff Linder shortened his rotation in the game playing just eight players in the close contest. UNC had been playing 11 or 12 in the first five games.
The Bears outrebounded the Yotes 48-41.
Spight and Davis combined for 51 points on 17-of-35 and 12-of-15 from the foul line.

What's Ahead
Northern Colorado closes out the Sanford Pentagon Showcase tomorrow morning at 9:30 am MT against Southern Miss. Sothern Miss defeated Youngstown State in the tournament on Saturday (71-64) but fell to South Dakota on Friday (84-71). The game will be broadcast on the Tournament's Facebook page and will be joined in progress on 1310 KFKA.

UNC 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 homestand opens Sunday, December 3, when the Bears host Head Coach Jeff Linder's alma mater, Western State, at 5 pm following a UNC women's game versus Pacific. Single game tickets are just $3 each in advance at UNCBears.com.