The @UNC_BearsMBB cubs step into the spotlight vs. Colorado Christian

Tuesday, October 30

Greeley, Colo.

7pm

University of Northern Colorado

Colorado Christian

Northern Colorado

10/30/2018 10:05:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

Seven players suited up for UNC for the first time Tuesday night

By: Ryan Ronan

The unofficial open to the season against DII Colorado Christian wasn't so much about the final score, but getting a team that started two freshmen acclimated to life after high school.

"There was a lot of guys out there playing their first Division I game so for them to come out and compete under game conditions for 160 possessions was a good effort," said UNC head coach Jeff Linder.

Bodie Hume and Sam Masten were the two first-year players in the starting lineup, five other Bears put on the Blue and Gold for the first time Tuesday night led by Western Nebraska JC transfer Trent Harris who scored 13 points to lead UNC over the Cougars, 92-59.

"It's not all about the freshman, I thought some of our sophomores who didn't get a lot of action last season like Jonhatan Reyes and Matej Drgon did a really good job. I thought the freshman did a good job of coming in and not trying to do too much," Linder said.

Hume was the other young player in double figures with 10. Jordan Davis led all scorers with 24 points in only 25 minutes.

The Bears took control of the game from the jump, Davis knocked down a three, which gave him seven points in the opening five minutes, and put UNC up double digits for the first time, 17-6. Northern Colorado had no plans on giving up that cushion, Harris drilled a three-ball of his own with just over eight minutes left in the opening half and UNC went up by 22. The Bears kept pouring it on as they built their halftime lead to 50-28.

UNC was feeling it from deep they shot 30-percent from behind the arc while maintaining their outstanding three-point defense. They allowed CCU to make just 3-of-12 attempts. Last season, the Cougars averaged 25 three-point field attempts a game.

Jonah Radebaugh and Harris led NC with three, three-point makes each. Radebaugh finished with 11 points to round out the Bears double-digit scorers.
The official start to the season doesn't come until Nov. 9, but don't expect the Bears to just sit around and think about how great things went against Colorado Christian.

"Being such a young team we can't give away days. This is the time of year where some teams just wait for games, we can't do that. We have to get these young guys up to speed before conference play so we are going to do what we do and not throw days away," Linder said.

UNC is home against Colorado College at 7 p.m.