Davis set a @UNC_BearsMBB record and sealed the win over the Waves

Tuesday, November 13

Greeley, Colo.

7pm

University of Northern Colorado

2-0

Pepperdine

1-1

Pepperdine

Northern Colorado

Jordan Davis scored a career-high 32 points, set a new scoring record and led UNC past Pepperdine.

11/13/2018 10:32:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

By: Ryan Ronan

Coming down the stretch of a tight game is always a spot where Jordan Davis wants the ball. Tuesday night against Pepperdine was no different, except this time it had a little more history attached to it. With 37 seconds left on the clock, UNC had seen its once 11-point lead cut to just four. The Bears didn't panic they just got the ball to Davis and the senior came through going 4-of-6 from the line in the final half minute to seal an 88-80 UNC win. The last free throw, which gave him 32 points on the night also pushed him past Devon Beitzel on the Bears all-time Division I scoring list.

"It probably won't really hit me until I call home and talk to my parents," said Davis. "It's definitely big to be in the history books. When I came here I wanted to make sure to leave my legacy. I wasn't even focused on the record tonight, I just wanted to win. At that time great players have to finish the game and I have the mindset that I am the best player on the floor, so I have to finish the game."

Davis now has 1,569 career points, which is good for third place in program history and just 543 behind Mike Higgins for most in all-time UNC history.

"It is a credit to JD and his mentality. He is a guy who has an elite work ethic," said UNC head coach Jeff Linder. "When you put in the work and have the talent the results are going to show up."

One of the biggest stretches in the game actually came when Davis wasn't on the floor. Hampered with some light foul trouble, JD went to the bench and the Waves cut the lead to just a single point. But, Matej Drgon helped stem the tide for the Bears. He made a pair of jumpers in the paint that allowed UNC to have a four-point lead when Davis came back. His return didn't spark the UNC offense, however, in fact, Pepperdine went up 61-59 with eight and a half minutes to play. Drgon stepped up again, Davis set up the big man for a three-ball that gave UNC a 62-61 lead, and they never looked back.

"Matej is a guy who is capable of helping us win games. The three gave us the lead back and I feel was really the play of the game. As much as JD finished the game, Matej put us in that position. I am really proud of him because he has felt the wrath of coach Linder many times," Linder said.

Overlooked at times is the Bears defense, but on Tuesday they came through to help UNC execute its gameplan for the win. Northern Colorado knew the Waves two leading scorers Kameron Edwards and Colbey Ross were going to get theirs, but not allowing Eric Cooper Jr. to be the third scorer was huge. Led by Jonah Radebaugh, UNC held Cooper Jr. to just 1-for-4 from the floor and a total of two points.

GAME NOTES
- UNC took a season-low 30 three-point attempts.
- Trent Harris followed up his record-setting performance by making four more threes and finished with 12 points.
- Radebaugh chipped in with 11 to give the Bears four players in double digits.
- The 32 points scored by Davis are the most he has scored in a single game, topping his 30-point effort against North Dakota last season.
- Davis has scored over 543 points in a season twice in his career already.

SCHEDULE SAYS
Hopefully, you got out to Bank of Colorado Arena to catch the Bears over the past two weeks because they hit the road for the next month. Things start with a trip to Texas to take on Incarnate Word and Texas Tech next week.