University of Northern Colorado Athletics
Thursday, February 15
Greeley, Colo.
7pm
University of Northern Colorado
17-10, 8-6
95
vs
60
Northern Arizona University
4-22, 1-12
1st half1
2nd half2
FinalF
Northern Arizona
37
23
60
Northern Colorado
44
51
95
Recap: @UNCO_MBB Cruise to the Win Over Northern Arizona
2/15/2018 11:31:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Jalen Sanders has a career night in the victory!
Greeley, Colo.—The Northern Colorado men did not overlook the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks as they used a 51-23 second half to pick up the win. UNC (17-10, 8-6) has now won four of the last five against NAU (4-22, 1-12).
How It Happened
It was slow going at the start of the game and UNC lead 7-4 with just over four minutes gone in the game. The Bears went on an 11-4 run with the help of Jordan Davis who hit his first three shots and was 4-of-5 for the half. The lead ballooned up to 13 but Northern Arizona fought back to pull within five at the 1:34 mark in the half.
Northern Colorado was already close to its season average for steals in the first half because of Andre Spight and Jalen Sanders' two steals each and turned those takeaways into seven points. NAU stayed in it because they turned the Bears' mistakes into 14 points. Spight led all scorers with 12 at the half. JD and Sanders each had 10. UNC was up at the break 44-37.
The halftime speech from head coach Jeff Linder was effective because the Bears jumped out to a 16-2 run. Spight contributed seven of the 16 points to build the UNC lead up to 21 with 15:35 to go in the game. The lead never went under 20 again and the largest gap for Northern Colorado was 40 with just under three minutes left in the contest.
Linder emptied his bench and the Bears cruised to their largest conference victory of the season, 95-60. One streak did end as Spight did not reach 30 (25 points tonight) for the fifth time but he didn't need to as two other Bears (Davis and Sanders) scored in the 20s (Davis 21 & Sanders 24).
Game Changer
Jalen Sanders picked up career bests in five different statistical categories. His 24 points beat his previous best of 21 earlier in the season vs OPSU. He shot 8-of-10 from the field and hit seven of his nine free throws which are both career highs. The freshman's four assists and four steals are also new collegiate records. Sanders also came one away from matching his career-high in blocks with four tonight.
Key Stat
Northern Colorado shot an astounding 59.3 percent from the field tonight which beats the previous high of 56.6 percent set just last week at Idaho State. JD and Sanders combined to shoot 17 for 20 (85.0%) and Dre shot 58.3 percent on his 7-of-12 shooting.
What They Said
Head Coach Jeff Linder
Opening statement
"It was one of those games that we had to let our guys know that you can't look at the record of Northern Arizona. If you watch them on film, they are a team that they are better than what their record is for whatever reason. Jack (Murphy) does a good job with those guys and they have a plan and if you don't attack them the right way, they are a team that can definitely sneak up on you. Besides their games against Montana and Weber State, they have played everyone really close in the league. We really had to make sure our guys knew what they were getting into with this game. I thought our guys came out with the right mentality. On the defensive end, we wanted to limit their 3's even though they aren't a great 3-point shooting team percentage wise. When they play well, they make 3's and keeping them off the foul line. They are number one in the country in the number of points they get at the foul line percentage based. I thought we did a really good job controlling the game besides that stretch in the first half where we turned the ball over 80 times (Actually five TO's in five minutes) in six possessions. In the second half, our guys came out and really set the tone mentally which allowed us to get out on offense. I think Jalen Sanders played a whale of a game for a freshman and for him to come out and get 26pts, 6rbs, 4stls, 4blks and 4 assists really set the tone.
On the second-half burst
"I am not sure anything really changed of what we were trying to do. I think in the second half, we did a better job of winning the first dribble and not putting ourselves in so many rotations. We outrebounding them by 14 and they are a team offensively that usually has two of those big guys down low who are really looking to rebound. We did a really good job on the glass which is something we have done a really good job of over the course of the last six games. We are back in the top 30 in the country in defensive rebounding percentage and that is a team goal. We have to continue to do that as we move on."
Freshman Jalen Sanders
On not overlooking NAU
"Coach went back to the Montana State game and we were on a pretty good run as a team. We came in there thinking we were all that and we ended up losing. We reminded ourselves of that and it turned out to be a pretty good win for us.
On his career night
"I think the press kind of allowed me to take the ball up and made me a play maker. They were denying our guards and I took advantage of that. Just props to them for giving me the right shots. I guess defensively, I was just trying to be aware and I always do but I guess I was more aware today."
Junior Guard Jordan Davis
On the second-half surge
"He said the same things coming into the game to prepare us. He was saying don't let the record fool you. Besides Weber State and Montana, they have played everyone else close. In the Weber game, they were close with six minutes left in the game. We just had to make sure we locked in on our values and principles and the game was going to take care of itself.
Notable Stats
LET'S PACK THE HOUSE for the final Men's Basketball game of the season. Get tickets for just $3 (plus fees) during our 24-hour flash sale ending Feb. 16th at 11:59 pm! Come cheer on the Bears and enjoy $2 hot dogs for all fans in attendance (while supplies last). Join us early at Bank of Colorado Arena for Senior Recognition prior to tipoff.
The Bears will be on the road for the rest of the regular season as they only have one game next week at North Dakota. The game is set to start at 2 pm in Grand Forks and will be broadcast on Pluto TV. Northern Colorado's final two games of the regular season are out on the west coast. First up is Portland State Thursday, March 1st at 7 pm and UNC's final game takes place in Sacramento when the Bears play the Hornets of Sacramento State Saturday, March 3rd starting at 8:05 pm Mountain Time.
After that, the Northern Colorado men will head to Reno for the Big Sky Conference Tournament March 6th through the 10th.
How It Happened
It was slow going at the start of the game and UNC lead 7-4 with just over four minutes gone in the game. The Bears went on an 11-4 run with the help of Jordan Davis who hit his first three shots and was 4-of-5 for the half. The lead ballooned up to 13 but Northern Arizona fought back to pull within five at the 1:34 mark in the half.
Northern Colorado was already close to its season average for steals in the first half because of Andre Spight and Jalen Sanders' two steals each and turned those takeaways into seven points. NAU stayed in it because they turned the Bears' mistakes into 14 points. Spight led all scorers with 12 at the half. JD and Sanders each had 10. UNC was up at the break 44-37.
The halftime speech from head coach Jeff Linder was effective because the Bears jumped out to a 16-2 run. Spight contributed seven of the 16 points to build the UNC lead up to 21 with 15:35 to go in the game. The lead never went under 20 again and the largest gap for Northern Colorado was 40 with just under three minutes left in the contest.
Linder emptied his bench and the Bears cruised to their largest conference victory of the season, 95-60. One streak did end as Spight did not reach 30 (25 points tonight) for the fifth time but he didn't need to as two other Bears (Davis and Sanders) scored in the 20s (Davis 21 & Sanders 24).
Game Changer
Jalen Sanders picked up career bests in five different statistical categories. His 24 points beat his previous best of 21 earlier in the season vs OPSU. He shot 8-of-10 from the field and hit seven of his nine free throws which are both career highs. The freshman's four assists and four steals are also new collegiate records. Sanders also came one away from matching his career-high in blocks with four tonight.
Key Stat
Northern Colorado shot an astounding 59.3 percent from the field tonight which beats the previous high of 56.6 percent set just last week at Idaho State. JD and Sanders combined to shoot 17 for 20 (85.0%) and Dre shot 58.3 percent on his 7-of-12 shooting.
What They Said
Head Coach Jeff Linder
Opening statement
"It was one of those games that we had to let our guys know that you can't look at the record of Northern Arizona. If you watch them on film, they are a team that they are better than what their record is for whatever reason. Jack (Murphy) does a good job with those guys and they have a plan and if you don't attack them the right way, they are a team that can definitely sneak up on you. Besides their games against Montana and Weber State, they have played everyone really close in the league. We really had to make sure our guys knew what they were getting into with this game. I thought our guys came out with the right mentality. On the defensive end, we wanted to limit their 3's even though they aren't a great 3-point shooting team percentage wise. When they play well, they make 3's and keeping them off the foul line. They are number one in the country in the number of points they get at the foul line percentage based. I thought we did a really good job controlling the game besides that stretch in the first half where we turned the ball over 80 times (Actually five TO's in five minutes) in six possessions. In the second half, our guys came out and really set the tone mentally which allowed us to get out on offense. I think Jalen Sanders played a whale of a game for a freshman and for him to come out and get 26pts, 6rbs, 4stls, 4blks and 4 assists really set the tone.
On the second-half burst
"I am not sure anything really changed of what we were trying to do. I think in the second half, we did a better job of winning the first dribble and not putting ourselves in so many rotations. We outrebounding them by 14 and they are a team offensively that usually has two of those big guys down low who are really looking to rebound. We did a really good job on the glass which is something we have done a really good job of over the course of the last six games. We are back in the top 30 in the country in defensive rebounding percentage and that is a team goal. We have to continue to do that as we move on."
Freshman Jalen Sanders
On not overlooking NAU
"Coach went back to the Montana State game and we were on a pretty good run as a team. We came in there thinking we were all that and we ended up losing. We reminded ourselves of that and it turned out to be a pretty good win for us.
On his career night
"I think the press kind of allowed me to take the ball up and made me a play maker. They were denying our guards and I took advantage of that. Just props to them for giving me the right shots. I guess defensively, I was just trying to be aware and I always do but I guess I was more aware today."
Junior Guard Jordan Davis
On the second-half surge
"He said the same things coming into the game to prepare us. He was saying don't let the record fool you. Besides Weber State and Montana, they have played everyone else close. In the Weber game, they were close with six minutes left in the game. We just had to make sure we locked in on our values and principles and the game was going to take care of itself.
Notable Stats
- Andre Spight has hit double-digit scoring in 18-straight games and Sanders has done this feat six of his last seven games to now average 10.1 points per game.
- Jordan Davis now has 1,316 points in his career and trails John McFarland (1994-97) for eighth place by 10 points and Jim Hruska (1956-60) by 14 points for seventh.
- UNC tied its season-best for blocks in a game with seven. Sanders had four and Tanner Morgan, Davis and Spight each had one.
- This is the eighth time this season that Bears have never trailed in a game.
LET'S PACK THE HOUSE for the final Men's Basketball game of the season. Get tickets for just $3 (plus fees) during our 24-hour flash sale ending Feb. 16th at 11:59 pm! Come cheer on the Bears and enjoy $2 hot dogs for all fans in attendance (while supplies last). Join us early at Bank of Colorado Arena for Senior Recognition prior to tipoff.
The Bears will be on the road for the rest of the regular season as they only have one game next week at North Dakota. The game is set to start at 2 pm in Grand Forks and will be broadcast on Pluto TV. Northern Colorado's final two games of the regular season are out on the west coast. First up is Portland State Thursday, March 1st at 7 pm and UNC's final game takes place in Sacramento when the Bears play the Hornets of Sacramento State Saturday, March 3rd starting at 8:05 pm Mountain Time.
After that, the Northern Colorado men will head to Reno for the Big Sky Conference Tournament March 6th through the 10th.
Team Stats
NAU
NC
FG%
.350
.593
3FG%
.125
.417
FT%
.640
.724
RB
27
41
TO
15
18
STL
7
7
Game Leaders
Pts
25
FGM
7
3FGM
4
FTM
7
Pts
24
FGM
8
3FGM
1
FTM
7
Pts
21
FGM
9
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Pts
14
FGM
5
3FGM
4
FTM
0
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