University of Northern Colorado Athletics
Sunday, March 18
.Greeley, CO
3pm
University of Northern Colorado
23-12
81
vs
72
Drake University
17-17
1
2
F
Drake
29
43
72
Northern Colorado
36
45
81
Photo by: Dean Popejoy
Recap: Jordan Davis’ Notches @UNCO_MBB’s First Ever Triple-Double in CIT Win Over Drake
3/18/2018 7:43:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Jordan Davis records a triple double and Tanner Morgan sets a career-high in scoring as UNC advances in the CIT over Drake 81-72.
Greeley, Colo.—Northern Colorado had nine days to think about the heart-wrenching defeat to Montana and Tanner Morgan responded with the best game of his career in the 81-72 win over Drake in the CollegeInsider.com Tournament Sunday afternoon.
How It Happened
The first four minutes of the game was a fast-moving, slow start for both teams. The first media timeout didn't come until seven minutes into the game and at that time UNC put together a 9-0 run to take the lead 13-8. The run was largely in part credited to Tanner Morgan as he went six for eight with one triple to tie his career-high of 13 in the first half.
Northern Colorado kept the Bulldogs on a leash for the rest of the half and did it mainly without the help of Andre Spight. Dre is averaging over 21 points a game but didn't get his first points until there was 3:21 remaining on the clock. UNC led at the break 36-29 with Tanner's 13 and Jordan Davis' seven points.
Drake fought back at the beginning of the second half closing to four by the first media timeout but UNC kept the Bulldogs at bay and widened the gap from there on out. The Bears went on a 9-3 run starting at just under 12 minutes to go that put the game away for good. Drake would only get as close as five points for the rest of the game.
After DU closed to within five, the Bears responded with seven straight points and held on to win 81-72. Dre led all Bears with 21 points and T-Mo scored his career-high of 19 in 28 minutes of play while battling foul trouble. JD was the other Bear to score in double figures and Davis grabbed the most boards with 11 which is one off his career-high.
Game Changer
Jordan Davis did something that no other men's team player has done and only the third Bear ever to accomplish the elusive triple-double. JD completed the easiest of the three, 10 points with 11:33 left in the game and grabbed his 10th rebound with 7:36 left but his third category came down to the last few minutes. With just over two minutes to go in the game, Davis only had eight assists but he charged down the court drew the double team and dished to Morgan for the layup. Less than 30 seconds later, JD and T-Mo copied that exact play to make UNC history with Davis' 10th assist. The 10 assists ties a career-high for JD.
Key Stat
With the help of JD, the Bears recorded 15 assists on their 28 made buckets. This makes UNC 16-7 in games this season where they have more assists than its opponent as Drake dished the ball 11 times.
What They Said
Head Coach Jeff Linder
Opening Statement
First off, I am just really proud of our guys' effort after a heartbreaking loss to Montana and then to turn around and really be in limbo in terms of what you're going to do for the four days afterward. And the fact that our guys had to sacrifice their spring break as well. People don't realize when you're a Division I basketball player, there's no Fall Break, there's no Thanksgiving Break, there's no Christmas Break, and then if you're fortunate enough to play on good teams, there's no Spring Break. So for our guys to sacrifice a Spring Break, and to have the right mentality – because sometimes it's a tough pill to swallow when you feel like you're playing good enough to have a chance to win a conference tournament, and probably made to win a game in the tournament. So, our guys were pretty disappointed but at the same time, they knew that we were playing really well, and they wanted to keep it going. You never know in these deals. You could be a team of firsts. We could be a team that wins our first CIT championship, we could be the first to be the all-time winningest team in school history, with 26 wins, if you're able to make your way through it. And then for a guy like JD to have the opportunity to be the first player in school history to have a triple-double. That's why you play. Sometimes people look at these things and say, "Well, are you really playing?" Any time you get the opportunity to play, you play. And when you look back at it, when you're my age at 40, you're going to look back and say "You know what? Why didn't we play?" Because you don't get very many of these games. It's not like the NBA where you get 82 games. You get 30-32 games and if you can play extra games, that's what you do. And you know what, those are the type of players we want. I told my guys in practice, "Listen, if you don't want to play, just come let me know. Come after practice, let me know you don't want to play and guess what – we'll find another place for you." Because ultimately, what we're going to be built on, the foundation, is guys who love to play, who love to compete, who'll be in the gym regardless of what the outcome is. So I thought our guys really stepped to the challenge, really stepped to the challenge defensively on a very good offensive team that's really hard to guard, that plays four guards, finished in the upper half of the Missouri Valley, and I thought our guys did a really good job of disrupting their rhythm and timing, making them try and beat us with 2's, their team, if you allow them to shoot a lot of 3's, they can beat anybody in the country, and we did a good job with that. Then, for Tanner Morgan, my heart goes out to for the way it ended at Montana and for him to come out and to bounce back and get a career-high 19 with eight rebounds, I'm just very thankful he can get that taste out of his mouth. Our guys really wanted it for him too, and they knew that he was in a bad spot. It could have been any of them. For him to have this, I think that means a lot, and now we'll make our way on to the next one.
On the layoff between games
We talked to our guys about that. We knew coming off of a ten-day layoff, there was going to be some rust or some cobwebs that we were going to have to fight off. I just told them, just respond the right way. That's where you saw early, we missed a lot of easy shots that normally would probably go in. But that's just a matter of getting back into the rhythm and timing of the game. I thought we responded well, did a great job early on of sharing the basketball, and I think we've gotten really good in the last five or six games at really learning to play off of one another. As people realize, this is really year one with this team. Year one with this group of guys and so it's just great as a coaching staff to get to see them improve every game and get used to playing with one another. These guys know we have a chance to do some special things and they don't want the season to end. Hopefully, we'll find out here sooner or later where we're going and make our way to the next one.
On JD's triple-double
It was definitely a step in the right direction for him. I was, he's a guy that, he's been battling through some things since Christmas-time and he's really, his athleticism and his energy, he's really fresh right now. You can tell he's going up there trying to dunk on guys like Scottie Pippin with his left hand. You just don't see guys that are 6'1". So I'm just really proud of him. He had to fight through a rough patch there for the first part of the conference and for him to have to adjust in his role this season, it just shows you the type of person he is as well. He's the best. And I'm just so happy for him to have the opportunity to do it first, and to be a guy…I tell some people, even my NBA guys, that I got a mini Russell Westbrook, and they look at me like I'm crazy but then they watch him for a little while, and they're like, "You know what? That's a pretty good comparison."
On Tanner's response after the BSC Tourney
I mean, ultimately, that's why you recruit character. Character bounces back. He's, as good of a player as he is, he's a lot better person, and I knew he'd respond the right way. Our guys did a great job of putting him in the position to get some of those easy dump-downs and he does a good job of making himself available. Those guys, JD and Dre, they draw so much attention when they drive the ball, he does a good job of putting himself where they can see him, and he did a good job tonight of finishing. Hats off to him, but hats off to his parents for raising him the right way, hats off to him for being the person that he is.
Redshirt Senior Tanner Morgan
On the layoff between games
Coach wanted to kind of give us a break. We were on the road for however many days, ten or eleven days, so when we got back, after a tough loss too, he knew that we needed a break. Coming back, he knew that things were going to kind of be rusty in the first half, but we just had to get those cobwebs out of the way. I felt like after we got those out of the way, we got back into the groove of how we were playing in the tournament. I thought it was a good second half for us.
On the physical aspect of the game
I knew it was going to be a pretty physical game. I knew that in the tournament. I didn't play as well as I wanted to and I felt like in the last one, I left something I didn't know…I thought it was my last game. I've got nothing to lose, I've got another opportunity to play so I just gave it my all because I know at this point, each game could be my last. So I'm trying to give it my all at this point.
On the potential of being his last game
We thought the game against Montana was the last one and we were pretty bummed. Just to, when Coach told us that we had another opportunity to play, some of the guys weren't, some guys don't want to play right away after a tough loss and that one really hurt. After a couple of days of just sitting on it – I've got another opportunity, we've got another opportunity to go play another game. We're not going to get these ones back. It was just a great opportunity and I think we all just took advantage of it.
Junior Jordan Davis
On his triple-double
I think on one of my free throws Jonah or somebody was like 'You need one more rebound and then you need two more assists.' I told the guys on the free throws, let me go get the ball. The plays to Tanner, we do that all the time. I know when I'm going down people are going to step up and take charges. T-Mo was always there so I just made a regular play that we usually make. It's a big honor just knowing there's been a lot of talented people that have walked through here. Just being able to have that for myself, to be the first, it's a blessing. All I can do is thank God.
Notable Stats
What's Next
UNC will now wait to hear on who they will play in the quarterfinals of the CIT and where the game will take place. To learn who, when and where the Bears will play in the next round, visit UNCBears.com and the team's Twitter account, UNCBears.com.
How It Happened
The first four minutes of the game was a fast-moving, slow start for both teams. The first media timeout didn't come until seven minutes into the game and at that time UNC put together a 9-0 run to take the lead 13-8. The run was largely in part credited to Tanner Morgan as he went six for eight with one triple to tie his career-high of 13 in the first half.
Northern Colorado kept the Bulldogs on a leash for the rest of the half and did it mainly without the help of Andre Spight. Dre is averaging over 21 points a game but didn't get his first points until there was 3:21 remaining on the clock. UNC led at the break 36-29 with Tanner's 13 and Jordan Davis' seven points.
Drake fought back at the beginning of the second half closing to four by the first media timeout but UNC kept the Bulldogs at bay and widened the gap from there on out. The Bears went on a 9-3 run starting at just under 12 minutes to go that put the game away for good. Drake would only get as close as five points for the rest of the game.
After DU closed to within five, the Bears responded with seven straight points and held on to win 81-72. Dre led all Bears with 21 points and T-Mo scored his career-high of 19 in 28 minutes of play while battling foul trouble. JD was the other Bear to score in double figures and Davis grabbed the most boards with 11 which is one off his career-high.
Game Changer
Jordan Davis did something that no other men's team player has done and only the third Bear ever to accomplish the elusive triple-double. JD completed the easiest of the three, 10 points with 11:33 left in the game and grabbed his 10th rebound with 7:36 left but his third category came down to the last few minutes. With just over two minutes to go in the game, Davis only had eight assists but he charged down the court drew the double team and dished to Morgan for the layup. Less than 30 seconds later, JD and T-Mo copied that exact play to make UNC history with Davis' 10th assist. The 10 assists ties a career-high for JD.
Key Stat
With the help of JD, the Bears recorded 15 assists on their 28 made buckets. This makes UNC 16-7 in games this season where they have more assists than its opponent as Drake dished the ball 11 times.
What They Said
Head Coach Jeff Linder
Opening Statement
First off, I am just really proud of our guys' effort after a heartbreaking loss to Montana and then to turn around and really be in limbo in terms of what you're going to do for the four days afterward. And the fact that our guys had to sacrifice their spring break as well. People don't realize when you're a Division I basketball player, there's no Fall Break, there's no Thanksgiving Break, there's no Christmas Break, and then if you're fortunate enough to play on good teams, there's no Spring Break. So for our guys to sacrifice a Spring Break, and to have the right mentality – because sometimes it's a tough pill to swallow when you feel like you're playing good enough to have a chance to win a conference tournament, and probably made to win a game in the tournament. So, our guys were pretty disappointed but at the same time, they knew that we were playing really well, and they wanted to keep it going. You never know in these deals. You could be a team of firsts. We could be a team that wins our first CIT championship, we could be the first to be the all-time winningest team in school history, with 26 wins, if you're able to make your way through it. And then for a guy like JD to have the opportunity to be the first player in school history to have a triple-double. That's why you play. Sometimes people look at these things and say, "Well, are you really playing?" Any time you get the opportunity to play, you play. And when you look back at it, when you're my age at 40, you're going to look back and say "You know what? Why didn't we play?" Because you don't get very many of these games. It's not like the NBA where you get 82 games. You get 30-32 games and if you can play extra games, that's what you do. And you know what, those are the type of players we want. I told my guys in practice, "Listen, if you don't want to play, just come let me know. Come after practice, let me know you don't want to play and guess what – we'll find another place for you." Because ultimately, what we're going to be built on, the foundation, is guys who love to play, who love to compete, who'll be in the gym regardless of what the outcome is. So I thought our guys really stepped to the challenge, really stepped to the challenge defensively on a very good offensive team that's really hard to guard, that plays four guards, finished in the upper half of the Missouri Valley, and I thought our guys did a really good job of disrupting their rhythm and timing, making them try and beat us with 2's, their team, if you allow them to shoot a lot of 3's, they can beat anybody in the country, and we did a good job with that. Then, for Tanner Morgan, my heart goes out to for the way it ended at Montana and for him to come out and to bounce back and get a career-high 19 with eight rebounds, I'm just very thankful he can get that taste out of his mouth. Our guys really wanted it for him too, and they knew that he was in a bad spot. It could have been any of them. For him to have this, I think that means a lot, and now we'll make our way on to the next one.
On the layoff between games
We talked to our guys about that. We knew coming off of a ten-day layoff, there was going to be some rust or some cobwebs that we were going to have to fight off. I just told them, just respond the right way. That's where you saw early, we missed a lot of easy shots that normally would probably go in. But that's just a matter of getting back into the rhythm and timing of the game. I thought we responded well, did a great job early on of sharing the basketball, and I think we've gotten really good in the last five or six games at really learning to play off of one another. As people realize, this is really year one with this team. Year one with this group of guys and so it's just great as a coaching staff to get to see them improve every game and get used to playing with one another. These guys know we have a chance to do some special things and they don't want the season to end. Hopefully, we'll find out here sooner or later where we're going and make our way to the next one.
On JD's triple-double
It was definitely a step in the right direction for him. I was, he's a guy that, he's been battling through some things since Christmas-time and he's really, his athleticism and his energy, he's really fresh right now. You can tell he's going up there trying to dunk on guys like Scottie Pippin with his left hand. You just don't see guys that are 6'1". So I'm just really proud of him. He had to fight through a rough patch there for the first part of the conference and for him to have to adjust in his role this season, it just shows you the type of person he is as well. He's the best. And I'm just so happy for him to have the opportunity to do it first, and to be a guy…I tell some people, even my NBA guys, that I got a mini Russell Westbrook, and they look at me like I'm crazy but then they watch him for a little while, and they're like, "You know what? That's a pretty good comparison."
On Tanner's response after the BSC Tourney
I mean, ultimately, that's why you recruit character. Character bounces back. He's, as good of a player as he is, he's a lot better person, and I knew he'd respond the right way. Our guys did a great job of putting him in the position to get some of those easy dump-downs and he does a good job of making himself available. Those guys, JD and Dre, they draw so much attention when they drive the ball, he does a good job of putting himself where they can see him, and he did a good job tonight of finishing. Hats off to him, but hats off to his parents for raising him the right way, hats off to him for being the person that he is.
Redshirt Senior Tanner Morgan
On the layoff between games
Coach wanted to kind of give us a break. We were on the road for however many days, ten or eleven days, so when we got back, after a tough loss too, he knew that we needed a break. Coming back, he knew that things were going to kind of be rusty in the first half, but we just had to get those cobwebs out of the way. I felt like after we got those out of the way, we got back into the groove of how we were playing in the tournament. I thought it was a good second half for us.
On the physical aspect of the game
I knew it was going to be a pretty physical game. I knew that in the tournament. I didn't play as well as I wanted to and I felt like in the last one, I left something I didn't know…I thought it was my last game. I've got nothing to lose, I've got another opportunity to play so I just gave it my all because I know at this point, each game could be my last. So I'm trying to give it my all at this point.
On the potential of being his last game
We thought the game against Montana was the last one and we were pretty bummed. Just to, when Coach told us that we had another opportunity to play, some of the guys weren't, some guys don't want to play right away after a tough loss and that one really hurt. After a couple of days of just sitting on it – I've got another opportunity, we've got another opportunity to go play another game. We're not going to get these ones back. It was just a great opportunity and I think we all just took advantage of it.
Junior Jordan Davis
On his triple-double
I think on one of my free throws Jonah or somebody was like 'You need one more rebound and then you need two more assists.' I told the guys on the free throws, let me go get the ball. The plays to Tanner, we do that all the time. I know when I'm going down people are going to step up and take charges. T-Mo was always there so I just made a regular play that we usually make. It's a big honor just knowing there's been a lot of talented people that have walked through here. Just being able to have that for myself, to be the first, it's a blessing. All I can do is thank God.
Notable Stats
- Northern Colorado once again turned up the defensive pressure as they held Drake to 27.8% shooting from 3 when the Bulldogs usually shoot at a 36.6% clip.
- The Bears are 19-1 this season when shooting a better percentage than the other team. UNC shot 49.1% while DU shot 42.4%.
- Northern Colorado pilfered the ball eight times to DU's five steals. The Bears are now 14-3 this season when this occurs in the game.
What's Next
UNC will now wait to hear on who they will play in the quarterfinals of the CIT and where the game will take place. To learn who, when and where the Bears will play in the next round, visit UNCBears.com and the team's Twitter account, UNCBears.com.
Team Stats
DU
NC
FG%
.424
.491
3FG%
.278
.500
FT%
.680
.538
RB
43
32
TO
16
10
STL
5
8
Game Leaders
Pts
21
FGM
7
3FGM
6
FTM
1
Pts
19
FGM
9
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Pts
12
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
6
Pts
9
FGM
2
3FGM
1
FTM
4
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