Davis sets a career high and @UNC_BearsMBB snaps the Thunderbirds four-game winning streak

Thursday, January 24

Greeley, Colo.

7pm

University of Northern Colorado

13-7, 7-2

Southern Utah

9-8, 4-4

Southern Utah

Northern Colorado

Jordan Davis scored a career-high 36 points in the win over SUU.

1/24/2019 10:01:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

By: Ryan Ronan

This season has been all about scoring for Jordan Davis. The senior is leading the conference and is eighth in the nation in scoring at 24 points a game. Thursday night he reached that number at halftime and in the process outscored the entire Southern Utah team. Davis wasn't satisfied with the season average and posted a new career high 36 all in the process of leading the Bears to their second-straight win and snapping the Thunderbirds four-game winning streak, 79-68.

Davis beat the first-half buzzer for the second consecutive game with a three-pointer from the top of the key, besides putting the Bears ahead, 37-22, it put him over the 2,000 career points. He is now just the second UNC player to eclipse that number joining Mike Higgins. With just 100 more points, Davis will surpass Higgins as the Bears all-time scoring leader.

JD put the dagger in the rally and also got it started. Much like they did against Idaho State, UNC came out shooting from behind the arc. Davis hit the first three of the game to put the Bears up 7-4. Jalen Sanders, Trent Harris, and Matej Drgon all followed with triples that put the Bears up 18-7.

Davis did the rest from there. Continuing the three-point theme he converted an and-one that gave UNC a 15 point lead. Prior to beating the first half buzzer, he made another triple to give the Bears complete control of the game prior to the break.

Southern Utah didn't go away in the second half. With just over 4:00 left in the game they finally got the Bears lead under double digits to 63-56. That run came with Davis on the bench with four fouls, the senior returned to the lineup shortly thereafter and quickly pushed the lead back to 13 when he came through on yet another and-one opportunity.

BREAKING OUT OF THE BOX SCORE

Davis had a James Harden-like usage rate of nearly 48 percent but was extremely effective in that time with the ball. He missed just three shots all night and scored a career-high on just 17 field goal attempts.
This was the second time this season Davis posted a new career high. The first time came against Pepperdine when he scored 32.
While Davis stole the headlines, freshman Sam Masten stepped up and had one of his better games as a Bear when JD was on the bench with foul trouble. Masten scored 16 points, which is the second most he has scored in his UNC career.
Bodie Hume had a rare quiet night in the scoring column but picked it up leading UNC with nine rebounds and two assists.

SCHEDULE SAYS
The Bears have very little time to enjoy this victory as they hit the road for Flagstaff and a Saturday matchup with the Lumberjacks. Following that game, UNC will have eight days off before they return home to face Montana State in the first game of a three-game homestand. Tickets are available for that game and the games against Portland State and Sacramento State later that week at tickets.UNCO.edu or by calling the UNC Box Office at 970-351-4849 Monday-Friday 10a.m.-5p.m.