Bears blitz Jacks and push their Big Sky winning streak to 3

Saturday, January 26

Flagstaff, Ariz.

6 PM

University of Northern Colorado

14-7, 8-2BSC

Northern Arizona

5-13, 3-5BSC

Northern Colorado

Northern Arizona

UNC picked up its third-straight conference win beating Northern Arizona.

1/26/2019 8:16:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

By: Ryan Ronan

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – UNC has made a habit recently of blitzing its opponents. They kept that going Saturday night at Northern Arizona, but with a twist. The Bears usually do the attacking to break a game open from three, versus the Jacks they did it by going to the rim. Northern Colorado went to the rack to start the game and came through on four-straight layups and went up 8-0. NAU was never able to get back in the game and UNC picked up its third straight-conference win, 63-48.

Freshmen Sam Masten and Bodie Hume got the scoring started and had UNC up 4-0 before upperclassmen Jordan Davis and Kai Edwards made it 8-0 Bears.
After making one three-pointer that put UNC up 11-3, the Big Sky's leading scorer knocked down another triple to spark another 8-0 Bears spurt. This run was a little more UNC-like. In addition to the two threes from Davis, Jonah Radebaugh and Matej Drgon added six points on two shots. Sandwiched in the middle of all that was a layup by Edwards. Following a pair of 8-to-nothing runs UNC led 22-5 with just over 10 minutes gone by.

Northern Colorado built its first-half lead to as many as 22 and would again push the margin to 20 in the second half.

BREAKING OUT OF THE BOX SCORE

In what could be tabbed as breaking news, Davis wasn't the game's leading scorer. He finished with 14, which still led a balanced Bears attack. He missed out on a double-double by one assist.
Edwards had himself a night. The big man posted a new season high for points with a monster dunk along the baseline and finished with 13 points on 6-of-7 shooting and added eight boards.
Drgon has seen his playing time increase due to illness and foul trouble and has taken advantage. For the second time in three games, he scored in double figures with 11.
NAU continued to leave Jalen Sanders open from behind the arc and he made them pay making 3-of-5 from deep to finish with 11 points of his own.
It wasn't all about offense for UNC on Saturday night. Luke Avdalovic came into play leading the conference in three-point percentage and sixth in three-pointers made. Not only did he not make a single three-point shot, he never had the chance attempted one.
With a comfortable lead late in the game, the Bears still stayed locked in defensively and didn't let the Jacks score a point for the final 3:47.

SCHEDULE SAYS
After three games in three states in five days, UNC will return home and not take the court again until Feb. 4 when they host Montana State to open 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.