Role players come up clutch for @UNC_BearsMBB in win over Idaho

Saturday, January 5

Greeley, Colo.

4 pm

University of Northern Colorado

9-5, 4-0

Idaho

4-11, 1-3

OT 1

IDAHO

Northern Colorado

Kai Edwards scored four of his six points in overtime to help UNC pick up the win over Idaho.

1/5/2019 7:34:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

By: Ryan Ronan

With under a minute to play in overtime Northern Colorado led by just a single point. Trent Harris drove the lane looking to pad the lead, but when his floater came up short Kai Edwards was in the right place at the right time. The junior corralled the miss, gathered himself and finished the putback, which put UNC up a very important three points. Needing a triple to extend the game to a second overtime, Idaho was unable to get off a three-point attempt, which allowed the Bears to move to 3-0 in Big Sky play with an 83-79 win.

"It had been a rough night," said Edwards. "I had missed some easy layups and had had been battling foul trouble. So, it felt good to get Trent's miss and be able to put it back."

UNC knows Jordan Davis, who again scored a game-high, this time 29, is always going to be there. The reigning Big Sky Player of the Week scored four points in OT, but the theme of Saturday's win was key contributions from unexpected players. Edwards scored four of his six points in the extra session, the first of those gave the Bears a lead they wouldn't give up.

Kur Jockuch came off the bench to play a career-high 14 minutes in which he posted career highs in points with five and rebounds with seven.

Cole Bergan has been a key contributor all season, but against the Vandals, he stepped up in a new way. The freshman handed out a career-high five assists and didn't commit a turnover.

Both teams were limping to the finish line in regulation before a flurry of activity in the final 30 seconds sent the game to OT. Trent Harris knocked down a triple with 3:45 to play that put UNC up 70-65. The Bears wouldn't be able to connect on another field goal in regulation.

Idaho scored just eight total points in the final 10 minutes, but two of them came with just nine seconds left. Jared Rodriguez was at the line for a one-and-one with just 18 seconds left in the game, after missing the first, Trevon Allen was able to come out of the scrum with the ball and converted on a game-tying layup.
Scrambling to get the ball down court in under 10 seconds UNC turned it over and the ball ended up in the hands of Rodriguez, again, but his layup as time expired came up short and the game went to OT.

BREAKING OUT OF THE BOX SCORE

Davis was one rebound shy of a double-double and tied Bergan for the team lead in assists with five.
Bodie Hume scored in double figures for the third-straight conference game, he finished with 12.
Harris added 11 points.
UNC made 11 more three-pointers hitting their season average, yet again.

CONFERENCE SHAKEUP
Both Weber State and Montana lost on Saturday, to Southern Utah and Portland State, means UNC is the lone unbeaten team in Big Sky play and alone in first place.

SCHEDULE SAYS
For the first time since the first two games of the season, UNC will play back-to-back home games. The Bears host Eastern Washington on Monday at 7 p.m. in the middle game of a three-game homestand. They conclude the three-game set on Jan. 12 against Montana at 2 p.m. Tickets are available for both games at tickets.UNCO.edu or by calling the UNC Box Office at 970-351-4849 Monday-Friday 10a.m.-5p.m.