Bears best Lions in home debut

Friday, November 11

Greeley, Colo.

6 p.m.

University of Northern Colorado

1-1,0-0Big Sky

Texas A&M - Commerce

0-2,0-0Southland

Team	1	2	F
Tex. A&M-Commerce	28	49	77
Northern Colo.	46	34	80

Photo by: Jam David

11/11/2022 9:47:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Photo Gallery

UNC Athletics · MBSK Postgame vs. Texas A&M Commerce: Steve Smiley

GREELEY, Colo.— With 61 combined points from the trio of Daylen Kountz, Dalton Knecht, and Caleb Shaw, the Northern Colorado men's basketball team defeated Texas A&M Commerce, 80-77, inside the Bank of Colorado Arena on Friday night.

Northern Colorado (1-1) jumped out to a 15-0 lead thanks to eight early points from Kountz and a defense that held Texas A&M Commerce (0-2) scoreless for the first six minutes of the game.

The Bears went on to extend its advantage by as many as 20 when a Knecht 3-pointer made it a 46-26 gap with 16 seconds remaining in the half.

The Lions steadied themselves after the break, however, and pulled to within a single possession (73-70) with 2:47 remaining. The Bears were held without a field goal over the last 5:51 of regulation but put the game away at the free throw line with Kountz making his last final attempts from the stripe.

Kountz led all scorers with 23 points while Knecht added 20. Shaw, a true freshman, chipped in with 18 after going 5 of 6 from 3-point range. Overall, UNC connected on 14 of 27 from distance.

UNC will return to the road with a Monday matchup against No. 5 Baylor. Opening tip is set for 6 p.m. MT in Waco, Texas.