Bears Advance to CBI Semifinals with Another Comeback Win

Monday, March 21

Daytona Beach, Fla.

1:30 pm

University of Northern Colorado

22-15

UNC Asheville

17-15

Northern Colo.

UNC Asheville

Photo by: Thomas Hoffman

3/21/2022 4:56:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

UNC men's basketball overcame an 11-point deficit to defeat UNC Asheville Monday

By: By Ryan Pfeifer, UNCBears.com

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Making winning plays at winning times. That's what Northern Colorado men's basketball did to defeat UNC Asheville 87-84 on Monday afternoon and advance to the semifinals of the Roman College Basketball Invitational.

The Bears closed the game on an 8-2 run to defeat the Bulldogs making five of their last six shots while holding UNC Asheville to 1-of-9 shooting late.

Like the first round game for the Bears, it was a back and forth affair as the teams exchanged the lead 12 times and were tied nine times. Northern Colorado took the lead for good with 3:32 remaining on a Dalton Knecht layup to go up 82-81. It became an 8-0 run after that with the exclamation point coming from Kur Jongkuch on a breakaway dunk.

🤯🤯🤯@kjongkuch | @mattoraw23 #GetUpGreeley🐻🏀 pic.twitter.com/XeCeeHDxuI
— UNC Men's Basketball (@UNC_BearsMBB) March 21, 2022

Asheville fought until the end, but three straight blocks from Bodie Hume, Jongkuch and Knecht secured the win.

Northern Colorado trailed 14-3 to start the game as they were unable to buy a basket, but just chipped away at the UNC Asheville lead. Daylen Kountz and Dru Kuxhausen scored 26 of UNC's 38 first half points as the Bears trailed 41-38.

Oh my @DaylenKountz2 has 18!#GetUpGreeley🐻🏀 pic.twitter.com/xi2zWbO2hp
— UNC Men's Basketball (@UNC_BearsMBB) March 21, 2022

What They Said

UNC Athletics · MBB Postgame vs UNC Asheville

Stat of the Game
The three-ball was key for UNC as they made 14 to earn the win. Five different Bears made a three led by Kuxhausen's five.

It's 🌧️ 3s in Daytona!!!@mattoraw23 | #GetUpGreeley🐻🏀 pic.twitter.com/hN2bIIiwbn
— UNC Men's Basketball (@UNC_BearsMBB) March 21, 2022

Game Notes
- Daylen Kountz continues to charge up the Big Sky and UNC record book for points in a season. With his 29 on Monday, he has 772 pushing him to second in the UNC records and sixth in the Big Sky passing former Bear Jordan Davis (752).
- It was Kountz's 24th 20-plus scoring game of the season while he added in four rebounds and a team-leading six assists.
- Dru Kuxhausen has now made 111 threes this season. He trails Andre Spight by 17 for the program record. He made five on Monday scoring 18 points.

.@dkux3 is heating up!#GetUpGreeley🐻🏀 pic.twitter.com/7A1q2O0rDn
— UNC Men's Basketball (@UNC_BearsMBB) March 21, 2022

- Monday was the fifth time this season UNC has come back from trailing by double figures.
- Bodie Hume and Kur Jongkuch flirted with double-doubles again finishing with 15 points and seven rebounds and 11 points and nine rebounds, respectively.

What's Ahead
Northern Colorado will face another UNC again on Wednesday, this time UNC Wilmington in the CBI Semifinals. The Bears and Seahawks tip-off at 5 pm MT. The game will air on ESPN2 and over the radio on 1310 KFKA.

Fans in Greeley can go to the GOAT Sports Bar for a watch party once again.

To stay up to date on all things UNC Men's Basketball, visit UNCBears.com and follow the team on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.