Bears Beat Colorado College, 91-57, in Season Opener

Monday, November 3

Greeley, Colo.

7:30 p.m. MST

University of Northern Colorado

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Colorado College

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Colorado Col.

Northern Colo.

Photo by: Lexie Martin

11/3/2025 10:09:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

By: Brooke Richards, Assistant Director of Strategic Communications

GREELEY, Colo. – Northern Colorado men's basketball opened the 2025-26 season in convincing fashion Monday night, cruising past Colorado College 91-57 at Bank of Colorado Arena.

The Bears (1-0) displayed balance and depth throughout their first outing, with 11 players finding the scoring column and three reaching double figures. The performance was powered by 26 assists on 33 made field goals and a commanding 48-24 edge on the glass.

Sophomore guard Ariik Mawien made an impressive collegiate debut, scoring 12 points on 4-of-7 shooting, including a pair of threes. Fellow sophomore Hunter Caldwell also shined in his first collegiate appearance, going a perfect 3-for-3 from the field for six points.

Junior transfer Ibu Yamazaki, in his debut as a Bear, tallied nine points and four rebounds while hitting three shots from beyond the arc. Vincent Delano and Ring Nyeri, both newcomers to the program, combined for 13 rebounds and five points in their Northern Colorado debuts. True freshman Tanner Braketa added five points and two rebounds in his first collegiate game.

Quinn Denker led the offense with 13 points and a game-high seven assists, while Chancellor White, another new face to the program, contributed 11 points off the bench. Egan Shields posted eight points and seven rebounds in just 10 minutes, and Brock Wisne added eight points, four assists and four boards in a strong all-around effort.

Northern Colorado built a 42-28 halftime lead behind six made threes and a disruptive defense that forced eight turnovers in the first 20 minutes. Yamazaki sparked the crowd with back-to-back triples late in the half to push the margin to double digits.

The Bears carried that momentum into the second period, starting on a 9-2 run fueled by Denker and Mawien. UNC outscored Colorado College 49-29 in the second half, shooting 60 percent from the floor and 41.7 percent (5-for-12) from deep after the break.

For Colorado College, Asher Nofziger led the way with 14 points and seven rebounds, while Russell MacFarlane added nine points and six boards.

Northern Colorado finished the night shooting 51.6 percent from the field and 36.7 percent (11-for-30) from three-point range, holding the Tigers to just 41 percent overall. The Bears also tallied 41 bench points, 42 points in the paint and 18 points off turnovers.
UNC returns to action against Colorado Christian on Friday, November 7 at Bank of Colorado Arena. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. MST.

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