LEWISTON, Idaho – Guard
Divant'e Moffitt posted a career-high 35 points and the Idaho men's basketball team battled back from down 10 points in the second half to defeat Northern Colorado 84-82 on Thursday night at the P1FCU Activity Center.
Trailing 66-56 with 7:31 left to go in the second period, the Vandals stepped up defensively and found a rhythm offensively, knocking down their final seven of 11 shots to help complete the comeback and snap an 11-game losing streak to Northern Colorado. Freshman forward
Nigel Burris was a key catalyst in Idaho's comeback, knocking down two three-pointers and scoring 10 of his 18 points in the closing stretch.
Moffitt's career night included 12-of-24 shooting from the field, 9-of-9 from the foul line, six rebounds, six assists and two steals. His 35-point output was the fourth time the fifth-year senior had recorded 30 or more points and the 12th time with at least 20 points in a game this season.
Junior forward
Isaac Jones recorded 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting from the field, grabbed eight rebounds and posted three blocks. The scoring effort by Jones also marked his 12th time with 20 or more points.
Each team traded baskets through the first 10 minutes of action as the Bears led 16-15 after
Dominique Ford hit one of his two threes on the night. From there, UNC held the Vandals scoreless for the next five minutes and went on a 10-0 run to go up 26-15 with 5:34 to go in the first half. A key 9-2 spurt by Idaho immediately followed and the Vandals would pull within four heading into the half down, 36-32.
Moffitt led all scorers through the opening 20 minutes of action, recording 16 first-half points on 7-of-13 from the field.
The Vandals battled back from multiple eight-point advantages by Northern Colorado in the second to make it a one-possession game. The Bears led for over 37 minutes of action before the Vandals took its first lead with just under two minutes remaining to go up 74-72. Idaho used timely defensive stops and a perfect 8 for 8 effort from the foul line to close out an 84-82 victory.
Idaho shot 48% (29-of-61) from the field, 37% (7-of-19) from behind the arc, and 91% (19-of-21) from the foul line. The Vandals capitalized off the Bears' mistakes, turning their 14 turnovers into 17 points.
Up Next
The Vandals look to earn a season sweep over Northern Arizona when the two teams square off on Saturday at 12 p.m. inside the ICCU Arena.
POSTGAME WITH ZAC CLAUS
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