RANGELY, Colo. - In a year where Region 18 is ultra competitive, any given night anything can happen, and the Golden Eagles found that out on Saturday as they got all they could handle from Colorado Northwestern in an 83-82 double OT victory capped off by a game winning last second layup.
Southern Idaho, fresh off their huge road win at Salt Lake, came out strong against the scrappy Spartans as the two teams traded blows early before the Golden Eagles finished the first half on a 10-2 run to take a seven point lead into the locker room. CSI came out firing and pushed their lead to 11 within the first three minutes of the second half, their largest of the game. The Spartans never backed down though, as they used a 22-11 run to tie the game up at 51 with just over nine minutes to go. CNCC pushed that comeback effort all the way to a five point lead with just over three minutes left at 67-62. Southern Idaho stepped on the defensive end to finish off regulation, made some free throws, and Walker Timme was able to tie the game up at 67 apiece with 1:11 left. Colorado had their opportunities to steal the upset, but struggles from the free throw line kept the score tied at 67 as the regulation buzzer sounded. The first of two overtimes was extremely low scoring as the Golden Eagles only mustered one made field goal, and with three seconds left, Khayri Dunn stepped to the line and calmly knocked down two clutch free throws to send the game to a second OT at 72 all. Neither team was able to pull away in the second extra frame as well, after a back and forth free throw affair, Gerry Guerrero hit a huge three point shot to give the Golden Eagles a one point lead with just over a minute to play. CNCC's Mitch Jeppesen was able to finish inside to put the Spartans back up one with 32 seconds left, and after a loose ball rebound was deflected out of bounds the possession stayed with Southern Idaho. With one final chance to win the game Nathan Ahner was able to penetrate and dump it off to Marcus Fizer Jr. who laid it up and in with three seconds left, ultimately sealing the gutsy road win for the Golden Eagles.
The win moves CSI to 6-1 in Scenic West play and they now gear up for a rematch with top ranked Snow College, Thursday evening at CSI.