CALDWELL, Idaho – Avenging their only conference loss of the season, the No. 2 ranked College of Idaho men's basketball team held off a pesky Beacon squad on Friday night, claiming a 91-78 victory.
 
After controlling most of the first half and leading by as many as eight points, the Beacons slowly saw their advantage dissipate late in the opening stanza as the Yotes closed with a 17-4 run to take a 45-34 lead at the intermission.
 
College of Idaho went on to lead by as many as 22 points in the second half as they went up 82-60 with just under five minutes to play. The Beacons refused to go quietly, however, and over a two-and-a-half minute stretch the visitors went on a 13-2 run. Dyshawn Hobson's layup with 1:02 remaining made it an eleven-point game, but the effort proved futile as the Yotes hit five of seven free-throw attempts in the waning moments to hold on to the victory.
 
Held nearly 20 points under their season average, the Beacons (15-5, 7-3 CCC) were held to just 41% shooting as they went 8-for-33 from three-point range. Tyrus Hosley and Davonte Cleveland (pictured) led the team in scoring with 13 points apiece while Austin Tyner and Reece Robinson both scored ten. Malik Corey added nine points off the bench including five during the second-half comeback effort.
 
The Coyotes (20-2, 9-1) received a game-high 16 points and six assists from Talon Pinckney along with 15 points and a game-leading seven rebounds from Nate Bruneel. Keun Palu-Thompson scored 14 and Gibson Berryhill posted ten.
 
NCU will look to salvage a split on the current road trip on Saturday when they travel to take on Eastern Oregon University at 7:30 pm.