EUGENE, Ore. – The Bushnell men's basketball team had perhaps their best half of basketball this season on Saturday night, unfortunately coming immediately after one of their worst in a 97-74 loss to No. 1-Ranked College of Idaho.  
 
Attempting to win their 25th-straight game and remain undefeated in Cascade Collegiate Conference action, the Yotes shell-shocked the Beacons from the opening tip, amassing a 27-2 lead in the first nine minutes.
 
By the time the opening half drew to a close, CI was shooting 71% from the field, holding Bushnell to 26% shooting and leading the game 59-22.
 
Head Coach Eddie Alexander said, "We were not ready to start the game and they took it to us. Halftime was not an enjoyable moment but I could not be prouder of how our guys responded."
 
A lesser team wouldn't have been blamed for just trying to escape the second half licking their wounds and preparing for their next game, but Bushnell wasn't having any of it. Facing one of the top defenses in the country, the visitors dominated the final 20 minutes, shooting 61% from the field including a 9-for-14 clip from three-point range. After trailing by as many as 37 points, Bushnell brought it to within a respectable 17 points with three minutes remaining.
 
The Yotes (25-1, 20-0 CCC), who have not lost since a season-opening defeat on the road to then-No. 1 Arizona Christian,  shot 57% for the game and had seven different players end the night with at least eight points. Jake O'Neil led the way with 15, followed by 14 from Drew Wyman as both players shot 6-for-10 from the field. O'Neil also had a game-high ten boards as the Yotes out-rebounded the Beacons, 43-25. CI also led on points in the paint, 48-20, and in bench scoring, 44-14.
 
Alexander said, "We learned a lesson on the road after a tough loss last night. We will be better because of the adversity. C of I is priming the pump right now for a post-season run and I give them credit for never taking an opponent lightly."
 
The Beacons (11-15, 9-11) were led by Stevie Schlabach, scoring a game-high 17 points. Kaden Sand finished with 14 and Hoffman added 12 while Angeles finished with 9 as he went 3-for-3 on three-pointers, all in the final frame.
 
"Alexis Angeles was our catalyst in the second half," said Alexander. "He played the best 20-minute stretch he has played all season and I am very proud of how that guy works."
 
Bushnell will come home for a pair of huge contests as the look to clinch a return to the CCC post-season tournament against Oregon Tech on Friday at 7:30 pm and Southern Oregon on Saturday at 5:00 pm. The Beacons sit in a seventh-place tie with Lewis-Clark State College. Both teams hold a two-game lead over Multnomah and can clinch a post-season bid with just one win or one MU loss next weekend.