EUGENE, Ore. – The demise of the defending NAIA National Champions seems to have been exaggerated. For The College of Idaho men's basketball team, it has been an uncharacteristic season with eight losses including five in the CCC, but the Yotes remain just one game out of first-place after an 84-59 victory over the Beacons on Saturday evening.
 
The Beacons (12-13, 9-9 CCC) shot 32% from the field while the Yotes shot 57%. C of I dominated inside with a 40-22 margin on points in the paint and also doubled up the Beacons with 13 three-pointers. College of Idaho went deeper with a 38-15 margin in points off the bench, and scored 20 points off ten Bushnell turnovers.
 
Head Coach Eddie Alexander said, "We really struggled tonight to stay in a rhythm offensively. I felt like early in the first half we got into a really solid routine, but couldn't maintain it when they went on a run. We lost some defensive assignments toward the end of the first half, which we struggled to bounce back from mentally."
 
Bushnell did have one bright spot as they held a 39-35 advantage in rebounds and pulled down 23 offensive boards the amounted to a 20-13 advantage in second-chance scoring.
 
Leading the way for the Beacons once again was Cory Johnson, shooting 10-for-18 from the field for game-high 25 points. Kaleb Burnett followed with a double-double, scoring 11 points and ten boards while Roy Bunn connected on six points and four assists.
 
The College of Idaho (18-8, 13-5) was led by Alex Germer, scoring 20 points as he hit six three-pointers. Conner Sheets came off the bench to score 15 with a 5-for-6 effort beyond the arc, and Tucker Tiddens posted 11 points and a team-high seven rebounds.
 
UP NEXT: The Beacons, tied with Corban for sixth-place in the Cascade Collegiate Conference, will close out the regular season on the road next weekend, taking on Walla Walla University on Friday at 2:00 pm, before facing Lewis-Clark State on Saturday at 6:00 pm. Bushnell has already clinched their spot in the CCC tournament. "I am proud of this team and the way they continue to work," said Alexander. "I look forward to our last conference weekend coming up."
 
SENIOR SPOTLIGHT
 
Saturday was the final regular season game for the Beacons as they celebrated Senior Night, honoring five seniors in a pre-game ceremony. Coach Alexander reflected on the contributions of his seniors this week.
 
Roy Bunn - Roy has been with the Beacons for two seasons after transferring from Eastern Arizona College.  He has played in 52 games during his career, starting 51. He is averaging 5.2 points per game and has led the team in assists both seasons. He scored a Bushnell career high 16 points on January 10 of last season against LC State, and as a junior he was named the Beacons Defensive Player of the Year.

Coach Alexander said, "Roy is someone who comes to practice and games with a determined look and attitude to compete. He is driven and a great leader who truly cares about his team and competing hard. I was extremely excited to see Roy step up as a team captain this year and to watch his steady improvement. I will miss his leadership on the floor and how hard he competes to be his best."

 
Squeeky Johnson - Squeeky has been with the Beacons for two seasons after transferring from Edmonds College. He has played in 54 games for the Beacons, making 50 starts and has scored nearly 600 points in his career. He ranks third on the team in scoring and leads Bushnell in three-pointers with 60. His career high in scoring came in January last season, posting 30 points against Multnomah and he was named Bushnell's Most Valuable Newcomer as a junior.
 
Coach Alexander said, "Squeeky is a two-time team captain and leader of our team in the locker room and on the floor. His impact goes beyond what he does in games. I'm extremely proud of his leadership and how he cares for his teammates. We will miss Squeek's positive attitude and tremendous leadership. A true Beacon and leader for life."
 
Isaiah Wallace - Isaiah Wallace is in his second season with the Beacons after transferring from Lane Community College. Isaiah has played in 54 games for the Beacons, making six starts, and averages 4.4 points per game. He posted a career-high 16 points against Northwest earlier this season.
 
Coach Alexander said, "Isaiah has been a tremendous impact to the culture of our team in terms of how hard he plays every day in practice and in games. He has a tremendous desire to compete and perform at his best. He wears his passion for the game on his sleeve and is not afraid to show it every day. I will miss Isaiah and the compassion he has for his team, his family, and his students in the classroom."


 
Ashton Harvey - Ashton has been with the Beacons for three seasons after transferring from Lower Columbia College. He has played in 60 games for the Beacons and made 48 starts while averaging seven points and 5 rebounds per game. He scored a career-high 20 points against Providence in November of 2024 and had 18 rebounds against Warner Pacific in January of 2025.
 
Coach Alexander said, "Ashton's personality is as big as he is. Always quick-witted, Ashton will be found making teammates laugh in the locker room or during pre-practice stretching. He has worked very hard in many ways to make his college basketball career a reality. I am so proud of Ashton and what he has accomplished while here at Bushnell."

 
Cory Johnson - Cory has been with the Beacons for four seasons, after transferring from Irvine Valley College. As a junior, Cory was named a First-Team All-CCC performer after averaging 16.9 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. He scored a career-high 36 points against Northwest on November 16, 2024, and he was also named the Beacons Most Valuable Player as a junior. Cory has scored 1331 points in his career which ranks ninth in Bushnell history.
 
Coach Alexander said, "Cory has had the best work ethic on a daily basis for four straight seasons in our program. You will always find him in the gym getting shots up or working on his ball handling. He is a quiet leader in terms of his work ethic and has reaped many benefits because of his commitment to getting better every day. We look forward to where basketball will take Cory after his college career. We will miss Cory and his mid-range turn-around jumper."