Jan. 22, 2009
Final Stats
Pocatello, ID --- Down 43-31 with 12 minutes left, Idaho State looked down and out. However, Austin Kilpatrick kick started a comeback with a three, and ISU went on an epic 21-0 run to take the game over, pushing their way to a 60-52 win behind a 20-point night from reigning Big Sky Conference Player of the Week Amorrow Morgan, who scored all 13 of his second half points in the final 12 minutes.
Idaho State's win ran their winning streak to three, and it ended an 12-game road losing streak dating back to last year, and it was their first win in Flagstaff since a 70-63 win back in 2001 under Doug Oliver.
Morgan's 20 points were huge, but it was Kilpatrick's second three of the game that ignited the big run. Tied at the half at 26, NAU opened the half on a 9-0 run of their own in the first four minutes. From there up 35-26, Zarko Comagic, who led NAU with 12 points, scored NAU's next eight points and with 12:08 left after three straight ISU turnovers, making it 43-31. At that point, Joe O'Brien called a timeout, and lit a fire into the team during that timeout.
ISU responded. First Kilpatrick's three made it 43-34, and then Morgan got on the board in the second half with a free throw. Chron Tatum then fed Morgan for a layup, and after a Morgan steal, Tatum followed a Lucas Steijn miss, and it was 43-39 and NAU called time with 10:00 left. Tatum then hit two free throws and then Morgan went nuts, scoring seven straight, including an and-one and suddenly it was 48-43 ISU, and it wasn't over.
Tatum hit from in close, and Steijn ended the 21-0 run with a short jumper, and it was 52-43, and ISU was in great shape with under four to go. NAU got two free throws, but they didn't get a basket until Josh Wilson hit with 2:45 left, making NAU go 9:45 without a basket. Wilson bucket made it 54-47, and the closest NAU got was five with 1:31 left after a Cameron Jones jumper. During that run, NAU had eight turnovers and ISU ended the game on a 29-9 run.
Morgan's 20 led the Bengals as they had two in double-figures, with Steijn adding 12, 10 in the first half. Comagic had 12 for NAU, and Shane Johannsen and Jones added 11. ISU outrebounded NAU 30-27, led by Tatum's seven. ISU shot .545 from the field, and NAU, who led the league with a .541 field goal percentage in conference play and with 78 points per game, hit just a paltry .354 from the field and scored just 52 points.
Idaho State now heads to Sacramento State on Saturday night at 8:05 pm Mountain Time.
NOTES: Morgan had five assists, marking the fourth time in five games he has had five assists or more in a game ... ISU shot .818 from the line, going 9-for-11 ... ISU scored 32 points in the paint ... ISU has allowed just 95 points in their last two games, besting the 96 allowed in back-to-back games in 1987 for the fewest points allowed in back-to-back games in the shot clock era at ISU.
