Feb. 7, 2009
Final Stats
Greeley, CO --- Down three starters and also by 11 at the half, Idaho State made another patented late charge, forcing a tie game with 2:21 left, but UNC hit baskets on back-to-back possessions, and then hit 7-of-10 free throws in the final minute to hold off a late Bengal charge and take a 79-74 win at Butler-Hancock Pavilion. The loss is ISU's fourth straight and it puts ISU precariously on the cusp of the conference tournament cut-off line with six games remaining.
Idaho State, who has been without Kal Bay for four weeks now, was also missing both Amorrow Morgan and Demetrius Monroe. Monroe injured his knee earlier in the week in practice, and although he traveled, he didn't suit up. Morgan was on the bus with the team heading to Salt Lake City on Friday morning when word came down that his father was gravely ill in Memphis. Idaho State head coach Joe O'Brien, who earlier in the year told Matt Stucki to stay home for the birth of his son, conferred with Morgan and his family, and Morgan instead flew to Memphis to be with his family.
ISU went with Sherrod Baldwin at the point, and ISU jumped to an 18-13 lead as Austin Kilpatrick hit a couple of early threes, but UNC got hot, and the torched ISU, hitting seven straight shots and 9-of-12 to end the half, turning an 18-13 ISU lead into a 41-30 Bear advantage at the half.
Much as has been the case this year, ISU stormed back in the second. Kilpatrick buried a few more threes, and with 9:44 left, Phyllip Taylor's steal and bucket gave ISU a tie at 55-55. Taylor however missed the free throw for a three-point play, and ISU responded in kind with seven quick points, including a Devon Beitzel layup and a three, one of nine by the Bears. ISU again had to battle back, and with 2:21 left, Baldwin, who scored a career-high six points, converted both ends of a one-and-one to forge another tie, this at 68-68.
However, ISU was in foul trouble as Kilpatrick and Stucki each had four. John Pena drove on Kilpatrick, who had to give some lee-way, and the layup gave UNC the lead for good. Donnie Carson then missed a leaner inside, and Will Figures finished on the other end for a 72-68 lead. Baldwin then missed a three with a minute left, and ISU was forced to foul, and UNC hit 7-of-10 to end it. ISU whittled the lead down to two at 75-73 with 24.2 left, but UNC hit two free throws and Baldwin missed a spinner in the lane, and it was academic from there.
Chron Tatum led ISU with 18 points and a team-high five rebounds. Matt Stucki added 15, putting him just 13 from 1,000 for his career, and Kilpatrick had a season-high 14. Beitzel had 19 for UNC, Will Figures had 14, and Chris Kaba had 10. UNC outrebounded ISU 27-20, and UNC shot .571 from the field and .500 from the three. Idaho State shot .519 from the line and .500 from the three. ISU committed just 10 turnovers and outscored UNC off turnovers 17-6.
NOTES: The Bengals, who host Portland State on Thursday night, dropped by percentage points into seventh, but they are ahead of sixth place NAU in the loss column, and ISU has the tiebreaker currently with the Lumberjacks ... No Bengals has started every game, and only Carson, Lucas Steijn, and Deividas Busma have played in all 24 ... Matt Stucki led with five assists and four steals ... Chron Tatum hit his first three of the season late in the game.
