GREELEY, Colo.- The Idaho State men's basketball team lost 69-64 to Northern Colorado on Tuesday afternoon in its Big Sky Conference opener.
Idaho State got a career-performance from
Brayden Parker who had 21 points and 10 rebounds and Robert Ford III added 14 points and 11 rebounds. Ford added five assists and two steals to his stat line.
The Bengals shot 45 percent from the field and made six 3-pointers on 14 attempts. The Bengals were 12-18 from the free throw line while the Bears finished the afternoon 14-27. ISU out rebounded Northern Colorado 30-23.
Idaho State led 46-39 with 11:27 left in the game following a basket by
Malik Porter. The Bengals were then held scoreless for the next six minutes as the Bears went on a 17-0 run to lead 56-46 with 5:21 remaining.
Northern Colorado led by as many as 11 points at 60-49 with 3:30 to play. The Bengals rallied with a 13-5 run to trim the Bears lead to 65-62 with 35 seconds left but that would be the closest the Bengals would get.
Idaho State got off to a hot start as Parker scored the first seven points to spark the Bengals to an early 10-2 lead. ISU led 17-5 after a
Gedeon Buzangu basket and 20-8 with 11:15 remaining after two free throws from Ford.
Idaho State led 26-18 with 7:49 left in until halftime. Idaho State was then held scoreless for just over six minutes as Northern Colorado took a 31-26 lead with 1:35 remaining. A basket by Parker in the final seconds gave UNC the 31-28 lead at the break.
The Bengals started the second half strong taking a seven point lead twice, at 44-37 after a three-pointer by
Emmit Taylor III and at 46-39 after a Porter basket.
The two teams play again tomorrow at 2 p.m.
