Gallery: (2-17-2022) MBB Win vs UNC on 02.17.22
POCATELLO, Idaho- The Idaho State men's basketball team is finding its stride at the right time as the Bengals beat Northern Colorado 61-58 on Thursday night in Reed Gym.
Idaho State trailed 58-57 with 1:24 left in the game.
Liam Sorensen then scored the go-ahead bucket for ISU to take a 59-58 lead with 1:12 to play. With 14 seconds left in the game, UNC's Bodie Hume missed the front end of a one-in-one free throw and
AJ Burgin followed with a layup with six seconds left to put the Bengals on top 61-58.
Northern Colorado had a last-second 3-pointer fall short to preserve the Idaho State victory.
Idaho State had four players score in double figures led by 13 from Sorensen.
Brayden Parker had 11 in 19 minutes off the bench.
Malik Porter and
Jared Rodriguez each scored 10 points.
Austin Smellie scored six points, had five assists, two steals and a career-high 10 rebounds.
Idaho State out rebounded UNC 37-30. The Bengals shot 45.5 percent for the game while UNC shot 38.5 percent.
Tarik Cool became the 24
th Bengal to surpass 1,000 career points. He needed three points and finished with six.
Idaho State led for a majority of the game and led 33-29 at halftime. ISU's biggest lead of the game was 13 at 51-38 following a Rodriguez 3-pointer with 11:57 left in the game. Idaho State was held scoreless for the next six plus minutes and trailed 53-51 with 5:05 to play.
Rodriguez would tie the game at 53 on a jumper with 4:45 to play and the game was tied at 55 with 3:50 remaining.
Idaho State hosts Sacramento State on Saturday at 6 p.m. in Reed Gym.
