Cardinals Play Host To Salt Lake

The first words out of North Idaho College men’s basketball coach Hugh Watson’s mouth following a 75-67 win over Utah Valley on Thursday night:

“We’re going to have to work a long, hard time on free throws. It’s frustrating.”

NIC’s surprising win over the third-ranked Wolverines could have been much easier if not for its 15-of-30 effort at the foul line.

The Cardinals get a crack at correcting their foul shooting tonight when Salt Lake visits at 7:30. The Bruins are 9-1 overall, 0-1 in the Scenic West after losing 84-74 to Ricks on Thursday.

“They’re lot like Utah Valley, they run a flex (offense) and they’ll zone (defense) us some,” Watson said.

NIC’s Andre McKanstry, who missed Thursday’s win to serve a one-game suspension for fighting, returns tonight.

New NIC recruit Leonard Myles, a highly touted prep player from Chicago, has passed his GED tests. He will be eligible for the Jan. 6 game against Walla Walla.

Another showdown

Fresh from destroying Utah Valley, the defending conference champ, 97-72 on Thursday, NIC’s women play Salt Lake, one of this season’s favorites, at 5:30 p.m. today.

Salt Lake (5-3) opened with an impressive 65-58 road win over Ricks on Thursday.

“They return a lot of people who played last year,” NIC coach Greg Crimp said. “And they have a big, athletic girl (Laurie Crocker) that people say is the best freshman in the conference.”

Replay

Washington State guard Jade Hyett’s name was misspelled in Friday’s story on the North Idaho College women’s basketball game vs. Utah Valley.

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