NIC men, women KO’d

EPHRAIM, Utah – College of Southern Idaho ended North Idaho College’s season twice Friday.

The North Idaho women couldn’t hang on to a six-point halftime lead and fell to CSI 70-60 in the Region 18 basketball tournament semifinals at the Activity Center on Snow College campus. NIC’s men suffered through a frigid second half and lost 91-54 to Southern Idaho in the men’s tournament semifinals.

The third-seeded Cardinals women led 40-34 at the half, but scored just 20 points in the second half. No. 2-seed Southern Idaho (25-6) meets the winner of No. 1 Salt Lake-No. 4 Eastern Utah in tonight’s championship game.

The NIC women, which split four regular-season games with CSI, finished 20-12, its third consecutive 20-win season. Sophomore guard Maria Moore led CSI with 16 points.

The Cardinals men (16-15) stayed with the top-seeded Golden Eagles for a while, but made just 1 of 12 3-point attempts and trailed 48-34 at halftime. CSI opened the second half with an 18-0 run. After NIC’s Zach Parks scored, CSI immediately answered with a 3-pointer.

Ninth-ranked CSI (26-5) advances to the title game tonight against the winner of Friday’s semifinal between second-seeded Snow and No. 3 Salt Lake.

Freshman Shawn Henderson’s 19 points led NIC. Nick Livi added 13 points.