Cardinals Rally, Dump Eastern Utah

Sat., Feb. 21, 1998

A 22-point second-half rally sparked North Idaho College’s 87-83 victory over Eastern Utah in a Scenic West Athletic Conference men’s basketball game Friday night.

Trailing 66-44 with 9-1/2 minutes to play, Cardinals coach Hugh Watson resorted to a full-court press that he said helped his team pick up its intensity at both ends of the floor.

The result was a stirring rally in which the Cardinals scored 12 unanswered points, cutting their deficit to 10. From there, NIC kept creeping back, first regaining the lead at 80-79 with about a minute left.

NIC did not give up the lead in the final minute, but was tied twice. JoVann Johnson (4 for 4) and Nathaniel Bailey (3 for 4) scored NIC’s last seven points on free throws.

The line was kind to the Cardinals, although their percentage was a modest-at-best 65 percent (30 for 46). Johnson (12 for 17) and Bailey (7 for 9) were the busiest, and most successful, at the line.

Johnson led North Idaho with 20 points and Bailey added 17 despite going 5 for 18 from the field.

NIC 87, Eastern Utah 83

North Idaho (16-11, 6-10) - Johnson 4-13 12-17 20, Bailey 5-18 7-9 17, Goodman 5-13 2-4 15, Brosseau 0-0 0-2 0, Houston 4-8 4-4 12, Clay 3-7 1-3 8, Watson 2-7 0-0 5, Al-Arorey 3-4 3-5 9, Ryan 1-3 1-2 4. Totals 26-73 30-46 87.

Eastern Utah (14-13, 4-11) - Burke 3-4 4-4 13, Rogers 3-7 0-1 6, Marion 5-19 7-8 17, Mensah 1-7 0-0 2, Prescott 7-14 5-8 19, Taylor 0-1 0-0 0, Wade 4-14 3-6 11, Oynchimeg 0-0 0-0 0, Bentley 2-3 0-0 4, Johns 5-7 1-3 11. Totals 30-76 20-30 83.

Halftime - Eastern Utah 38, NIC 37. 3-point goals - NIC 5-21 (Johnson 0-1, Bailey 0-5, Goodman 3-7, Houston 0-1, Clay 1-4, Watson 1-3), Eastern Utah 3-13 (Burke 3-3, Marion 0-5, Mensah 0-3, Wade 0-3). Fouled out - Watson, Rogers, Wade, Johns. Rebounds - NIC 53 (Johnson 12), Eastern Utah 56 (Marion 12). Assists - NIC 6 (Johnson 3), Eastern Utah 14 (Marion 5). Total fouls - NIC 22, Eastern Utah 30. Technicals - none. A - 1,000.

, DataTimes

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Cardinals Rally, Dump Eastern Utah

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