SWAC Day Two
WOMEN’S: NIC VS. CSI
The North Idaho College women took on the College of Southern Idaho women on the second day of the tourney. Scoring was back and forth early on in the game, with both teams trading baskets the first five minutes of the game.
At the first media timeout CSI led 12-9 over the Cardinals. At 13 minutes, CSI’s Maddy Plunkett extended the Eagle’s lead to three with a nice turn-around jumper. The Eagles showed flashes of brilliance, at times appearing to pick apart the NIC defense. But NIC refused to go away and continue to press CSI.
WOMEN’S: NIC VS. CSI
The North Idaho College women took on the College of Southern Idaho women on the second day of the tourney. Scoring was back and forth early on in the game, with both teams trading baskets the first five minutes of the game.
At the first media timeout CSI led 12-9 over the Cardinals. At 13 minutes, CSI’s Maddy Plunkett extended the Eagle’s lead to three with a nice turn-around jumper. The Eagles showed flashes of brilliance, at times appearing to pick apart the NIC defense. But NIC refused to go away and continue to press CSI.
At the 10-minute mark, CSI 22 led NIC 19. NIC got into early foul trouble, racking up six fouls with nine minutes left in the half. At 9:05 NIC took the lead off of a Chantel Divilbiss’ three pointer, only to have CSI tie it up again at 24. There’s 6:35 left in the half and CSI still has a slight 26-24 lead. The Eagles close out the first half on high note. With four unanswered points, it’s CSI 36 NIC 33.
Southern Idaho was led in scoring by Plunkett, Nicole Harper and Laurel Kearsley all with eight points. For NIC it was Tugce Canitez with nine points.
The second half shaped up to be much the same as the first with both teams playing hard and keeping the score close. With 14 minutes left, NIC recaptured the lead on a break away layup. At 11:52 NIC has the momentum, scoring five unanswered points, extending their lead to 50-45. The intensity heated up, with 8:50 left, NIC hash the lead 54-47.
With six minutes left in the game, NIC has the slight 59-54 lead. At 5:21 the Cardinals lead is two points, 59-57.
The Eagles were able to take the lead at 4:58 following a one-foul shot opportunity.
Amy Warbrick took the lead back for NIC when she hit the go-ahead three pointer with two and a half minutes left in the game, making it 65-64 NIC. The game is tied at 68 with 1:29 left in regulation.
Canitez goes to the line for the Cardinals and hits both foul shots giving NIC a two-point lead. In the final minute, NIC has a two-point lead as they try to run out the clock. NIC turned the ball over and as CSI went down the court looking to tie the game, Katie Sanders came up with a block for the Cards, but was called for a foul sending Felicity Jones to the line for the Eagles with 33 seconds. Jones nailed both free throws tying the game up once again. The Cardinals have the ball but unable to convert.
CSI came down with a rebound and quickly called a time out. The Eagles have 3.8 seconds left to try and win the game in regulation. Jones in bounded the ball for CSI, the Eagles work the ball to the wing but are unable to get a shot off and this one’s headed for overtime.
NIC strikes first in overtime hitting a mid-range jumper to go up 72-70. Play is looking sloppy in the overtime period with both teams making mistakes. But with 1:31 left, NIC takes the lead again thanks to a Camille Reynolds’ lay up, it’s 74-72.
CSI gets the last shot of this overtime period. With 10.6 seconds left, Kearsley in bounds the ball, CSI misses a shot gets their own rebound before Jones hits a two-point shot to send the game into double overtime.
With 3:55 left in the second overtime, Reynolds drained a three from the wing giving NIC an 80-76 lead. With two minutes in the second overtime, it’s NIC leading 84-80. With 1:16 left it appears NIC will outlast the Eagles. CSI is playing the foul game and the Cardinals are making them pay by shooting well from the charity stripe. The Cardinals led 89-84.
With 32 seconds left in the second overtime. CSI appeared to be determined to make this game last as long as possible, by repeatedly fouling NIC. It’s 91-87 Cardinals with 20 seconds remaining. NIC won 94-87 and played Saturday in the finals
WOMEN’S: SNOW VS. SLCC
Snow College jumped out to an early lead going up 6-1 in the first two minutes of the game against SLCC. Linsey Hodgkiss drains an early three for the Bruins bringing them within two points.
But SC answered with a three of their own, making it 11-6 SC with 16:32 in the half. Sheila Adams sank a three for SLCC to make the score 13-9 advantage SC. SLCC pulled within one when Dayna Burgess hit a three making it 17-16 with 11:30 in the half.
With 3:57 in the half Adams was on fire for SLCC hitting her third three and making it 36-33 SLCC.Play turned physical with hard fouls on each end of the court. With two minutes until the break SLCC held a 39-33 lead. Hodgkiss electrified the crowd when she swished a half-court buzzer beater to end the half. Going into half, it was SLCC 44 Snow 40.
Five minutes into the second half, SLCC had a 61-54 lead. Jamie Mokofisi dominated the inside game for SLCC consistently scoring and pulling in rebounds. Great shooting was on display for SLCC. Adams was 4-5 from beyond the arc and Burgess 4-4 for threes. With 10 minutes left, SLCC had a 66-60 lead. The Badgers fought back to get within two points thanks to a pair of Sammie Jensen free throws.
With 8:55 left it was SLCC 68 SC 66. With 5:32 left, SLCC has a 74 to 71 lead. On SLCC’s next possession the Badgers buckle down on defense forcing SLCC into a shot-clock violation. With one minute left, SLCC is up 81-75 and look set to advance to the championship game against NIC. The Bruins advanced to the title game winning the game 86-77.
MEN’S: NIC VS. CSI
In the night cap, the College of Southern Idaho Eagles and the North Idaho College Cardinals fought for the remaining spot in the championship game.
NIC won the tip off but was unable to capitalize. Charles Odum got the first points of the game hitting an outside jumper for CSI. After a wild play with the ball changing hands multiple times in seconds, Renado Parker slammed the ball home for NIC. Logan Jones hit a three, giving NIC a 9-8 lead with 16 minutes left in the half. Parker proved to be a force to be reckoned with getting an early block and a handful of points early on.
Pierre Jackson hit a three for CSI, bringing the Eagles within one. Josten Thomas tied the game with a lay up at 12:50, it was 13 all.
At the first media time out, it was NIC 20 CSI 19. Right before the time out, Thomas hit a three and drew a foul. He went to the line after the time out to complete a four-point play and tie the game. Thomas missed the foul shot but got his own rebound and put it in to make the score 21-20 in CSI’s favor.
With 10 minutes left in the half, NIC has the one-point advantage, the score is 23-22. He hit a go-ahead three making it 30-29 in CSI’S favor.
NIC would answer immediately when Cardinal big man Guy-Marc Michel slammed the ball home. BJ Shearry made a nice play for NIC stealing the ball, then capping it off with a nice finger roll. NIC built a small lead with 2:25 left in the half,the score was NIC 43 CSI 37. CSI had a chance to take the lead with 45 seconds in the half, but the ball spun out of the hoop.
In one of the weirder things I’ve seen at a basketball game, CSI’s guard Dennis Mikelonis racked up four fouls in three minutes of game time. At the half, NIC had a 44-43 lead.
Odum comes out in the second half, hitting a three, scoring CSI’s first points and making it 48-46 with NIC still in the lead. At 18:10, CSI’s Kenny Buckner gots a lay-up to tie the game at 48. With 15:48, NIC tried to extend their lead but had their shot rejected by Carrick Felix of CSI, the Cardinals lead 52-49.
At the first media timeout NIC cllung to a 54-51 lead. With 13:06 left in the game, CSI is able to take the lead off of a Josten Thomas lay-up it’s 55-54 CSI.
NIC’s big man Michel made big plays at both ends of the court, first getting a slam dunk, then heading down the court to block CSI’s next shot. With 10 minutes left NIC has a 62-57 lead. With 7:49 in the game, NIC extended their lead to 10-points, 69-59 Cardinals.
Felix was hit with a flagrant foul after he knocked NIC’s Logan Jones to the court attempting a block. CSI tried to mount a late comeback. With 4:29 left they looked at a 75-67 deficit. Thomas went to the line for the Eagles. He hit one and makes it a 75-68 game. Despite CSI’s efforts, the Cardinals appear to be in control with just under three minutes left in the game, NIC led 80-68. The Cardinals advance to the championship game to face the CEU Eagles for the SWAC Title. Idell Bell led NIC with 23 points, while CSI was led by Buckner who scored 18 points. Buckner also racked up nine rebounds.
