by MOSCOW, Idaho – The Idaho men’s basketball team defeated CSU Bakersfield, 76-70, in overtime on Saturday evening. The Vandals (4-6) and Roadrunners (4-8) were tied, 63-63, at the end of regulation before the home side prevailed.
THE GAME
Both teams were coming off a long layoff, and began the game feeling each other out. It was a back-and-forth affair until Chance Garvin hit three three-pointers in the midst of a 15-0 run to put the Vandals up, 30-19. However, the Runners would not go quietly. Just before the halftime buzzer, Greg Lee hit a long two to cut the deficit to just one. Idaho entered the break up, 35-34.
After CSU Bakersfield took the lead early on in the second half, the Vandals responded with an 8-0 run, including Garvin’s fourth three-pointer and an old-fashioned three-point play by Trevon Allen, (Umatilla) and Idaho led, 45-40, with just over 14 minutes to play. However, the Roadrunners would fight back, and the two teams would continue to trade buckets.
The Runners held a six-point lead with 2:24 to play, but the home side did not lay down, clawing back into the game. A Garvin layup with 40 seconds to play but the home team up, 62-61. After a CSUB bucket, Trevon Allen made a free throw with 12 seconds to play to tie it up, 63-63. Strong Vandal defense kept the Roadrunners off the board, and the two teams headed to overtime.
After trading free throws to open the extra five minutes, the Vandals went on an 8-1 run to lead by six. Although the Runners were able to cut the lead to three with 18 seconds remaining, free throws by Allen and Babacar Thiombane iced the victory for Idaho.
Trevon Allen led the Vandals with 23 points, while Chance Garvin (16 points), Scott Blakney (13 points), and Quinton Forrest (11 points) each reached double figures as well.
