Price is not right for Cards in SWAC openers
PRICE, Utah - Kendahl Amerson scored 28 points as the 24th-ranked Utah State-Eastern Golden Eagles edged the 23rd-ranked North Idaho College Cardinals 85-83 in the Scenic West Athletic Conference men's basketball opener for both schools Thursday night.
"It was a typical SWAC game," NIC coach Jared Phay said. "We had our chances to win it and it would have been nice to steal one, but Amerson hit some big shots for them."
NIC led 45-41 at the half, but the Golden Eagles rallied to take a six-point lead late, taking the lead for good on a jumper by Josh Van Weezep with under two minutes remaining to go up 74-72.
"It was a tough, hard fought game," Phay said.
Utah State-Eastern is 12-1.
Cole Kesler led NIC (12-3) with 20 points and Shikei Blake had 14 points and six rebounds, but Blake left the game late due to what Phay feared was a broken left wrist. Will Dorsey, who was day-to-day with a sprained ankle, started and had five points in 32 minutes.
"He played tough, but didn't have his usual burst," Phay said.
NIC travels to Colorado Northwestern on Saturday at 4 p.m.
NORTH IDAHO
Braxton Tucker 4-11 4-6 12, Bryce Leavitt 1-5 7-9 9, Will Dorsey 2-10 0-0 5, Cole Kesler 7-14 1-1 20, Tatafu Nuku 2-2 0-0 4, Brad Wallace 3-6 1-1 9 Nathan Rathbun 2-4 0-0 4, Fuquan Niles 1-2 2-2 4, Jordon King 1-3 0-0 2, Shikei Blake 4-6 6-6 14. Totals 27-63 21-25 83.
UTAH STATE-EASTERN
Travon Langston 1-4 3-6 5, Jaleni Neely 3-10 10-11 16, Kendahl Amerson 9-23 6-8 28, Alioune Tew 1-3 1-1 3, Todd Helgesen 4-4 1-3 9, Trahmier Burrell 3-6 2-4 8, Nafia Walker 1-5 2-2 5, Vitor Machado 0-0 0-0 0, Josh Van Weezep 2-4 0-0 6, Teotino Do 2-2 1-1 5. Totals 26-61 26-36 85.
Halftime - NIC 45-41. 3-point goals - NIC 8-20 (Leavitt 0-1, Dorsey 1-6, Kesler 5-9, Wallace 2-4), USUE 7-18 (Neely 0-2, Amerson 4-10, Walker 1-2, Van Weezep 2-4). Rebounds - NIC 40 (Tucker 8), USUE 37 (Helgesen, Burrell 7). Assists - NIC 19 (Leavitt 8), USUE 11 (Neely 4). Team fouls - NIC 26, USUE 20. Fouled out - Niles, Tew.