NIC MEN'S BASKETBALL: Cardinals run away in second half

TWIN FALLS — After two games in rival territory, North Idaho College changed it up on Saturday afternoon. 

With some good results. 

North Idaho College limited Western Wyoming to 24 of 53 and forced 21 turnovers in a 91-65 win in a consolation game in the Battle for the Boot on the campus of the College of Southern Idaho on Saturday. 

“Defense has kind of been a struggle and we’ve been trying to figure it out,” NIC coach Corey Symons said. “We pressed a little, went to man-to-man and mixed it up and did a few different things and got into a better rhythm. The guys bought into it. It wasn’t about scoring, but getting some stops and the guys really bought into that today.” 

Sophomore Vaughn Weems had 37 points and 11 rebounds for NIC (2-3), which led by five at 50-45 with 13:31 remaining before pulling away. 

“He just knows know to get on the ball and is really good in transition,” said Symons of Weems, who was selected to the all-tournament team after scoring 97 points in three games. “We run some stuff for him, but he does a lot of things away from the ball and finds baskets here and there.” 

Dace Pleasant, a freshman guard from Federal Way, Wash., had 13 points and four assists for NIC, which competes in the Teton Booster Club Classic next Friday and Saturday at Williston (N.D.) State College. NIC opens with Lake Region State College of Devils Lake, N.D. 

Western Wyoming, of Rock Springs, is 2-3.

WESTERN WYOMING 

Gvidas Laurinatis 3-7 2-3 10, Jacovey Campbell 3-9 5-5 11, Amari Westmoreland-Vendiola 1-2 0-0 2, Gediminas Alisas 7-9 3-6 17, Vilhelm Bodingh 2-4 0-2 4, Trevon Chambers 4-10 0-1 10, Yair Aburus 1-6 2-2 5, Filip Rypdal Overas 0-0 0-0 0, Alvin Cole 3-6 0-0 6. Totals 24-53 12-19 65. 

NORTH IDAHO 

Vaughn Weems 13-24 9-10 37, Deng Diew 2-6 2-2 6, Tayshawn Colvin 3-6 0-0 8, Sam Marbury 0-0 0-0 0, Tautoko Wynyard 2-2 0-0 4, Ne’quan Brown 0-1 1-4 1, Dace Pleasant 4-7 3-4 13, Jeremiah Sibley 0-2 0-0 0, Jacori Ervin 2-3 2-2 6, Bryce Henry 0-0 2-2 2, Ajayi Simmons 5-10 0-0 14. Totals 31-61 19-24 91. 

Halftime — NIC 40-31. 3-point goals — WWCC 5-19 (Laurinatis 2-5, Campbell 0-2, Westmoreland-Vendiola 0-1, Bodingh 0-1, Chambers 2-3, Aburus 1-6, Cole 0-1), NIC 10-23 (Weems 2-7, Colvin 2-5, Pleasant 2-4, Sibley 0-1, Simmons 4-6). Rebounds — WWCC 25 (Laurinaitis, Bodingh 6), NIC 39 (Weems 11). Assists — WWCC 16 (Campbell 10), NIC 18 (Weems, Pleasant 4). Team fouls — WWCC 17, NIC 19. Team fouls — Westmoreland-Vendiola. Technical fouls — Pleasant.