Bears ice Vikings in final seconds
Matt Johnson II shot in the final seconds lifts Northern Colorado over Portland State
By Ryan Pfeifer, UNCBears.com
Box Score Attached
GREELEY, Colo. – Matty Ice! Once again, this year Matt Johnson II came through in the final seconds to deliver the win for UNC men’s basketball, 66-64 over Portland State. Johnson II’s pull-up leaning jumper splashed through the net to break the tie with 3.4 seconds left.
Johnson II’s shot helped the Bears survive a late 15-4 run by PSU including Ian Burke’s three-pointer with 14 seconds left to tie it.
He finished the night with 10 points, four rebounds and a team-leading four assists.
Northern Colorado led through the majority of the game following a slow start. Down 19-13 with [8:24] left in the half, the Bears closed it on a 27-9 run to take a 40-28 lead to the locker room.
UNC shot 10-of-12 from the field over the final eight minutes of the first half while holding PSU to 25.0%.
Kur Jockuch almost had a double-double in the first half with nine points and eight rebounds. He ended up with 11 points and career-high 15 rebounds.
Portland State chipped away at UNC’s lead in the second half cutting it to two before the Bears responded with an 11-2 run before going cold down the stretch setting up the Johnson II heroics.
What They Said
www.youtube.com/embed/ajjEu88XjJI
Stat of the Game
Kur Jockuch and the Bears knew they had a large task in front of them against Portland State on the boards this weekend. Thursday night they stepped up to the challenge outrebounding the Vikings 41-37.
Game Notes
– Daylen Kountz led the Bears in scoring for the fifth time this year with 19 points. He shot an impressive 63.6% on the night.
– Bodie Hume extended his double-figure scoring streak to 10 games. He finished the game with 13 points and seven rebounds. Five of the seven boards came on the offensive end.
– Kur Jockuch’s 15 rebounds are the most by a Bear since Tanner Morgan’s 18 against Northern Arizona in 2016.
– Jockuch also recorded a career-best four steals in the game.
Around the Big Sky
Southern Utah kept pace with Eastern Washington Wednesday night defeating Northern Arizona. Meanwhile, Weber State and Montana picked up road wins against Sacramento State and Idaho State, respectively Thursday.
What’s Ahead
Northern Colorado aims for the Senior Day sweep on Saturday. Prior to the noon tip-off, UNC will honor its lone senior Rodrick McCobb.
To stay up to date on all things UNC Men’s Basketball, visit UNCBears.com, follow the team on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and download the new UNC Athletics app by clicking here.
Ryan Pfeifer
Director of Strategic Communication
O: 970-351-3645 | C: 720-290-8886
#Bears Strong | @Rpfeifer82
