Northern Colorado men’s basketball is set to play three games in three days at the Portland Invitational, beginning Friday against St. Thomas (MN), followed by matchups with Portland and Cal State Fullerton over the weekend.
The Bears enter the tournament with a 3-0 record after an overtime win at Pepperdine. The team has averaged 93.3 points per game, ranking second in the Big Sky Conference and 33rd nationally. Their shooting percentages stand at 51.3 percent from the field and 38.8 percent from three-point range, while they have made 38 three-pointers so far this season, leading the conference.
A veteran trio—Quinn Denker, Zach Bloch, and Brock Wisne—has been central to Northern Colorado’s strong start. Denker leads the Big Sky in assists with an average of 7.3 per game. Bloch ranks first in the conference for three-point shooting percentage at 61.9% and averages a team-high 16 points per game, while Wisne is shooting nearly 74 percent from the floor and contributes both scoring and rebounding.
Bench production has also been notable for UNC, averaging nearly 34 points per game off the bench, third best in their conference. Players like Ring Nyeri and Egan Shields are among league leaders in rebounds, while Ibu Yamazaki provides perimeter shooting depth.
Defensively, Northern Colorado leads its conference with a +17.3 rebounding margin and holds opponents to just under 68 points per game—the best defensive mark in the Big Sky so far this season. Opponents are making only about a quarter of their three-point attempts against them.
Friday’s opening opponent, St. Thomas (MN), comes into the event having won three of its last four games behind scorer Nolan Minessale’s average of over 21 points per contest. St. Thomas limits turnovers but has struggled on rebounds early this season.
On Saturday, Northern Colorado faces Portland for their fifth all-time meeting; both teams have two wins each in previous matchups dating back to 1974-75.
Portland started its season with three home wins before losing on the road to Wyoming and is averaging more than 81 points per game this year but has faced issues with turnovers and defending against outside shooters.
Sunday’s final matchup will be against Cal State Fullerton—the first-ever meeting between these programs. Fullerton began its season strongly but currently sits at a record of one win and three losses after facing several tough opponents on the road.
Following these games, Northern Colorado will continue its road stretch with a visit to Air Force before returning home for a matchup against Regis later in November.
