Northern Colorado men’s basketball secured a 89-87 overtime win against South Dakota on Saturday at Bank of Colorado Arena, marking the best start in program history with a 9-1 record. The victory also made this Bears team the first in school history to win three overtime games in a single season.
Egan Shields led Northern Colorado with 19 points and five rebounds, making 11 of his 14 free throws. Shields hit two key free throws late in regulation to send the game into overtime. Zach Bloch contributed 18 points, including five three-pointers and four assists while playing 41 minutes. Ring Nyeri scored eight points and grabbed four rebounds, including the decisive tip-in with less than a second remaining in overtime. Brock Wisne added eight points and three rebounds.
The Bears shot 51 percent from the field and made nine three-pointers. Defensively, they limited South Dakota to just two successful shots from beyond the arc out of ten attempts. Northern Colorado’s bench outscored South Dakota’s reserves by a margin of 37-16.
Northern Colorado held a five-point lead at halftime before South Dakota rallied behind Isaac Bruns’ 28 points and Cameron Fens’ double-double performance. In overtime, the Bears tightened their defense, stopping South Dakota on three of its last four possessions before Nyeri’s tip-in secured the win.
With this result, Northern Colorado extends its winning streak to six games and will next face No. 19 Texas Tech on Tuesday, December 16 at United Supermarkets Arena in Lubbock, Texas.
Fans can find more information about Northern Colorado men’s basketball at uncbears.com or follow updates on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and Facebook.
