Two Chadron State College players reached double-doubles while leading the Eagles to an 81-70 win over the Western Colorado Mountaineers in a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference men’s basketball game in Gunnison on Friday night.
Sophomore Josh Robinson scored 21 points and grabbed 15 rebounds while junior Isaiah Wyatt tallied 14 points and collected 12 caroms. In addition, the Eagles’ two primary ball handlers, senior Marcus Jefferson and Bryce Latimer, each scored 13 points while combining to go 13-of-14 at the free throw line.
The win was the Eagles’ sixth in seven games, improving their season record to 6-4 and their conference mark to 3-1. Western is now 2-5 and 0-3.
The Mountaineers definitely had a hot shooter. Senior Avery Rembao poured in 33 points while going 13-of-22 from the field, including five-of-six from 3-point range. Entering the game, Rembao was averaging 11 points and had made only two of 13 shots from behind the arc while playing in five of the Mountaineers’ six contests.
The Eagles scored the game’s first basket after Wyatt stole the ball and passed to Jefferson for a layup. Rembao hit his first 3-pointer 30 seconds later. That was the only time Western led, but the Eagles could never relax.
Chadron State held a 25-15 advantage midway in the first half, but five minutes later Rembao’s layup tied the score at 29. That was the game’s only deadlock. The Eagles tallied the next 10 points and also were on top by that margin–43-33–at halftime.
Four minutes into the second half, the lead had been cut to 46-44. Another CSC surge put the visitors ahead by 61-50 with 9:23 left to play. After that each team scored 20 points with the Eagles’ margin ranging from four to 13 points down the stretch.
Robinson’s double-double was his fourth in a row. Both his 21 points and 15 rebounds are season-highs. The 6-foot-6 native of Paris, Texas, is averaging 11.7 points and 9.4 rebounds though the Eagles’ 10 games. He shot 10-of-17 from the field at Western.
Wyatt, who is CSC’s leading scorer with a 16.8 average, didn’t shoot as accurately as usual, going just five-of-17 on field goal shots, but the dozen rebounds is his high.
Overall, the Eagles shot 47.5% (28-59) from the field, made five of 14 shots from behind the arc and 20-23 from the free throw line. Western made 39.5% (25-63) from the floor, was seven-of-21 from downtown and 13-17 at the charity stripe.
Robert Desta, a 6-8 sophomore was the hosts’ second-leading scorer with 11 points and the top rebounder with eight, but the Eagles out-rebounded the Mountaineers 43-31.
CSC will wrap up its pre-Christmas schedule by playing at Regis in Denver on Friday, Dec. 17 and at Colorado-Colorado Springs the following night. Their final 2022 date is in the afternoon of Dec. 31 in Chadron against Metro State.
Chadron State—Josh Robinson 21, Isaiah Watts 14, Marcus Jefferson 13, Bryce Latimer 13, Porter Anderson 6, Pat McLachlan 6, MJ Foust 5, Jarrett Taylor 3. Totals: 28-59 (5-15) 20-23 81 points 43 rebounds, 13 turnovers.
Western Colorado—Avery Rembao 33, Robel Desta 11, Kade Juelfs 9, Gino Corridori 8, Kevin Jimenez 4, Grant Wilkinson 3, Jonathan McCloud 2. Totals: 25-63 (7-21) 13-17 70 points, 31 rebounds, 11 turnovers:
Chadron State 43 38 —-81
Western Colorado 33 37 —-70
3-pointers: CSC—McLachlan 2, Jefferson 1, Wyatt 1, Taylor 1. WCU—Rembao 5, Juelfs 2.