Greeley, CO - The two hottest teams in the Big Sky Conference squared off at Bank of America Arena on Thursday night and they did not disappoint. Northern Colorado came away with a hard-fought, 72-69 victory over Portland State.
 
It was a four-point game with eight minutes to play, and the teams traded scores from there. In fact, it wasn't until the Vikings got free throws on consecutive possessions in the final minute that the string was broken. 
 
When Qiant Myers hit a pair of free throws with 28 seconds left, PSU trailed only 70-69. 
 
The Vikings then fouled and the Bears answered with one free throw. But a late turnover by Portland State ended their hopes. 
 
Entering the game, Northern Colorado had a string of six straight wins. UNC has now won seven straight and is 5-0 and in first place in the Big Sky. The Bears are 13-5 overall.
 
Portland State had won six of its last seven. This game though, knocked them out of third place as they dropped to 10-7 overall, 2-2 in the Big Sky.
 
Myers led the Vikings with 19 points and seven assists. Isaiah Johnson and Tre-Vaughn Minott each scored 14 points. Minott added 11 rebounds for his second double-double of the season. Cole Farrell came off the bench for 13 points.
 
Portland State was playing short-handed again in this game. Hayden Curtiss did not play due to an ankle injury. Early in the contest, Jaylin Henderson and Terri Miller Jr. were saddled with fouls, limiting their minutes.
 
Portland State never led in the game, but was within single digits almost the entire way.
 
Northern Colorado started fast, building a 13-2 lead after five minutes. Farrell came in to hit his first three shots for eight points and get the Vikings back with 17-13.
 
But the Bears kept the lead throughout the half and led 36-26 at intermission. Each team got 27 field goal attempts, with Northern Colorado making 13 and the Vikings hitting 10. 
 
The Bears' Isaiah Hawthorne scored 13 points in the first half to lead all scorers.
 
UNC had a brief 12-point lead early in the second half, but again the Vikings pulled within four. Minott went to work inside, scoring six points in a row and getting a blocked shot on the other end. His dunk with 7:33 to go made the score 56-52 Bears. That started the run of trading scores until the final minute
 
PSU was within one for the first time at 66-65 with 3:03 to go on a Johnson three-pointer. The Vikings closed to one again on Myers' free throws at the end but couldn't come all the way back.
 
Hawthorne scored 23 points with seven rebounds to lead the Bears. Brock Wisne added 15 points.
 
Northern Colorado shot 26-52 for the game (.500). The Vikings hit 11-27 three-pointers (.407) to keep things close.
 

GAME NOTES

• Tre-Vaughn Minott had four more dunks in the game to up his season total to 30. 
• PSU is 3-5 on the road this season… UNC is 8-1 at home.
• The Vikings play at Northern Arizona on Saturday. The 5 p.m. PT game can be seen on ESPN+.