CALDWELL, Idaho – Eyeing an upset, the Corban University men's basketball team took a nine-point lead into halftime of its battle with No. 5-ranked College of Idaho on Friday evening. The Yotes would respond by shooting 60.7% from the field and 57.1% from downtown in the second half, storming back to earn a 77-67 triumph.

"I'm proud of how we worked and executed in the first half versus a tough C of I team," said head coach Mitch Freeman. "Unfortunately, we just had a tough time getting good looks on the offensive end in the second half. It's a 40-minute game and we will need to get better at playing tougher for the whole game."

At one point, the Warriors possessed a 17-point advantage in the first half, storming out of the gates against the squad that reached the NAIA Final Four in 2018-19.  

Jason Smarr's electric style of play served a valuable role in the team's strong first half, with the dynamic guard tallying eight of his 10 points in the first 20 minutes.

The Yotes flexed their offensive muscle after the break, however, led by their All-Conference duo of Talon Pinckney and Nate Bruneel.

Pinckney (17 points) turned in a flawless shooting performance on Saturday, going 6-of-6 from the field and 4-of-4 from three-point range. Bruneel ended the night as the game's leading scorer, notching 22 points and seven rebounds.

AJ Hodges led Corban offensively with 13 points, while Denis Kirichenko (11 points, 11 rebounds) provided a spark off the bench with his second double-double of the year.

After spoiling the Navy and Gold's upset bid, College of Idaho (12-3, 5-0 CCC) remains atop the Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) standings, having yet to be defeated in conference play.

Corban (8-8, 2-4 CCC) will look to bounce back tomorrow night, facing Eastern Oregon University in a crucial conference bout. Tip-off in La Grande, Ore. is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.