BADGERS WIN
THRILLER IN FINAL SECONDS
by Tyler Hughes

Badgers Win Tight Contest 79-77

EPHRAIM - Snow College hosted the Golden Eagles of Eastern Utah on Friday evening. A tight contest in which both teams played very competitively saw the Badgers win a thriller 79-77.

The game featured ten lead changes as well as the score being tied up on ten different occasions as well. The final tie was broken with only two seconds remaining on the clock as Cris Hoopes nailed two clutch free throws to give Snow College a two point advantage to close the game. Especially impressive was that Hoopes had to wait to attempt the shots as Golden Eagle Coach Bryan Zollinger argued how much time should be remaining on the clock. Hoopes, however, delivered despite the delay.

Snow College had to rally from an eight point deficit which was the largest of the game for either team in the final minutes. Eastern Utah used three 3-point buckets as well as a 3-point play by Tyler Kepkay to extend there lead to eight with only 4:30 to play. Coach Roger Reid called a timeout to gather his team and this break of the action proved to be critical as the Badgers came out regrouped while playing great at both ends of the floor.

The Badgers quickly cut the lead to four followed by a huge rebound by Geoff Payne at the defensive end of the floor which led to two made free throws by point guard Jake Peterson at the other end. Payne came up big again following another defensive stop by the Badgers as he tied the game up at 73 apiece which gave him a team high of seventeen points for the night.

The teams traded buckets at both ends of the floor when Eastern Utah guard Steve Hassell put his team up by two with under a minute to play. Snow quickly tied the score up at 77-77 when Tyler Quinney’s field goal attempt sunk in. Quinney made another great play at the other end after the Badger defense forced a tough shot and he came down with the rebound. After a called timeout with fifteen seconds to play, the Badgers went ahead with Hoopes’ free throws.

The Badgers saw four players reach double figures with Paynes leading the way with 17, Quinney with 15 and Hoopes and Peterson both with 11. The Badgers shot an 60% from the field for the game and outrebounded Eastern Utah 28-18.

With the win, the Badgers improve to 11-4 overall and 3-2 in conference play while dropping Eastern to 11-3 overall and to 3-2 in the conference. The two teams will meet again on Saturday evening with the Badgers looking to pick up another win versus its in-state rival.