NNU Rebounds Drive 90-86 Mayors' Cup Win Over Idaho
The Nighthawks secured 15 offensive rebounds against the Yotes' zone defense, with junior Nick Corbett scoring 22 points in his debut.
By Samantha Reed ·
Northwest Nazarene University defeated the College of Idaho 90 to 86 on Tuesday night.
The victory came in the annual Mayors' Cup rivalry game held at the Johnson Sports Center in Nampa.
It marked the first of two scheduled meetings between the teams this season.
The Nighthawks shot 46 percent from the field, making 28 of their attempts.
The College of Idaho shot 61 percent from the field, converting well over half of their shots.
The difference in the final score came from the glass rather than shooting accuracy.
NNU recorded 15 offensive rebounds, which generated 26 second-chance points.
The Yotes managed only two second-chance points throughout the contest.
The defensive strategy for College of Idaho involved a zone defense.
This defensive setup made it difficult for their players to secure defensive rebounds.
NNU head coach Jon Hawkins noted that locating players is hard against a zone.
He stated that his team had players capable of crashing the boards effectively. "We told our guys we have an advantage when the shot goes up," Hawkins said. "We needed to make sure we're crashing." The Nighthawks established control of the rebounds early in the game. They led the entire first half, holding a 47-41 advantage at the halftime break. At halftime, the Yotes had recorded nine defensive rebounds. None of those rebounds came on the offensive end for the Yotes. NNU held 22 total rebounds at the break, with 11 of those being offensive. Forward Nick Corbett led the Nighthawks in rebounding with six offensive boards and 14 total. Corbett, a junior, transferred to NNU from Concordia University Irvine in California. He scored 22 points and recorded seven assists in his debut for the Nighthawks. He also drew free throws, with NNU going 27 for 36 at the line. Senior guard Dougie Peoples led all scorers with a career-high 36 points. Peoples scored 21 of those points in the first half. The Yotes started the second half on a 21-10 run. They took the lead of the game at the 14:04 mark of the second half, 60-57. NNU responded by targeting Corbett inside again. Offensive rebounds led to open perimeter shots for the Nighthawks. Drew King, Briggs Ranstrom, and CJ Richardson all hit three-pointers in the third quarter. NNU retook a 74-73 lead with 7:04 remaining in the game. The Nighthawks maintained the lead for the rest of the contest. The Yotes never regained control in the final minutes. Ranstrom finished with 18 points, Ethan Berniger had 17, King had 15, and Jayden Smoot had 11 for NNU. Rey Johnston scored 13 points and Kairi Shepherd had 11 for the Yotes. The Mayors' Cup rivalry dates back to 1933. Corbett described the physicality of the game as higher than typical matchups. "The physicality steps up and there's very limited mistakes to make," Corbett said. Hawkins praised the combination of point guard Drew King and Corbett's post presence. "If you try to double him, he's going to find guys," Hawkins said. Both teams will continue their 2026-27 NAIA seasons after this matchup.
