POCATELLO, Idaho (Interstat) — In a grinding, defensive-minded Big Sky Conference clash defined by critical second-half execution, the Northern Colorado Bears outlasted the Idaho State Bengals 69-61 on Saturday night at Holt Arena.

The victory, played before a crowd of 1,215, improved Northern Colorado to 15-10 overall and marked its third consecutive win. Idaho State fell to 10-15.

The game’s pivotal sequence arrived not with a singular shot, but with a sustained defensive stand and a decisive offensive burst from the Bears over a four-minute span late in the second half. With Northern Colorado clinging to a 52-50 lead and just over eight minutes remaining, the Bears’ defense stiffened, and their offensive leaders delivered.

Brock Wisne, the 6-foot-9 forward from Thornton, Colorado, ignited the run with a crucial 3-pointer off an assist from Quinn Denker, pushing the lead to five. On the ensuing possession, Wisne stole the ball from Idaho State’s Jamison Guerra and converted a layup to extend the advantage to seven. After an Idaho State miss, Zach Bloch sank another 3-pointer, this time assisted by Vincent Delano, capping a personal 8-0 run for Wisne and ballooning the Northern Colorado lead to 60-52 with 5:14 to play. The Bengals, who struggled offensively all night, never recovered, unable to cut the deficit below five points the rest of the way.

Wisne finished as the game’s leading scorer with 17 points, adding two blocks and a key steal in 33 minutes. He was complemented by Ring Nyeri, who scored 16 points and provided a defensive presence with a block, and Denker, who chipped in 14 points and a game-high four assists.

The contest was a stark contrast in styles and efficiency. Northern Colorado won by leveraging its size and interior dominance, outscoring Idaho State 44-30 in the paint and shooting 51.9% from the field. The Bears’ offensive rating of 108.2 on 64 possessions underscored their effective, if not always pretty, offensive execution.

Idaho State, conversely, was plagued by poor shooting and ball security issues. The Bengals shot just 37.3% from the field and managed only a 97.4 offensive rating. While they committed a mere five turnovers—seven fewer than Northern Colorado—and converted them into 13 points, their inability to consistently finish at the rim against the Bears’ interior defense, which tallied six blocks, proved fatal.

Caleb Van De Griend led Idaho State with 13 points off the bench, showcasing effort on the offensive glass. Evan Otten added 11 points, and Connor Hollenbeck contributed nine points, three steals, and two blocks in a solid all-around effort. However, the Bengals’ starting backcourt of Martin Kheil and Jamison Guerra combined to shoot 5 of 15 from the field for 14 points.

The first half was a tense, back-and-forth affair featuring eight ties and seven lead changes. Idaho State’s early offense came from deep, with Kheil hitting two quick 3-pointers, but Northern Colorado consistently answered inside. The Bears took a narrow 36-34 lead into halftime, setting the stage for the decisive second-half push.

Northern Colorado’s victory completed a regular-season sweep of the Bengals, having also won 85-72 in Greeley on Jan. 8. The Bears now look ahead to a two-game homestand next week against Sacramento State and Portland State. Idaho State, mired in a three-game skid, faces a difficult road trip to face Eastern Washington and Idaho.