PRICE, Utah (Interstat) — In a tense men’s junior college basketball clash between teams sharing the Eagles nickname, the College of Southern Idaho edged Utah State Eastern 78-74 on Thursday night, overcoming a significant early deficit and a hostile road environment to preserve its sterling season record.

The game’s most critical sequence unfolded late in the second half. Trailing 74-72 with under two minutes to play, Southern Idaho’s defense stiffened. After a Jalen Lyn jump shot tied the game, Southern Idaho forced consecutive misses from Utah State Eastern, including a crucial three-point attempt by Ike Palmer with 47 seconds left. On the ensuing possession, Southern Idaho’s top star, Cooper Kesler, delivered the decisive blow, hitting a mid-range jump shot to give his team a 76-74 lead with 34 seconds remaining. Utah State Eastern’s final attempts, a missed jump shot by Isaac Castagnetto and a missed three-pointer by Robbie Yates, sealed the outcome before Ace Reiser iced the game with two free throws.

The finish capped a remarkable comeback. Utah State Eastern, playing at home and projected as a slight favorite by Interstat’s ELO system, dominated the opening quarter, racing to a 41-33 lead behind an efficient offensive display. Southern Idaho, which entered the game with an 18-1 record, looked out of sync early, committing a flurry of turnovers that the home team converted into points.

The momentum shifted decisively in the second quarter. Southern Idaho locked down defensively, holding Utah State Eastern to 33 points after the first-quarter outburst while finding its offensive rhythm. A key 11-0 run early in the period, fueled by three-pointers from Kobe Kesler and Cooper Kesler, turned the tide and gave Southern Idaho a lead it would not relinquish, though the margin remained narrow throughout.

Cooper Kesler led Southern Idaho with 22 points, continuing a run of strong performances. Ben Thornbrue added 19 points. For Utah State Eastern, which fell to 14-6, Ike Palmer scored 19 points and Isaac Castagnetto contributed 16 points and six assists.

Statistical disparities told the story of Southern Idaho’s resilience. Despite being out-assisted eight to two and committing 12 turnovers to Utah State Eastern’s five, Southern Idaho won with superior shooting efficiency. They connected on 10 of 20 three-point attempts compared to Utah State Eastern’s 5 of 16, and made 20 of 26 free throws while Utah State Eastern struggled at the line, hitting only 17 of 30. Southern Idaho’s offensive rating of 119.4 on 65 possessions outpaced the home team’s 110.0 on 67 possessions.

The victory completed a regular-season sweep for Southern Idaho, which defeated Utah State Eastern 84-62 just 12 days prior. Southern Idaho, now 19-1, will travel to face Snow on Saturday. Utah State Eastern, 14-6, will host North Idaho the same day. The two teams are scheduled to meet again in Twin Falls on Feb. 26.