RANGELY, Colo. (Interstat) — In a stunning reversal of their previous meetings, the College of Southern Idaho Eagles escaped with a narrow 78-76 victory over the Colorado Northwestern Community College Spartans in a Scenic West Athletic Conference men’s junior college basketball game Thursday night.

The Eagles, who entered the contest with a 19-2 record and had defeated the Spartans by an average of 49.5 points in two meetings earlier this season, found themselves in a dogfight from the opening tip. The Spartans, now 3-20, played with a level of intensity and precision absent from those prior lopsided defeats.

The most important part of the game was the Spartans’ ability to sustain pressure and answer every Eagles’ run, transforming what was expected to be a rout into a tense, possession-by-possession battle that was not decided until the final seconds. Colorado Northwestern’s offensive execution, particularly from beyond the arc, kept them in a game where they were heavily outrebounded.

Southern Idaho built an early lead, but Colorado Northwestern responded with a barrage of three-pointers. The Spartans shot a blistering 48 percent from three-point range, making 12 of 25 attempts, to stay within striking distance. The Eagles, meanwhile, relied on volume, attempting 34 three-pointers and making 14.

The game was a statistical oddity. Despite shooting a lower percentage from the field (42.9 percent to Southern Idaho’s 42.9 percent) and committing more turnovers, the Spartans’ efficiency from three and the free-throw line kept the score tight. Southern Idaho dominated the glass, outrebounding Colorado Northwestern 31 to 23, including a decisive 11 to 4 advantage on the offensive boards, which led to critical second-chance opportunities.

Nathan Ahner led the Eagles with a near triple-double, contributing 18 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists in 39 minutes. Cooper Kesler provided a crucial scoring punch with a game-high 26 points, fueled by six three-pointers. Ace Reiser added 13 points, and Ben Thornbrue chipped in 11.

For the Spartans, Jordan Jones orchestrated the offense with 22 points and six assists. Brandon Avance and Finn Powelson each scored 12 points, while Jaden Fitzhugh added 10. The balanced scoring attack was a key factor in their competitive performance.

The contest featured 10 ties and 15 lead changes. Southern Idaho held a slim 36-40 lead at halftime, but the Spartans continued to counterpunch throughout the second half. The Eagles finally created a small cushion in the final minutes through free throws and a key three-pointer from Reiser with 1:06 remaining to push the lead to five.

Colorado Northwestern had a final chance to tie or win in the closing seconds, but a turnover by Carter Killian with six seconds left sealed their fate. Southern Idaho ran out the clock to secure the hard-fought road victory.

The win improves Southern Idaho to 20-2 overall, while Colorado Northwestern falls to 3-20. The Eagles will travel to face Salt Lake Community College on Saturday. The Spartans will host North Idaho College, also on Saturday.