College of Idaho wins second NAIA championship in 3 years

The College of Idaho won the NAIA championship for the second time in three years by defeating Oklahoma Wesleyan 93-65 on Tuesday night. This victory marks the program's third national title, adding to their previous wins in 1996 and 2023. Samaje Morgan led the team with a season-high 28 points. Dougie Peoples contributed significantly with 21 points, including five three-pointers. The College of Idaho, the number one seed, improved their record to 35-2 for the season. Oklahoma Wesleyan, the seventh seed, also has a NAIA championship, which they won in 2009. They struggled to keep up with the Yotes, who dominated the game early on. The College of Idaho shot impressively, making 12 of their first 15 attempts, including 8 of 10 from three-point range. By halftime, the Yotes led 49-29, with Peoples scoring 17 points. The team finished the game strong, determined to maintain their lead, and never let Oklahoma Wesleyan close the gap to less than 16 points in the second half. In addition to Morgan and Peoples, College of Idaho's Johnny Radford and Tyler Robinett also scored well, with Radford totaling 12 points and Robinett finishing with 10. The Yotes excelled from long range, making 16 of 30 three-pointers. For Oklahoma Wesleyan, Nick Bene and Jaden Lietzke each had 15 points, while Dylan Phillip, who was a standout in the previous game, scored only five points.