D’Marr Suggs’ hit a 3-pointer with 2.6 seconds left in regulation Wednesday to send the game into overtime, and Idaho State outscored the Pilots 19-15 in the extra period for an 83-79 win, ISU’s second overtime victory over Portland this season. The Bengals had topped Portland 96-90 in the Chiles Center in November.
Portland is now 0-4 in overtime games, by a combined 14 points.
Suggs had a career-high 33 points and nine rebounds for ISU, while Casey Frandsen had 27 points for the Pilots. Coky Rochin added 16 points and 10 rebounds for his fourth straight double-double and eighth of the season. Ross Jorgusen also scored 16 points, while Adam Quick had 11 points and 10 assists for his first career double-double.
After Idaho State tied the game at 57-57 with 1:59 left in regulation, Portland (4-9), regained the lead and led 64-61 with 18 seconds left after Ross Jorgusen made a pair of free throws. An ISU foul sent Coky Rochin to the line with 16 seconds left, but Rochin missed both shots to set up Suggs’ miracle.
Portland’s defense forced the Bengals well past the 3-point line for 14 seconds, but Suggs got the ball some 25 feet from the basket and launched a shot which would tie the game.
In overtime, Portland scored off the tipoff to take the lead, and stayed ahead of the Bengals (7-6) until a pair of Danny Boticki free throws at 2:19 gave ISU a 73-72 lead they wouldn’t give up. The Bengals canned 10-of-12 free throws in the overtime.
Trailing 79-74 with just 22 seconds left, Adam Quick hit a 3-pointer with 15 seconds on the clock after Suggs missed two free throws. Boticki then hit two more free throws after a quick foul, then the Pilots closed within 81-79 when Eric Knight banked in a shot with five seconds left.
Two ISU free throws in the final seconds closed out the scoring.
The Pilots led 29-21 at halftime after holding the Bengals to just eight field goals in the first half, and led 48-38 with 8:27 left to play, but ISU whittled away at the Pilot lead to eventually tie the game at 53-53 with 3:33 remaining.
Portland was a victim of 21 turnovers and picked up just six points off the bench, and shot just 59.4% from the free throw line, 15-of-26 in the second half and overtime.