Salty afternoon .... Cardinal men battle, fall short vs. nationally ranked Salt Lake teams

COEUR d'ALENE — In this league, there's no such thing as a break. 

Not even for a second. 

Face one top-five team, another is waiting next. 

That's life in the Scenic West Athletic Conference for North Idaho College right now. 

NIC sophomore Vaughn Weems, who leads the NJCAA with 29.5 points per game, scored a game-high 34 for the Cardinals (11-7, 1-2 SWAC), who battled back from an early 14-point deficit to cut the lead to 61-60 with 5:04 remaining before falling to fourth-ranked Salt Lake 80-69 on Saturday at Rolly Williams Court. 

"The preparation we had all week was great," Weems said. "Coach Fred (Brown) preaches play off of two (feet) all the time, and I feel like that when I'm doing that, I'm at my best and the most explosive I can be on the court." 

"We've got a lot of new bodies and some of the guys just don't know how tough this league is," NIC men's coach Corey Symons said. "You can't play from behind in this league. This league is so deep and good, and they're a top-20 team in the country. You get down 12 in the first five minutes, and it's tough to come back."

Salt Lake is 14-5, 2-2. 

In the women's game, NIC freshman Esmeralda Galindo scored 31 points for the Cardinals (9-8, 1-2 SWAC), who fought back from an early 21-7 deficit before the 19th-ranked Bruins (14-4, 3-1) pulled away late for a 71-61 win. 

NIC faces Snow on Thursday in Ephraim, Utah. The Badger men are the top-ranked team in this week's NJCAA poll. 

MEN: Salt Lake jumped out to a 16-4 lead 4:55 into the game and led by as many as 14 in the first half before the Cardinals rallied to cut the deficit to 39-33 at halftime. 

Weems had 20 of his 34 in the second half. 

"They're so talented and Corey does a good job of getting Weems opportunities," said Salt Lake coach Dave Rice, the former UNLV coach. "We really keyed on him, and he still had 34 points. They're so deep and they've got so many guys that can beat you."

"Vaughn's a special player," Symons said. "He can score without the ball and Coeur d'Alene got to see the best two players in the country with (Salt Lake's) Xavier Edmonds going to TCU. He's arguably the best player in the country and our community got to see two of the best players." 

Edmonds led Salt Lake with 21 points. Mason Bendinger shot 7 of 9 for 16 points for the Bruins, who lost in overtime to the College of Southern Idaho on Wednesday in Twin Falls. 

Weems also had seven rebounds and three assists for the Cardinals. 

"He can do everything," Rice said. "He can make a 3-pointer, so you've got to close the space around him, and then he'll go by you. He's strong and finishes and a multi-level scorer. He's a very talented player and Corey utilizes him really well." 

SALT LAKE 

Mason Bendinger 7-9 1-1 16, Luke Smellie 0-1 2-2 2, Sam Sivulich 1-5 0-0 3, Coen Collier 1-6 0-0 3, Xavier Edwards 5-11 10-10 21, Trey Brown 1-4 2-2 4, Kade Rice 0-0 0-0 0, Ethan Copeland 5-11 1-2 15, Chudi Anosike 3-56 3-4 11, Alvin Jackson III 1-2 2-2 5, Devin Carlson 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 24-55 21-23 80. 

NORTH IDAHO 

Vaughn Weems 10-19 13-14 34, Ne'quan Brown 1-6 3-7 5, Tayshawn Colvin 1-2 0-0 2, Jacori Ervin 1-1 0-1 2, Bryce Henry 3-7 0-2 8, Deng Diew 0-1 0-0 0, Dace Pleasant 2-5 3-5 8, Sam Marbury 1-3 1-3 4, Tautoko Wynyard 0-0 0-0 0, Ajayi Simmons 2-5 2-2 6. Totals 21-49 22-34 69.  

Halftime — SLCC 39-33. 3-point goals — SLCC 11-34 (Bendinger 1-2, Smellie 0-1, Sivulich 1-4, Collier 1-5, Edmonds 1-4, Brown 0-2, Copeland 4-10, Anosike 2-4, Jackson III 1-2), NIC 5-26 (Weems 1-6, Brown 0-5, Colvin 0-1, Henry 2-3, Diew 0-1, Pleasant 1-4, Marbury 1-3, Simmons 0-3). Rebounds — SLCC 24 (Collier 7), NIC 32 (Weems, Henry 7). Assists — SLCC 11 (Smellie, Edmonds, Anosike 2), NIC 10 (Weems, Marbury 3). Team fouls — SLCC 29, NIC 18. Fouled out — Sivulich, Collier. 

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