GREELEY, Colo. — Isaiah Hawthorne led the Northern Colorado Bears to a thrilling 72-69 victory over Portland State on Thursday night, scoring 23 points and grabbing seven rebounds. This performance helped the Bears improve their record to 13 wins and 5 losses, maintaining a perfect 5-0 in the Big Sky Conference. Brock Wisne added to the scoreboard with 15 points, thanks to an efficient shooting night where he made 6 of 10 field goal attempts and converted 3 of 4 from the charity stripe. Jaron Rillie also made a notable contribution, finishing with 11 points despite struggling from beyond the arc, where he went 0 for 3. With this victory, Northern Colorado extended their winning streak to seven games.

On the other side of the court, Qiant Myers was the standout for the Vikings, scoring 19 points and providing seven assists, keeping his team competitive. Tre-Vaughn Minott recorded a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds, along with two blocks, showcasing his strong presence in the paint. Isaiah Johnson also contributed with 14 points and two steals, adding depth to Portland State’s performance as they fell to a record of 10 wins and 7 losses, including 2-2 in conference play.

Looking ahead, both teams are set to continue their schedules on Saturday. Northern Colorado is set to host Sacramento State, while Portland State will travel to take on Northern Arizona, seeking to bounce back from this narrow defeat.