RICHFIELD, Utah — The College of Southern Nevada men's basketball team opened its 2026–27 season with an offensive showcase at the Snow College Tournament, splitting a pair of games at the Sevier Valley Center. After dropping a competitive 78–70 decision to Northwest College on Friday, the Coyotes responded with an impressive 103–92 victory over Treasure Valley Community College on Saturday.
CSN (1–1), under head coach Mike Lee, received several standout performances throughout the weekend, highlighted by sophomore Ivoryon Cuffee's 46 combined points and a balanced offensive attack that featured six players scoring in double figures in Saturday's victory.
Friday: Cuffee's 31-Point Performance Not Enough Against Northwest College
The Coyotes opened their season Friday, October 30, with a hard-fought 78–70 loss to Northwest College despite a dominant offensive performance from Cuffee.
The sophomore guard poured in a game-high 31 points, shooting 11-of-18 from the field and connecting on five of eight three-point attempts. Cuffee also contributed six rebounds, five assists and two steals in 38 minutes.
Sophomore forward Gerald Patterson provided a strong complement, finishing with 19 points on an efficient 8-of-11 shooting performance while adding five rebounds.
CSN started strong, building a 23–15 advantage midway through the opening half before Northwest College battled back to take a 38–35 halftime lead.
The Coyotes regained momentum early in the second half, using a strong offensive stretch to build a 49–43 advantage with 12:52 remaining. However, Northwest responded, eventually taking control behind timely perimeter shooting.
CSN remained within striking distance late, trimming the deficit to 67–66 on a Cuffee three-pointer with 2:56 remaining. Northwest answered with consecutive three-pointers to extend its lead and secure the victory.
Northwest's Mateo Trujillo led his team with 17 points, including 15 in the second half.
Despite shooting 44.8 percent from the field and an impressive 90.9 percent from the free-throw line, the Coyotes were hurt by 21 turnovers and a 13–4 disadvantage in second-chance points.
Saturday: Balanced Attack Powers Coyotes Past Treasure Valley, 103–92
CSN wasted little time putting Friday's disappointment behind it, delivering an explosive offensive performance Saturday, October 31, to earn its first victory of the season.
Freshmen Toby Roberts and Jonathan Collins led the way with 22 points apiece as the Coyotes shot a blistering 58.5 percent from the field and placed six players in double figures.
Roberts set the tone early, scoring 17 of his 22 points in the opening half while shooting 8-of-9 from the floor before halftime. The freshman guard finished with five rebounds and four steals.
Collins provided a tremendous spark off the bench, scoring 20 of his 22 points in the second half. He finished 6-of-9 from the field and a perfect 9-of-9 from the free-throw line.
Cuffee added 15 points, while Patterson continued his productive weekend with 14 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Sophomore Myron Hubbard contributed 11 points and five rebounds off the bench.
The Coyotes established their offensive rhythm early, shooting 64.7 percent in the first half to take a 53–44 advantage into the locker room.
Treasure Valley refused to go quietly, cutting CSN's lead to just two points on multiple occasions in the second half. However, the Coyotes consistently answered with timely baskets and defensive stops.
With CSN leading 82–78 and just over five minutes remaining, the Coyotes put together a decisive stretch, extending their advantage to 97–80 with 2:17 left. Collins punctuated the late surge with a pair of fast-break dunks as Southern Nevada secured the 11-point victory.
The Coyotes dominated several offensive categories, recording 48 points in the paint, 22 fast-break points and 42 points from their bench. CSN also distributed 21 assists while committing just 13 turnovers, a significant improvement from Friday's opener.
Treasure Valley was led by Brody Rice, who finished with 23 points.
Looking Ahead
Following their 1–1 start, the Coyotes continue their early-season road schedule with three games in Arizona. CSN will face South Mountain Community College on Thursday, November 5, at 7:30 p.m. MST in Phoenix before taking on Phoenix College on Friday, November 6, and Glendale Community College on Saturday, November 7.
The Coyotes will make their home debut Wednesday, November 11, when they host Utah State Eastern at the Coyote Events Center in North Las Vegas.
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