COEUR d'ALENE - On a play that was originally designed for North Idaho College freshman guard Cole Kesler on Saturday, point guard Bryce Leavitt instead decided to take what would have been a game-tying 3-pointer, with two seconds left in overtime.

But the sophomore's shot at the top of the key missed just short off the right side of the rim, after he dribbled nearly the entire length of the floor, in a 92-89 nonconference loss to Arizona Western College on Rolly Williams Court.

Leavitt had to double-clutch at the last moment, near the top of his release, and the shot by the Washington State transfer, who finished with 11 points, eight rebounds and had nine assists, missed the mark.

"The play for me was to dribble toward Cole and we were going to run a pick-and-pop (where Kesler was to set a screen, then whoever is open takes the shot)," Leavitt said. "But they had all their guys on the side I was going, so I cut back to the middle and I pulled up. I thought I was open, but a guy came out of nowhere and contested the shot. So when he contested it, I thought I'd get it up a little higher and it felt pretty good coming off but it just didn't fall."

If North Idaho College and Arizona Western both end up winning their respective regional tournaments, the Cardinals would host the Matadors for a potential play-in game to nationals.

"They're probably the best team in Arizona," North Idaho College coach Jared Phay said. "So whoever wins our region will probably play them."

With 10 seconds left in overtime, backup guard Brad Wallace hit a big 3-pointer at the top of the key for NIC to cut the Arizona Western lead to 90-89. Wallace was 5 for 9 from beyond the 3-point line and scored 15 points.

Matador sophomore point guard Anthony Alston, who led his team with 23 points and seven rebounds, hit his final two free throws to give Arizona Western a 92-89 lead with 8.8 seconds left. Alston made all 17 of his free-throw attempts.

The Matadors (6-2), from Yuma, Ariz., went on a 12-5 run to wrap up regulation and tie the game at 76.

"They have veteran experience with a lot of sophomores and they closed the game out like a veteran team," Phay said. "We let it go like a young team."

NIC also went just 19 for 32 at the free-throw line in the second half and overtime combined.

"It's just close games, free throws, we had a couple of key turnovers and gave up some offensive rebounds," Phay said. "Bryce had a tough shot but give them credit, they defended us well."

The Cardinals (3-1) had control of the game nearly the entire way in regulation, leading from the 18-minute mark on as they took a 38-31 halftime lead.

But with 10 seconds left in regulation, Matador backup forward Darrious Hamilton shot a wild shot inside the paint, with his back to the basket, to tie the game at 76.

Kesler scored 18 points, including a running jumper along the baseline that tied the game at 80 with 2:45 left in overtime.

"I think we let down on the defensive side," said Kesler, a freshman guard from Laguna Beach. "We didn't get our hands up on their shooters. They started knocking down some threes and they got back into it, it was a battle the whole way through. We're getting better, it was a good test."

But Arizona Western guard Ali Faruqbey took advantage of a drop step - and avoided what appeared to be a traveling violation - to give the Matadors the lead for good at 82-80 with 1:51 left in OT. Alston hit two more free throws and backup forward Brandon Lovings gave AWC its biggest lead at 86-81 with 36 seconds left.

Lovings scored 18 points.

"We had a mix of good play with Brandon inside," Arizona Western coach Charles Harral said. "I thought that's what got us into the game. We withstood their run, they're a really good team. The game could've gone either way. We were fortunate to make our free throws."

NIC travels to play Tuesday at Columbia Basin College in Pasco, Wash.

ARIZONA WESTERN

Anthony Alston 3-10 17-17 23, Ross Buchman 3-4 3-4 9, Ron Lee 2-7 1-2 7, Ali Faruqbey 3-10 2-4 8, Temjae Singleton 1-7 0-0 2, EJ Twyman 4-9 0-0 10, Darrious Hamilton 6-9 2-4 15, Brandon Lovings 8-11 2-4 18, Ivan Uribe 0-0 0-2 0, Navonte Hill 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 30-68 27-37 92.

NORTH IDAHO

Braxton Tucker 8-13 8-15 24, Bryce Leavitt 0-6 11-13 11, Cole Kesler 6-15 2-2 18, Jordon King 3-7 2-2 8, Nathan Rathbun 0-0 1-2 1, Brad Wallace 5-11 0-0 15, Will Dorsey 2-3 1-4 5, Fuquan Niles 1-1 0-0 2, Tatafu Nuku 2-3 1-3 5, Jason Wheelock 0-2 0-0, Ty Higbie 0-0 0-0 0.

Halftime - NIC 38-31. Regulation - 76-76. 3-point goals - AWC 5-16 (Lee 2-7, Faruqbey 0-2, Hill 0-1, Twyman 2-4, Singleton 0-1, Hamilton 1-1). NIC 9-23 (Kesler 4-11, Wallace 5-9, Leavitt 0-2, Tucker 0-1). Rebounds - AWC 41 (Alston, Hamilton 7). NIC 45 (Niles 9). Assists - AWC 14 (Alston, Hill 3). NIC 16 (Leavitt 9). Team fouls - AWC 30, NIC 25. Fouled out - NIC Rathbun, AWC Hamilton, Singleton.