SALT LAKE CITY - Salt Lake Community College guard Gary Payton II blocked a 3-point attempt by Will Dorsey in the closing seconds to help the 13th-ranked Bruins beat the North Idaho College Cardinals 85-82 in a Scenic West Athletic Conference game Thursday night at Bruin Arena.

Trailing 83-82 with 20 seconds remaining, NIC got the ball inside to Shikei Blake, who had his shot blocked, forcing the Cardinals to foul. Salt Lake hit two free throws. With seven seconds remaining, Payton was able to get around a screen to deflect Dorsey's tying attempt.

"It was a tough one," NIC coach Jared Phay said. "It was a grind-out game. They played well and we played well. It was just a typical SWAC game."

Blake scored 16 points off the bench for NIC (17-6, 4-4 SWAC), which travels to Snow on Saturday.

Salt Lake led 42-35 at halftime, making 12 of 17 free throws in the first half. NIC didn't attempt a free throw in the first half.

"I felt like we played well and battled back," Phay said. "I felt like we answered their runs and had a chance to win, and that's all you can ask for on the road."

Neal Monson scored 28 points for Salt Lake (19-3, 6-1), which won by two points at NIC on Jan. 4.

NORTH IDAHO

Braxton Tucker 3-10 2-4 8, Bryce Leavitt 2-3 5-6 11, Will Dorsey 4-7 0-2 11, Cole Kesler 2-8 0-0 6, Fuquan Niles 3-6 0-0 6, Brad Wallace 5-9 0-0 14, Nathan Rathbun 2-4 2-2 6, Tatafu Nuku 1-2 0-0 2, Jordon King 1-2 0-0 2, Shikei Blake 6-8 4-4 16. Totals 29-59 13-18 82.

SALT LAKE

Kurtis Toolson 5-8 0-0 10, Gary Payton II 3-11 3-4 10, De'Sean Parsons 5-10 5-9 16, Jaden Jackson 4-11 0-0 10, Neal Monson 9-13 10-14 28, CJ Spjute 3-3 0-0 6, Zerrion Payton 1-1 1-4 3, Larry Okhomina 1-1 0-0 2, Aquavius Young 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 31-60 19-31 85.

Halftime - SLCC 42-35. 3-point goals - NIC 11-22 (Tucker 0-1, Leavitt 2-2, Dorsey 3-5, Kesler 2-6, Wallace 4-8), SLCC 4-15 (Toolson 0-1, Payton II 1-4, Parsons 1-1, Jackson 2-6, Monson 0-1, Young 0-2). Rebounds - NIC 34 (Leavitt 7), SLCC 35 (Monson 8). Assists - NIC 25 (Leavitt 11), SLCC 26 (Jackson 9). Team fouls - NIC 20, SLCC 17. Fouled out - Niles, Rathbun, Blake.

* WOMEN

Salt Lake 83

North Idaho 56

SALT LAKE CITY - The seventh-ranked Bruins beat the 22nd-ranked Cardinals in a Scenic West Athletic Conference game at Bruin Arena.

Further details were not available.

NIC (17-6, 3-5 SWAC) travels to Snow on Saturday.

Salt Lake is 18-4, 7-0.