PORTLAND, Ore. - In a game of the ages that was decided by a matter of inches, Multnomah was just outlasted by the visiting No. 3 College of Idaho Yotes, dropping a thrilling 88-89 loss in what could have been the final home game in program history.

Head coach Tayo Gem didn't have anything but positive words about his squad following tonight's narrow defeat. "When you go toe-to-toe with the number three team in the country and are just inches short of beating them, all we can do is keep our heads high and be proud of ourselves." It was an emotion-filled night on the Multnomah Campus of Jessup University, with tonight's contests marking what could have been the final home appearances in program history for the men's basketball team. "Emotions and adrenaline were running high, knowing that this is potentially the last Multnomah game to ever be played in this gym, and I know we left that gym with everyone respecting and appreciating just how special this season has been so far."

The Lions (16-9, 12-8) used the home court advantage to jump out to an early lead, utilizing a 10-2 run to extend their lead to eight early in the contest. Multnomah refused to back down against their nationally-ranked opponents, extending their lead to nine after senior guard Kadeem Nelson drained a three-pointer in the final seconds of the first half. However, the recently-crowned Cascade Conference champion Yotes (24-2, 19-1) played exactly how champions do, shooting an impressive 73.1% from the field in the second half to scrap their way to a one point victory.

The entirety of the second half was a back-and-forth battle, with the defining moments coming in the final minutes of play. College of Idaho's Drew Wyman nailed a pair of free throws to hold a narrow 88-85 advantage over Multnomah. In the dying seconds of the game, Nelson knocked down one of his two free throws to cut the visitor's lead to just two, before Wyman converted an additional free throw to make it a three-point game once again.

With the Lions looking for one last chance to stay in the game following Wyman's missed free throw, the ball found its way to sophomore guard Keilan Torkornoo, who tossed up a shot in desperation to beat the buzzer and send the game to overtime. Lytle Gym exploded into pandemonium as Torkornoo's shot soared through the net, but the celebrations were short lived, as it was revealed that the Saratoga Springs native's foot was on the line, resulting in two points for the Lions and the one-point win for the Yotes.

Torkornoo led all scorers tonight, tallying 27 points along with five rebounds and a block. Nelson added 22 points and a game-high five assists, while junior forward Noah McCord tallied 12 points, three steals, and a game-high six rebounds. 

The Lions will close out the regular season on the road next weekend, as they take on Oregon Tech and Southern Oregon University with their eyes set on hosting their quarterfinal matchup in the 2024-25 CCC Men's Basketball Tournament Presented by U.S. Bank.