After missing their first shot of the game, Eastern Oregon would then hit seven straight baskets to take an early 16-7 lead. NU would miss their first six shots of the contest. With EOU leading 17-9 at the 14:17 mark, Northwest would chip away at the Mounties lead and Michael Greene’s layup in the paint would make it a one point game, 19-18, with 11:38 left on the clock. EOU would maintain the lead until the 8:56 mark when Ahmaad Cook's tip in of a missed shot to put the Eagles in front, 22-21. NU would then score seven straight points to lead 29-21 punctuated by a Greg Peters dunk. A three point play by Rich Skillman would grow the NU lead to ten, 32-22 (4:35) and Jordan Call would make one of two free throws to increase their lead to 33-22 with four minutes to go until the half. Ahmaad Cook would tip in his own miss with 2:03 to go to increase the NU lead to 39-26. Eastern would then battle back and score the next 6 points capped off by a driving layup by Anthony Brown to cut the NU lead to seven, 39-32, as the half would end.

 

Eastern Oregon would waste no time in the second half to cut into the NU lead and would outscore the Eagles 9-2 to tie the score at 41-41 with 17:10 left on the clock. Greg George would break the NU scoring drought with his basket to put Northwest back into the lead, 43-41 and a 3-pointer by Stedman Richardson would increase their lead to five, 46-41 at the 15:59 mark. NU would hold onto the lead for the next 4 minutes when EOU would begin to heat up and they would hit six of their shot to four NU misses to take a 58-55 lead with 9:42 to go on a JC Cook jumper. Greg George would tie the game once again at 60-60 with 8:04 to go, but two Jamar Johnson free throws and a 3-pointer by Thomas McCarthy would give EOU a 5 point lead, 65-60 with 7:36 left in the game. Cold NU shooting coupled with clutch shooting by the Mountaineers would grow EOU’s lead to 12 points, 77-65 with 2:09 to go on Tavares Peterson’s free throws. Eastern would then make 6 of 8 free throws down the stretch to pull out the 85-72 victory.

 

Junior Ahmaad Cook (Los Angeles, Calif.) led Northwest U. (19-7, 11-6 CCC) with 20 points hitting 50% of his shots. Rich Skillman (Everson, Wash.) scored 17 points and freshman Michael Greene (Bellingham, Wash.) scored 11 in the loss. The Eagles shot 35.5% for the game and were held to 26% shooting from the 3-point line (7 for 27) and managed only 57% shooting from the free throw line.

 

Eastern Oregon ( 22-5, 13-4 CCC) was led by Thomas McCarthy’s 15 points. Anthony Brown added 14 points and Jamar Johnson registered a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds for the Mountaineers. EOU out rebounded NU 53-41 and shot 44% for the night including 35% shooting from the 3-point line.

 

Northwest U. wrap up their regular season as they host the College of Idaho in Kirkland tomorrow night and Eastern Oregon heads to Olympia to close out their season with the Evergreen State College. Both games are schedule for 7:30 p.m. tipoffs.