COLLEGE PARK, Wash. – De'Sean Mattox put the Eastern Oregon University men's basketball ahead by one, 84-83, with 13.6 seconds left against the Wolves of Walla Walla University on Saturday night. Walla Walla had multiple opportunities to take the lead but missed their last two shots and EOU came away with an 84-83 victory.
Bryan McGriff led the Mountaineers (10-7) with 30 points on the evening and 17 rebounds. Mattox followed with 19 points while
Deonta Edwards added 17 points to help the Mountaineers snap their five game losing streak.
Luke Spady lead the Wolves (1-16) with 25 points on 7-of-13 shooting. Jordan Spady followed with 19 points.
Early in the game, the Wolves of Walla Walla took control, jumping out to an early 17-12 lead over EOU. McGriff led the Mountaineers in the early part of the game as he scored the first eight points for the Mountaineers and Mattox followed with four.
The Mountaineers slowly started to mount a comeback and after a baseline jumper by McGriff, EOU found themselves tied with Walla Walla at 26-26. Walla Walla answered back by scoring the next six points to put the Wolves ahead by six points, 32-26.
Eastern Oregon continued to battle and with Walla Walla up five, 42-37, McGriff found
Deonta Edwards in the corner for a three-pointer, trimming the Wolves lead down to two points, 42-40, going into halftime.
Walla Walla opened up the second half by scoring the first five points of the half and EOU responded by going on a 14-0 run. A layup by McGriff tied the game at 47-47 and Mattox put EOU ahead, 49-47, on their next position. After the run, EOU held a 54-47 lead.
A layup by
Miles Loupe extended the Mountaineers' lead to 60-52; however, Walla Walla slowly started to mount a comeback. The Wolves went on a 12-4 run tying the game at 64-64. McGriff put EOU back on top as he hit a three pointer, 67-64.
With the Mountaineers ahead by a point, 67-66, Eastern Oregon extended their lead by going on an 8-0 run. During the run, Mattox and Edwards both recorded steals and went coast to coast.
Walla Walla continued to battle and with EOU ahead, 75-71, the Wolves hit a step back three-pointer, trimming the Mountaineers lead down to one point, 75-74. After a pair of free throws by McGriff, the Wolves answered with their thirteenth three-pointer of the game, tying the game at 77-77.
Case Rada put EOU ahead by three, 80-77, after he hit his second three pointer of the game. The Wolves did not go away and hit two free throws cutting EOU's lead back to one point, 80-79. McGriff extended the lead back to three points, 82-79, after he grabbed an offensive rebound and put it back for his 30th point of the game.
Walla Walla scored the next four points, taking a one point lead, 83-82, lead over EOU. With 24 seconds remaining in the game, Mattox held the ball at the top of the key. He drove the ball down the lane and was fouled with 13.6 seconds remaining. Mattox sank both free throws putting EOU back on top 84-83. Walla Walla went down the court and had two shots to take the lead but could not get the ball to drop and EOU came away with a one point victory, 84-83.
The Mountaineers return action on Friday, Jan. 16 when they travel to Eugene, Ore. to face Northwest Christian University. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. PT.