LA GRANDE, Ore. – The Eastern Oregon University men’s basketball team used a 22-1 run in a six-minute stretch of the second half to power past Evergreen, 85-65, on New Year’s Eve at Quinn Coliseum.
EOU improved to 7-9 and 3-3 in Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) play, while Evergreen fell to 5-10 and 2-5 in league action.
KEY PERFORMANCES
Junior guard Kentrell Washington flirted with triple-double honors, as he led EOU with 16 points, 16 rebounds, and eight assists. Junior wing Travis Meeker added 16 points on 7-for-10 shooting in his first-career start, while senior guard Case Rada and sophomore forward Brandon Hoston added 15 and 12 points, respectively.
Brock Otis led a pesky Evergreen squad with 16 points and four rebounds.
THE STORYLINE
Evergreen claimed an early 11-6 lead with 13:43 left after Danny Powell connected on a three-pointer. Freshman guard Caulin Bakalarski netted five points amidst an 8-2 burst to give EOU a 14-13 advantage, and the two CCC foes proceeded to exchange the lead three times before Meeker’s layup put EOU on top, 29-28, with 2:51 left in the opening frame. The Mountaineers led at the half, 34-33.
The two teams were neck-and-neck in the first 10 minutes of the second half. Trailing by three (57-54), an emphatic dunk by Meeker sparked a 22-1 run over the next six minutes to grant the Navy and Gold a commanding 76-58 advantage with 4:29 left to go. EOU shot 9-for-14 during that stretch to put the Geoducks to rest.
STATS OF THE GAME
52.2 – EOU shot over 50 percent for the third time this season.
21 – The Mountaineers outscored the Geoducks by 21 during a critical stretch of the second half to build their lead.
UP NEXT
EOU returns to the hardwood on Jan. 8 against Warner Pacific College. Tipoff in Portland, Ore., is set for 7:30 p.m.