LA GRANDE, Ore. – The EOU men’s basketball team tipped off the 2016-2017 campaign on Friday afternoon at Quinn Coliseum in the second game of the Quinn Classic against the Bethesda Flames.
The Mountaineers looked to kick off their season with a win in front of their home crowd. However, the Flames had other ideas, shooting 50 percent from the field and scoring 62 points off the bench to defeat EOU, 99-97.
After falling behind at one time by 15 points in the first half, EOU (0-1) finally began building momentum shortly before the second half, closing the first stanza with a 19-11 run to close the gap to four (51-47) going into the locker room. Offensively, freshman guard Max McCullough led the Mountaineers with 15 points in the first frame. Senior guard Kentrell Washington scored six points and pulled down seven boards while also notching two blocks, one of which beat the halftime buzzer.
Starting the second half, EOU quickly cut the Bethesda (1-0) lead down to one off of a three-pointer from senior forward Bryan McGriff. However, Bethesda’s Michael Walker answered with a three of his own.
McGriff was a key component for the Blue and Gold, as the forward scored 10 of the team’s first 16 points of the second half. The senior scored 16 points in the first 10 minutes of the second half before finishing the night with 22 points.
Back to back three’s by junior guard Jordan Christensen delivered a 65-64 advantage, a lead the Mountaineers had not seen since early in the first stanza.
A layup by senior forward Michael Hillman with 10:36 left in the game handed EOU a 73-71 lead, and the Mountaineers built on the margin until the Flames tied the game at 86 all with a three and 4:12 left to play.
On the next possession, McCullough brought the lead (87-86) back to EOU after splitting a pair of free throws. However, a pair for three’s with 2:39 left from the Flames’ Lawrence Weatherall and Alex Smith once again returned the lead to Bethesda, 92-89.
With three seconds left, Washington had a chance to tie the game at 98 for EOU with a pair of free throws. However, the senior guard split the pair, ending the Mountaineers’ chance to win or send the game into overtime.
BY THE NUMBERS
24 – Points scored by McCullough in his EOU debut.
1ST – Double-double of the season for Washington.
7 – The largest lead for the Blue and Gold
UP NEXT
EOU battles Trinity Western in game four of the Quinn Classic tomorrow at 3:30 p.m.