COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho – Eastern Oregon University men's basketball (4-1) suffered its first loss of the season in a hard-fought 74-65 decision against Montana Western (6-2) on Wednesday afternoon in a neutral-site game at North Idaho College.
Entering the contest averaging 90 points per game, the Mounties struggled to find consistency from beyond the arc, going 0-for-11 from three-point range. In contrast, Montana Western shot 43.8% (7-of-16) from deep to secure the victory.
The Bulldogs were led by Jalyn Stepney, who delivered an efficient 26-point performance on 9-of-13 shooting, including 4-of-6 from three-point range. Alan Kane contributed 16 points and seven rebounds, while Kyle Gruhler added 13 points and nine boards.
Eastern Oregon's Garrett Hawkes led the Mountaineers with 17 points and four rebounds, shooting 8-of-16 from the floor. Trent Rogers chipped in 14 points, while Brennen Newsom added seven points and five rebounds.
Montana Western controlled the tempo early, shooting 56.5% in the first half to build a 38-30 halftime lead. Eastern Oregon fought back in the second half, cutting the deficit to as little as three points. However, the Bulldogs held their composure, converting 92.9% of their free throws (13-of-14) down the stretch to seal the game.
Despite the loss, Eastern Oregon battled on the offensive glass, grabbing 11 offensive rebounds and turning them into 14 second-chance points to stay competitive.
The Mountaineers return to action on December 6th to begin Cascade Collegiate Conference play at home against Oregon Tech. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at Quinn Coliseum.