MESA, Ariz. – Eastern Oregon men's basketball couldn't quite recreate Wednesday's comeback magic, falling 74-68 to undefeated Benedictine University Mesa on Saturday afternoon to close its Arizona road trip.
The Mountaineers (4-3) fought the now 10-0 Redhawks throughout but never fully found their shooting touch, finishing at 36.4 percent from the field and just 4-of-23 from three. Even so, EOU had multiple chances to swing the game in the second half before Benedictine answered with timely shot-making and late free throws.
The Mounties opened strong, scoring the first four points of the game behind early baskets from Eamon Monahan and Trent Rogers. The Redhawks quickly responded with a surge of their own, using a 14-4 stretch to build a 27-18 advantage as Eastern went cold from the perimeter. Logan Orchard helped steady the Mountaineers with nine first-half points on pristine shooting, including a layup in the final seconds that trimmed the deficit to 35-29 at the break.
EOU came out of halftime with renewed energy, as jumpers from Monahan and Orchard immediately cut into Benedictine's lead. A Keilan Torkornoo layup then gave the Mounties a 37-35 edge, marking their first lead since the opening minutes. The Redhawks answered, but Eastern continued to punch back, turning the game into a possession-by-possession battle.
The Mountaineers' best stretch came near the midpoint of the second half when Torkornoo drilled a three and James Bodily followed with another from deep to put EOU in front 53-50. Benedictine, however, responded like an unbeaten team as Eric Blackwell knocked down back-to-back threes as part of an 8-0 Redhawk run, and the Mounties never regained the lead. In the final minute, Benedictine sealed the game at the foul line, going 6-for-7 to keep Eastern at bay as the Mountaineers' late looks at the rim and from the perimeter came up empty.
Orchard led EOU with 16 points on an efficient 7-of-9 shooting performance, adding four rebounds and two steals while providing scoring in both halves. Monahan finished with 13 points, and Torkornoo flirted with a double-double, posting eight points and a team-high nine rebounds. Isaiah Jones added 11 points and seven boards, and the Mountie bench once again contributed well with 25 total points.
Benedictine was paced by Isaiah Howard's game-high 19 points and six rebounds, as he repeatedly answered Eastern's pushes down the stretch. Blackwell added 18 points and hit 4-of-5 from beyond the arc, while Malik Payton scored 12 and Khari Dunn chipped in 10 off the bench. The Redhawks outscored the Mountaineers 14-3 in points off turnovers and matched them on the glass, using second-chance opportunities and efficient trips to the line to protect their home floor.
As the calendar flips to December, Eastern Oregon returns to La Grande to begin Cascade Collegiate Conference play, opening with a 2 p.m. matchup against (RV) Lewis-Clark State on Friday.