EAGLES

This Eastern Washington basketball team has talent.

Rodney Stuckey can score on anyone in the nation. Paul Butorac supplies senior leadership and shot-blocking ability. Kellen Williams can dazzle with his athletic plays. Matt Penoncello can shoot. Omar Krayen has quickness. And so on.

But this Eastern Washington basketball team seems to lack one important talent: The ability to play hard on the defensive end for 40 minutes. Or 30. Or even 20.

Oh, the athletic ability is there and, when the Eagles are playing with a fire on the defensive end, they are damn tough. Like they were in the first few minutes of Thursday night's 91-80 loss to Northern Arizona.

The Eagles came out with an aggressive defensive mentality and dominated early. They were getting in the passing lanes, throwing their bodies around – Stuckey ended up against the scorer's table after getting his hand on a pass – and generally causing havoc with the Lumberjacks' attack.

Then it all disappeared.

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