Eastern Earns 1st Win Over WSU In 45 Years, 83-82 In Overtime

For the first time in more than 45 years, Eastern Washington University has beaten Washington State University in a men’s basketball game.

The Eagles outscored WSU 9-8 in the overtime period, took the lead for good on a basket by freshman Chris White with 57 seconds left and held on for an 83-82 victory.

After a pair of turnovers, WSU had the ball under its own basket for one last shot with 12.7 seconds left.

Chris Crosby, who led the Cougars with 23 points, got a good shot, but his running 10-footer missed at the buzzer.

WSU committed 27 turnovers and allowed the smaller Eagles to take a 54-39 rebounding advantage.

The Cougars also had four players foul out, including starting point guard Blake Pengelly and backup point guard Kojo MensahBonsu.

When leading scorer Carlos Daniel fouled out in overtime, WSU coach Kevin Eastman ran up and down the bench counting off, one by one, each Cougar who had fouled out.

Earlier, Eastman broke his watch as he slammed his clipboard to the ground.

“I’ve never seen a game like that,” Eastman said. “We’ve got to look at the film and a lot of players. This isn’t the YMCA; we’re going to have to play the people who are productive. Even if we have to play six players, we’ll do that.”

He also said WSU (6-4) may have to change its strategy.

“That’s just way too many turnovers,” Eastman said. “We like to play an up-tempo game, but we may have to change to a more bland style of play.”

EWU coach Steve Aggers said the win should give his team some momentum as it plays Central Washington in Cheney on Dec. 30 and then starts Big Sky play at home against Northern Arizona on Jan. 3.

“This is an exciting win for our team, our program and the entire university,” Aggers said. “We’ve worked so hard to rebuild the program and tonight it paid off.”

WSU had beaten Eastern 17 straight times and by an average of 23 points in the 1990s. Since the series resumed in 1986, WSU had won nine straight. The last EWU win was on Dec. 1, 1952, 72-71 in overtime in Pullman.

Eastern had four players in double figures, led by Karim Scott with 21 point and Shannon Taylor with 18.

“Our players were very persistent,” Aggers said. “We got behind, but we just kept competing and played very, very hard the entire game. Hopefully, this will get us a little momentum heading into Christmas break.”

WSU led by as many as 10 points in the second half before Eastern went to full-court pressure.

“Our press was the difference,” Aggers said. “We got a lot out of our press and we were able to upset their rhythm. That, and our defense in the last 8 minutes, was the difference. The game was a little sloppy, but the defense may have been the difference.”

Aggers was happy for the opportunity to play WSU at a neutral site, although most of the 2,335 in attendance favored the Cougars.

“Without a doubt it had to help us,” Aggers said. “It was a matter of wills and I think our defense finally was the difference. They had trouble with our pressure, especially after they lost their ballhandlers to fouls.”

Eastman declined to talk about the officiating and was nearly as upset with his team’s rebounding.

“We spend more time on blocking out than anyone in the country,” Eastman said. “We have to come back after the Christmas break with renewed enthusiasm. This makes it hard to enjoy the holidays and a game like this should make it hard to enjoy them.”

WSU is off until Dec. 30 when it meets Texas A&M in the Spokane Arena.

EWU 83, Washington St. 82 (OT)

Eastern Washington (5-4) - Sims 1-5 2-2 4, Scott 7-11 7-10 21, Humbert 4-12 6-10 14, Williams 4-14 4-7 12, Taylor 5-16 6-6 18, Lewis 2-7 1-2 5, Claus 0-0 0-0 0, Lewis 1-3 0-0 2, White 2-4 3-6 7. Totals 26-72 29-43 83.

Washington State (6-4) - Daniel 6-11 9-14 21, Crosby 9-16 4-6 23, Nelson 2-5 0-1 4, Pengelly 3-5 0-0 7, de la Fuente 4-10 3-4 12, Hutchens 0-0 0-0 0, Kazadi 1-3 1-2 3, Mensah-Bonsu 1-5 7-8 9, Slotemaker 1-2 1-1 3. Totals 27-57 25-36 82.

Halftime-Washington St. 40, E. Washington 35. 3-Point goals-E. Washington 2-10 (Taylor 2-8, Scott 0-1, Williams 0-1), Washington St. 3-9 (de la Fuente 1-2, Crosby 1-3, Pengelly 1-3, Kazadi 0-1). Fouled out-E. Washington, Sims, Humbert; Washington St., Daniel, Pengelly, de la Fuente, Kazadi. Rebounds-E. Washington 54 (Scott 13), Washington St. 39 (Daniel 8). Assists-E. Washington 14 (Williams 8), Washington St. 14 (Pengelly, de la Fuente, Kazadi 3). Total fouls-E. Washington 25, Washington St. 31. A-2335.