Ewu Finds Long-Awaited Big Sky Victory Soothing King’s 3-Pointer At :04 Lifts Eagles Over Sacramento, 60-59

If ever a team needed a win, this was it.

Still reeling from the death of point guard Rodrick McClure and looking for its first Big Sky Conference men’s basketball win in almost two years, Eastern Washington University beat Cal State Sacramento 60-59 on Travis King’s 3-pointer with 4 seconds left Thursday in Cheney.

“It feels good to get that monkey off our backs,” said EWU coach Steve Aggers, who earned his first conference win since taking over as coach last season. “Given the events of the past few weeks, with the injuries and the death of Rod, that just makes the game that much better.”

Eastern, also forced to play without starting guard Michael Lewis (sprained ankle), had not won a Big Sky game since beating Northern Arizona on Feb. 25, 1995.

A string of 18 consecutive conference defeats followed for the Eagles, whose misery hit its peak three weeks ago following the car crash that killed their starting point guard.

After McClure’s death, EWU handed the point guard duties back to King, the catalyst a year ago during the rough times. Thursday, EWU (5-8, 1-2 Big Sky) asked even more from the senior.

“The play was for Travis all the way,” said Aggers, who called timeout with 14 seconds left and EWU trailing 59-57. “We set a little flare screen for him (at the top of the key). Kevin Lewis made a nice pass and Jon Berger set a great screen. We executed the play really well.”

King fed the ball into Lewis at the foul line, then ran off the screen set by Berger. Lewis fired a pass out to the wing, where the 5-foot-11 guard let it fly.

“It’s just like any other shot - only with 4 seconds left,” said King, who had a game-high 19 points and four 3-pointers. “I think people in the stands get more nervous than we do. If you’re playing the game, you don’t even think about it.”

But Cal State Sacramento (2-9, 1-1), which squandered a 59-54 lead with 1:37 left, had been thinking about it. In fact, coach Don Newman said he knew it was coming.

“Travis King hit big shots all game and we knew it was going to him,” Newman said. “We just got crossed up on a switch. Eastern Washington stepped up and made a huge play.

“We were 14 seconds, just one defensive possession, away from winning on the road,” Newman said. “You can’t ask for more than that.”

But the Hornets had that, and more, taking a 46-40 lead with 13:33 left on a dunk by David Victor and a 3-pointer by David Drakeford.

EWU stayed close, thanks to King and Karim Scott, who had 16 points and 11 rebounds. They combined for 15 of the Eagles’ final 20 points as they snapped a five-game skid.

“We’re beginning to adjust (to playing without McClure),” Scott said. “When we lost Rod, it really hurt us emotionally and in our play. Now, I think, we’re turning the corner.”

“Hopefully, we’re on our way,” King added.

EWU next entertains Weber State at 7:05 p.m. Saturday.

EWU 60, Sacramento St. 59

Sacramento St. (2-9) - Edwards 5-11 1-2 15, Tate 7-12 1-3 15, Houston 1-2 0-0 2, Carey 0-6 0-0 0, Drakeford 3-8 0-0 7, Baity 0-0 0-0 0, Boyd 5-8 0-0 12, Victor 2-4 0-0 4, Bass 2-4 0-0 4, Westermann 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 25-56 2-5 59.

E. Washington (5-8) - Sims 1-3 0-0 2, Scott 7-9 2-4 16, Lewis 1-7 3-7 5, King 7-10 1-2 19, Egan 4-10 0-0 11, Moss-Kelley 0-1 0-0 0, Garcille 0-0 0-0 0, Claus 0-0 0-0 0, Berger 1-4 1-2 3, Turner 0-6 4-6 4. Totals 21-50 11-21 60.

Halftime-Sacramento St. 28, E. Washington 25. 3-Point goals- Cal St.-Sacramento 7-19 (Edwards 4-6, Carey 0-6, Drakeford 1-3, Boyd 2-3, Victor 0-1), E. Washington 7-13 (King 4-6, Egan 3-7). Fouled out-none. Rebounds-Sacramento St. 28 (Edwards 7), E. Washington 38 (Scott 11). Assists-Sacramento St. 13 (Drakeford 6), E. Washington 14 (King 5). Total fouls-Sacramento St. 16, E. Washington 10. A-1,139.

, DataTimes