Gross’ free throws seal EWU win

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – For Trey Gross, there really is no place like home.

Gross, a true freshman from nearby Stockton, made two free throws with 2.6 seconds remaining to give Eastern Washington a 59-57 Big Sky Conference men’s basketball victory over Sacramento State.

Eastern trailed 57-55 before Brandon Moore knotted the game by making 2 of 4 free throws. Hornets freshman Vinnie McGhee missed the front end of a 1-and-1 free-throw opportunity with 21 seconds left to set up EWU’s game-winning play.

Gross came off a Moore screen and was fouled driving to the basket. He sank both free throws and the Eagles earned their first conference road win in five tries and ended a four-game losing streak.

Kellen Williams had 16 points and 13 rebounds. Moore added 11 points and five rebounds for the Eagles (9-16, 4-7).

Clark Woods had 16 points, four assists, and two steals and Jason Davis scored 12 points for the Hornets (4-17, 2-8).

“Trey made a senior play,” EWU coach Kirk Earlywine said. “He made the same caliber of play that Kellen Williams made at the end of the Portland State game to win that game for us. He’s an 18-year-old freshman, and for him to do that in front of his family and high school friends was pretty neat.”

Eastern committed 12 first-half turnovers and missed its first 11 3-pointers when Sacramento State jumped out to a 31-25 halftime lead.

“Nothing came easy for us,” Earlywine said. “It was a bumpy, uneven, disjointed affair for both teams. For us to be able to persevere and come out with a win was terrific. Maybe this will be the one to get us kind of over the hump by being able to finish off a game on the road.”

All three road teams won Thursday night in the Big Sky, just a week after Eastern dropped two home games and was the only team to lose at home in eight conference games.

Eastern is tied for seventh place with Northern Colorado. Six teams advance to the Big Sky Conference tournament.

Eastern’s last victory was a 91-85 overtime win over Northern Colorado on Jan. 17. Prior to its four-game losing streak, the Eagles had won seven of 14 after a 1-5 start.

Eastern faces Northern Arizona in Flagstaff, Ariz., on Sunday. Game time is 1:05 p.m.