UI Collects Win At Eastern’s Expense Vandals Trail By 13 At The Half, But Eagles Come Away Losers Again

Idaho was on the precipice of basketball oblivion on Saturday night: It trailed Eastern Washington by 13 points at halftime.

At home.

Already toting a five-game losing streak, including three at the Kibbie Dome, Idaho did an about-face, regrouping to earn a 76-63 victory in a Big Sky men’s game between two win-starved programs.

“Maybe this will stop the bleeding,” UI coach Joe Cravens said after his team improved its record to 10-12 overall, 4-6 in conference play, in front of a small crowd of 2,525 in the Dome.

EWU, which schooled the Vandals en route to a 45-32 halftime lead, wilted to just two field goals in the final 20 minutes.

“The game’s 40 minutes, not 20,” said EWU first-year coach Steve Aggers, still searching for his first Big Sky win. EWU is 3-19, 0-10.

“They were clearly the aggressor in the second half,” Aggers said. “They took us out of our offense. It seemed like they got every rebound, made all the hustle plays.

“We lost our poise in the second half.”

And the game.

Perhaps tired of seeing EWU bang in uncontested shots in the first half, Idaho extended its defensive pressure in the closing half.

Idaho rattled off the first 10 points to close to 45-42 before EWU’s Mike Sims banked in a 7-foot shot.

EWU’s drought resumed as Idaho, converting Eagle turnovers into buckets, went on top 62-51.

EWU made 14 free throws in the second half to stay close. Luke Egan sank three free throws after being fouled to pull the Eagles to 65-61, but Idaho answered by making 9 of 10 foul shots in the final 2:38.

Idaho’s Nate Gardner had season highs of 16 points and nine rebounds. Harry Harrison gathered 14 rebounds and Reggie Rose scored 19 points and had four assists. Eddie Turner chipped in 14 points, many on the running jump shot that had deserted him against Washington State on Tuesday.

“We were embarrassed in the first half,” Gardner said. “Coach (Cravens) came in pretty calm and just said, ‘It’s up to you guys.’ He’s basically at a point where he can’t sit there and get us fired up. We’ve got to decide for ourselves if we want to come out and play hard and fired up.”

EWU, meanwhile, became tentative in the second half. It had more air balls (3) than field goals (2) and committed 13 of its 19 turnovers.

“Sometimes it goes back to their self-esteem, the four years of losing, and the, ‘Oh boy, here we go again kind of thing,”’ said Aggers, who noted that reversing that losing mentality will be his coaching staff’s biggest challenge.

Eagles center Mel Lewis had 10 first-half points, but just three in the second. “Conditioning,” Aggers said, referring to the 295-pound Lewis running out of steam.

Lewis was joined in double figures by Egan’s 12.

The Eagles shot 65.5 percent (19 of 29) in the first half, but .095 percent (2 of 21) in the second.

It was hauntingly familiar for Eastern, which shot 5 of 29 in the second half of a 75-53 loss to Idaho last month.

“An unbelievable comparison from the first half to the second,” Cravens said, “probably the most drastic turnaround I’ve ever been associated with.

“That’s the way we’re capable of playing. There weren’t any high-tech adjustments. It’s just a matter of pride.”

Idaho 76, Eastern Washington 63

Eastern Washington (4-19) - Porter 1-3 4-4 7, Dean 3-10 2-2 8, Lewis 6-8 1-3 13, Rideout 4-8 1-1 9, King 1-5 0-0 3, Carter 1-2 1-2 4, Egan 2-6 7-7 12, Thompson 0-1 0-0 0, Sims 3-5 0-0 6, Groves 0-2 1-2 1. Totals 21-50 17-21 63.

Idaho (10-12) - Turner 6-9 2-2 14, Harrison 1-5 4-8 6, Gardner 5-9 6-6 16, Rose 5-11 7-8 19, Dirden 1-10 4-4 7, Baumann 0-1 0-0 0, Jones 3-3 2-2 8, Jackman 2-6 2-2 6. Totals 23-54 27-32 76.

Halftime-E. Washington 45, Idaho 32. 3-Point goals-E. Washington 4-13 (Porter 1-1, Rideout 0-2, King 1-4, Carter 1-2, Egan 1-3, Thompson 0-1), Idaho 3-14 (Rose 2-5, Dirden 1-8, Baumann 0-1). Fouled out-None. Rebounds-E. Washington 29 (Egan 5), Idaho 35 (Harrison 14). Assists-E. Washington 12 (King 4), Idaho 11 (Rose 4). Total fouls-E. Washington 23, Idaho 18. A-2,525. , DataTimes MEMO: Cut in Spokane edition