Eagles set bounce-back alarm

Eastern Washington University’s men’s basketball team has a key game tonight as it goes through its usual difficult December schedule.

The Eagles (2-3) face Cal State Fullerton (2-2) at 7:05 at Reese Court, hoping to erase the sting of an 89-56 loss at No. 14 Washington last Sunday.

“We will be a very good basketball team,” EWU coach Mike Burns said. “We weren’t (against Washington), but we will be. It is early. Our strength is inside, and where we are young and inexperienced right now is on the perimeter.”

The Titans are a good test because, like the Eagles, they lost at Denver. EWU fell 80-64 and in the same week Fullerton lost 79-57.

Last year in the first meeting between the schools, Eastern lost 77-70 at Fullerton. Guard Bobby Brown had 14 of his 19 points after halftime to help the Titans overcome a nine-point deficit.

Brown is averaging 16 points a game and guard Jermaine Harper, a transfer from Virginia, adds 12.8. Hardy Asprilla averages 10.5 points and 10.8 rebounds.

“They have a very talented backcourt,” Burns said. “We’ll need to step up defensively and try to do a good job on both Brown and Harper. They are a well-coached team and have some active frontcourt players. We’ll need to keep Asprilla off the glass.”

EWU had 30 turnovers at Washington and Fullerton is forcing 18 a game.

The Eagles travel to San Diego on Monday and Boise State on Wednesday before coming back for its rematch with Denver on Dec. 18.

“We have always gone through some dark days in December,” Burns said. “Resiliency has been our strength in bouncing back from those dark days. The (UW game) was not how we wanted to play. The effort was not what we wanted and the execution wasn’t what we wanted. We have to bounce back and get this thing headed in the right direction.”