EWU’s good first half good enough

For a half of its exhibition game Sunday night Eastern Washington gave every indication that this basketball season was not going to resemble last year’s 8-20 campaign in any way.

But the second half of the 75-44 rout of UC-San Diego before 1,803 fans at Reese Court certainly gives second-year head coach Mike Burns plenty of reason to keep working on his retooled team.

“Well, the first half I was very pleased,” Burns said. “We came out and played with great intensity and toughness and were very physical. … The second half wasn’t quite as aesthetically pleasing, but I’m very happy with what our guys did tonight.”

After an intense and entertaining first half when the Eagles soared to a 46-18 lead, the game degenerated into a foul-marred turnover fest made worse by horrible free-throw shooting by both teams.

The teams combined for 62 fouls, 39 in the second half, and compounded the stoppages by making just 38 of 72 free throws between them.

“We’re young,” Burns said. “We need to remember we have to play 40 minutes regardless of what the scoreboard says.”

Even heralded Eagles freshman Rodney Stuckey, who led the first-half charge, slipped in the second half, even though he had six quick points as the lead ballooned to 30.

Stuckey finished with 21 points, four rebounds, two assists, two steals, a block and a turnover.

“Overall the game felt good,” the 6-foot-4 guard out of Kentwood said. “We need to maintain focus. We didn’t come out as strong in the second half. If we can maintain our focus throughout an entire game we will be pretty solid.”

Paul Butorac was the only other Eagle, of the 13 who played, in double figures with 10. He was one of three Eagles with five rebounds.

Jake Beittinger had six boards as the Eagles dominated 45-28, including a 19-4 advantage on the offensive end.

The Eagles had a solid first 20 minutes, shooting 56 percent and getting assists on 14 of 18 field goals, mainly because they were flying around the court, scoring 18 points off turnovers. They forced 13 turnovers with eight steals and only turned the ball over four times.

Though UCSD was never in the game, any questions were removed when the Eagles hit six straight shots in a two-minute, 12-2 run to make it 39-12.

Butorac started the run with a fastbreak dunk on a feed from Rhett Humphrey and capped it with two layups on Humphrey assists. Humphrey also had a layup in the run.

“I love it,” guard Deuce Smith, the lone EWU senior, said. “These guys play hard, the defensive intensity … we didn’t have that same effort last year.

“I’m really looking forward to the season. … The sky’s the limit for these guys, whatever this group wants to do they can do it. Even though they’re young, they’re talented. They’re not going to back down from anyone, they’re not scared of anyone so that’s a big plus, too.”

Eastern opens its season at home on Saturday night against Pacific Lutheran.

EWU 75, UC San Diego 44

UC San Diego – Demkiw 0-1 2-4 2, Lawlor 1-1 0-0 2, Patterson 2-6 1-5 5, Hatch 1-3 1-3 3, Allard 1-5 5-6 8, Odiye 2-3 1-2 5, Poppen 2-6 0-2 4, Spaventa 1-1 3-4 5, Craddock 1-2 0-0 2, Sinnott 0-0 1-2 1, Peters 1-5 2-4 5, Maulhardt 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 13-35 16-32 44.

Eastern Washington – Beitinger 4-10 0-2 8, Williams 4-7 0-1 8, Butorac 3-5 4-8 10, Stuckey 7-14 6-9 21, Smith 1-2 0-0 3, Livi 0-1 0-0 0, Penoncello 3-5 2-2 9, Bekkering 1-4 6-12 8, Humphrey 1-3 2-4 4, Zumwalt 0-2 0-0 0, Bright 0-2 0-0 0, Risper 0-0 0-0 0, Moore 1-2 2-2 4. Totals 25-57 22-40 75.

Halftime–Eastern Washington 46, UC San Diego 18. 3-point goals–UC San Diego 2-7 (Peters 1-2, Allard 1-2, Craddock 0-1, Poppen 0-1, Demkiw 0-1), Eastern Washington 3-12 (Smith 1-1, Stuckey 1-2, Penoncello 1-3, Humphrey 0-1, Bright 0-2, Zumwalt 0-2). Fouled out–Maulhardt. Rebounds–UC San Diego 28 (Poppen 5), Eastern Washington 45 (Beitinger 6). Assists–UC San Diego 6 (Hatch 4), Eastern Washington 17 (Penoncello, Humphrey 3). Total fouls–UC San Diego 33, Eastern Washington 29. A–1,803.