EWU coach Shantay Legans says his team is happy to be playing in CBI

A history-making season isn’t over for Eastern Washington.

The Eagles made some more Sunday night, earning a third straight invitation to play in the College Basketball Invitational.

Three days after losing to Montana for the Big Sky Conference title, the Eagles (20-14) will be in Orem, Utah, playing Utah Valley of the Western Athletic Conference in a first-round game. Tipoff on Tuesday is at 6 p.m.

This will be a record fourth-straight postseason berth for the Eagles, who played in the NCAAs in 2015.

Last week at the Big Sky tournament in Reno, Nevada, the third-seeded Eagles beat Portland State and Southern Utah before falling to top-seeded Montana for the championship.

“Although it was disappointing we did not make it to the Big Dance, getting a chance to play more basketball is always exciting,” first-year head coach Shantay Legans said Sunday night.

“Whenever we get on the court, our goal is to play hard and win, and Tuesday won’t be any different. I am excited that the staff and I get to coach these incredible seniors and this team at least one more time,” Legans said.

Utah Valley is 22-10 this season – including a 15-1 mark at home – and 10-4 in the WAC.

Both teams lost to Seattle University and former EWU head coach Jim Hayford. The Eagles lost in Seattle 84-65 on Dec. 3, while the Wolverines lost there 55-54 during the WAC season.

The Eagles are 20-14 and finished 13-5 in the Big Sky, and have won 17 of their last 23 games after a 3-8 start.

“Twenty wins is a great season and we deserve to play more,” Legans said. “We’re going to take it, have fun and we will go out there and try to win it.”

Montana and Eastern aren’t the only Big Sky teams playing in a postseason tournament. Portland State and Northern Colorado are in the CIT.