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Eastern Washington University Basketball

Eastern Washington men have new life after completing road sweep of Montana schools

Eastern Washington guard Jojo Anderson dribbles around Montana State’s defense during a Big Sky Conference game on Saturday at Worthington Arena in Bozeman, Montana. Anderson scored the go-ahead basket late in the Eagles’ upset win. (Courtesy of EWU Athletics)
From staff reports
Eastern Washington guard Jojo Anderson dribbles around Montana State’s defense during a Big Sky Conference game on Saturday at Worthington Arena in Bozeman, Montana. Anderson scored the go-ahead basket late in the Eagles’ upset win. (Courtesy of EWU Athletics)

The Eastern Washington men’s basketball team took a revitalizing road trip to Montana. Suddenly, the Eagles’ season has new life.

On Thursday, EWU picked up arguably its best win of the season, upsetting the Montana Grizzlies, the Big Sky’s No. 3 team. On Saturday, the Eagles outdid themselves, topping the No. 2 team in the conference.

Jojo Anderson scored the go-ahead basket with 18 seconds left, and EWU secured another breakthrough win, stunning Montana State 72-71 at Worthington Arena in Bozeman.

The Eagles (7-17, 5-6 Big Sky) hit 5 of their last 6 shots to erase a seven-point deficit in the final four minutes. MSU (14-11, 8-4) took a one-point lead with 27 seconds left on Seth Amunrud’s 3-pointer before Anderson, a senior guard out of Mt. Spokane High, drove for the winning layup.

Bobcat forward Chris Hodges’ tip-in attempt was no good at the buzzer.

EWU led by 10 points late in the first half, but the Bobcats rallied, and the teams traded baskets throughout an entertaining second period.

Forward Alton Hamilton IV led four Eagles in double figures with 15 points, adding eight rebounds. EWU shot 48.3% for the game, 7 of 14 from 3-point distance, compared to MSU’s 41.4% from the field and 9 of 25 on 3s.

Women

Montana State 71, EWU 69: The Eagles put together a remarkable second-half rally, erasing a 19-point deficit to take a late lead, but the comeback bid faded in the final moments at Reese Court in Cheney.

MSU (17-6, 10-2 Big Sky) appeared to take its frustrations out on EWU (12-12, 5-6) after the Bobcats fell out of first place in the Big Sky standings on Thursday. MSU led 42-23 late in the second quarter.

The Eagles stormed back with a 15-4 run in the third, and guard Elyn Bowers’ traditional three-point play gave Eastern its first lead at 69-68 with 1:22 left in the game, but the Eagles committed two turnovers and had a shot blocked in their final possessions as MSU inched back ahead.

Guard Ella Gallatin led EWU with 18 points. Forward Jaecy Eggers added 16, and Bowers scored 15. Post Kourtney Grossman recorded nine points and 14 rebounds. EWU was slightly more efficient than MSU offensively, but the Eagles’ 18 turnovers were costly.