­­­­­­­Eastern Washington University "Eagles" Men's Basketball (22-11/13-5 Big Sky/2nd) College Basketball Invitational presented by FIVE FOUR Wednesday, March 15 – at Wyoming– 6 p.m. – Laramie, Wyo. (winner plays March 20 against winner of Green Bay vs. UMKC) all times Pacific
Radio:	700-AM ESPN in Spokane. Larry Weir calls the play-by-play. Broadcasts begin a half-hour prior to tipoff
Internet Radio:	http://www.700espn.com or http://www.tunein.com
Radio iPhone App:	Search for "700 ESPN" and download app. An app is also available for tunein radio.
TV:	None
­­­Webcast:	http://www.gowyo.com/game-center/58c6a4ede4b02f119f9baa7c/
Live Stats:	http://www.gowyo.com/game-center/58c6a4ede4b02f119f9baa7c/
Weekly Coaches Show:	No show this week.

The Eagles get another chance at making history.
 
With seniors Felix Von Hofe and Jacob Wiley on the verge of setting a pair of historic individual records, the Eastern Washington University men's basketball team will make its fifth national postseason appearance as a member of NCAA Division I when the Eagles open play in the College Basketball Invitational this Wednesday (March 15) against Wyoming in Laramie, Wyo.
 
Tipoff is 6 p.m. Pacific time in the first round of the tournament, which is presented by FIVE FOUR and the Gazelle Group. Eastern is making a repeat appearance in the CBI, and EWU's third-straight national postseason appearance under head coach Jim Hayford. Fans can listen the game on 700-AM ESPN and via the web at www.700espn.com.
 
Wiley made history at the Big Sky Conference Tournament by becoming just the second player in league history to score at least 639 points and have at least 303 rebounds in a single season in the league's 54-year existence. He has current totals of 668 and 303, respectively, and no other player in league history has coupled that with at least 58 blocks (Wiley has 93) or a shooting percentage of at least .621 (Wiley is at .643). Montana's Larry Krystkowiak (now head coach at Utah) is the other player to have at least 639/303 in the same season, and he had 709 points and 364 rebounds in the 1985-86 season.
 
On his way to earning All-Tournament honors, Wiley had seven blocked shots in a pair of Big Sky Conference Tournament games to increase his school record total to 93 blocked shots for the season. That has shattered the previous record of 69 set by Venky Jois in 2015, is also just two from the Big Sky record of 95 set by Brian Qvale of Montana in the 2010-11 season. His average of 2.82 per game is first in the league and eighth nationally.
 
Von Hofe, the winningest player in EWU's NCAA Division I history with 81 victories, remains eighth in career 3-pointers in the Big Sky with a current total of 257. He is just three from the school record of 260 set by his former Eastern teammate Tyler Harvey from 2013-15. Von Hofe's 91 3-pointers this season are sixth all-time at EWU.
 
Eastern enters Wednesday game 22-11 after going 1-1 in the recently-concluded Big Sky Conference Tournament. The Cowboys are 18-14 overall after finishing 8-10 in the Mountain West Conference.
 
 "We are excited to continue our season with our program's third-straight postseason appearance," Hayford said Sunday evening.
 
Wyoming, which defeated Eastern 78-71 in Laramie on March 20, 2003, in the National Invitation Tournament, lost to Air Force 83-68 last Wednesday in the MW Tournament. The winner of the Eagle-Cowboys game will play again on Monday, March 20, versus the winner of the Green Bay at Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) game, with site and time to be determined.
 
"Wyoming has one of the great home court advantages in college basketball," said Hayford. "If you win a game there you have really earned one. Coach (Allen) Edwards has a very good program that earned 18 wins playing in a very difficult league. They have our full respect."
 
Eastern entered the year picked to finish seventh by the coaches and fifth by the media in the preseason polls. Eastern lost a pair of first team All-Big Sky Conference and All-District performers to graduation – including the school's all-time leading scorer – but reloaded to win 22 games and finish second in the Big Sky at 13-5. The Eagles also boast the league's MVP in Wiley and a second team All-Big Sky selection in Bogdan Bliznyuk.
 
Wiley and Bliznyuk are within four points of each other for the team scoring lead, as both rank in the top 34 in NCAA Division in scoring. Bliznyuk has 672 for the season for an average of 20.4 which ranks 31st, and Wiley has 668 to rank 34th nationally with a 20.2 average. They are ranked seventh and eighth, respectively, in school history, with Tyler Harvey's 677 (2014) the next player to catch.
 
The Eagles are now 22-11 in their 34th season as a member of NCAA Division I after finishing 13-5 in the league as they continue their 30th season as a member of the Big Sky. Eastern, which has won 11 of its last 15 games, is now 15-1 at home, 6-9 on the road and 1-1 on neutral courts. Eastern's five league losses were by a combined 34 points (6, 3, 1, 9, 15). The Eagles beat Sacramento State 89-70 in the quarterfinals, then fell to Weber State 80-72 in the semifinals of the conference tourney.
 
A year ago, Eastern finished with an 18-16 record after advancing to the second round of the CBI, including the school's first NCAA Division I postseason win with a 79-72 home victory over Pepperdine. The season came to an end at Nevada by an 85-70 score, and the Wolf Pack went on to defeat Morehead State in the best of three championship final.
 
 
 

CBI Pairings

 
Wednesday, March 15 (first round): Game 1 - Loyola (Md.) at George Mason; Game 2 - Hampton at Coastal Carolina; Game 3 - Stony Brook at UIC; Game 4 - Toledo at George Washington; Game 5 - Eastern Washington at Wyoming; Game 6 - Green Bay at UMKC; Game 7 - San Francisco at Rice; Game 8 - Utah Valley at Georgia Southern. Monday, March 20 (quarterfinals): Winner Game 1 versus Winner Game 2; Winner Game 3 versus Winner Game 4; Winner Game 5 versus Winner Game 6; Winner Game 7 versus Winner Game 8. Wednesday, March 22 (semifinals): Re-seeded after quarterfinals. Best of Three Championship Series: March 27, 29 & 31.
 
 
 

CBI/Opponent/Series Notes 

 
* Besides the 2016 and 2017 CBI, Eastern has participated in the NCAA Tournament in 2004 and 2015, and the NIT in 2003. In 2003, Eastern fell to Wyoming 78-71 in the first round of the NIT in 2003, then lost 75-56 to Oklahoma State in the NCAA Tournament in Kansas City, Mo., a year later. In 2015, after winning the Big Sky Conference Tournament title in Missoula, Eastern fell to 22nd-ranked Georgetown 84-74.
 
* This will be the ninth national post-season tournament Jim Hayford has coached in. Besides last year's CBI and the 2015 NCAA Tournament, he coached Whitworth in six NCAA Division III Tournaments (2003, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011). He is 7-8 in national tourney games, including an Elite Eight appearance in his final season at Whitworth in 2011.
 
* Eastern did not play against any Mountain West Conference foes this season, but did have a pair of common opponents. Eastern split against Montana and defeated Denver, while the Cowboys were 3-0 versus those same schools. In all, Eastern defeated teams from nine different conferences, plus recorded 14 wins over Big Sky Conference foes. Eastern lost to teams from five conferences.
 
* Eastern is 0-5 all-time versus Wyoming, including the 78-71 loss to Wyoming on March 20, 2013, in the first round of the NIT. The other losses came when EWU was a member of the NAIA on 12/17/77 (100-69), 12/15/76 (75-66), 12/6/47 (41-37) and 12/5/47 (62-35). Eastern finished 25-4 in the 1976-77 season, thus, one of the team's four losses that year came at the hands of the Cowboys.
 
* Eastern is 13-66 all-time versus current members of the Mountain West Conference, and have played all but Utah State among the league's 11 teams. The last victory over a team now in the Mountain West was a 65-59 victory over Boise State on Dec, 18, 2002, when the Broncos were in the Western Athletic Conference. One month earlier, however, Eastern beat San Diego State 75-70 on Nov. 23, 2002. Later that same season, Eastern lost to Wyoming 78-71 in the NIT, starting a current streak of 13 losses in a row to current members of the league. The latest loss was an 85-70 setback at Nevada in the semifinals of the 2016 CBI.
 
* The Cowboys have four players averaging in double figures, led by Justin James at 15.7 points per game. Hayden Dalton averages 12.5 points and 8.4 rebounds per game, with Jason McManamen and Alan Herndon chipping in averages of 11.5 and 11.2 points per game, respectively. Those four players are among the five players who have each made at least 40 3-pointers this season, led by McManamen's 74. The Cowboys are 20th in NCAA Division I with an average of 9.6 3-pointers made per game, and have attempted the seventh-most in the nation (898).
 
* The CBI is a single-elimination tournament up until the "best-of-three" Championship Series, with all games played at campus sites. After the first round games, the Quarterfinal Round will take place on Monday, March 20, followed by the Semifinal Round on Wednesday, March 22. Prior to the semifinals, the remaining teams will be re-bracketed. The Championship Series is a best-of-three in which one team will host two of the three games. Those games will be played on March 27, March 29, and March 31. Past CBI champions include Nevada, Tulsa, Oregon State, VCU, Oregon, Pittsburgh, Santa Clara, Siena, and Loyola Chicago.
 
* Eight of Eastern's opponents in the 2016-17 season advanced to postseason tournaments, including fellow College Basketball Invitational participant San Francisco. Eastern defeated the Dons in Cheney 96-90 on Nov. 27. The Eagles are 0-4 this season versus opponents which advanced to this year's NCAA Tournament – Northwestern (86-72 on Nov. 14), Northern Kentucky (70-48 on Dec. 18), Xavier (85-56 on Dec. 20) and Big Sky champion North Dakota (95-86 on Feb. 9). Eastern lost to National Invitation Tournament participant Colorado (76-68 on Dec. 22), and was 3-2 versus Big Sky Conference teams in the College Insider Tournament. Eastern swept Idaho (69-62 on Dec. 30 and 77-67 on Feb. 17), and was 1-2 versus Weber State (70-67 loss on Jan. 14, 82-72 win on Feb. 23 and 80-72 loss on March 10).
 
 
 

Looking Back 

 
NIT - Wyoming 78, Eastern Washington 71 (3/20/03): The worst blizzard to hit Denver, Colo., in 90 years may have created a lot of havoc and headaches for the Eastern Washington University men's basketball team in the school's first-ever national post-season appearance as a member of NCAA Division I. But when they finally made it to Laramie, Wyo., it was the Eagles that created the havoc and headaches for the home team. However, EWU couldn't overcome a late 7-0 Wyoming run and the Eagles fell 78-71 to the Cowboys in a first round game in the National Invitation Tournament at the Arena-Auditorium in Laramie, Wyo.
Senior Chris Hester closed his Eastern career with 19 points, making 7-of-12 shots from the field. Junior Alvin Snow was also 7-of-12 to finish with 17 points and three steals. Brendon Merritt chipped in 16 points and T.J. Williams had 10.
The game was tied 54-all when UW went on its decisive 7-0 run. Eastern went 4:48 without scoring, missing four shots and turning the ball over two times. The Eagles pulled to within three, but the Cowboys made 10-of-10 free throws in the last 1:18 to ice the game.
"We came close a couple of different times, but we couldn't get over the top," said Eagle head coach Ray Giacoletti, who would guide the Eagles to the NCAA Tournament the following season. "That's the way it is in college basketball at this level and life on the road. But I'm proud of our effort. That's the type of mentality that builds a foundation to which you can take the next step from."
In an evenly-matched game, Eastern made 54 percent of its shots from the field, and Wyoming made 48 percent. The Eagles had 14 turnovers to Wyoming's 13, and the Cowboys had a 27-23 rebounding advantage.
But the biggest difference in the game was at the foul line as Wyoming made 29-of-37 for 78 percent while the Eagles made 11-of-12 for 92 percent. Eastern was whistled for nearly twice as many fouls as the Cowboys (26-16).
The Eagle-Cowboy game was originally going to be played March 19, but on March 18 the game was postponed a day because of a storm that blasted the Northern Colorado and Southern Wyoming areas. Closed roads leading to Laramie re-opened the morning of the game, and the Eagles finally made the 130-mile trip to Laramie. The region was paralyzed by up to seven feet in some mountain locations, and 40 inches in the Denver area.
 "That's one of the things I'm proud of," Giacoletti said. "The guys spent 72 hours pushing the bus out of the snow and stuck in motel rooms. I have no arguments about the way we played and the effort we gave. We came out and fought hard."
 
 
 

Team Notes

 
Eagles Are Now 13-13 in Big Sky Conference Tournament
 
Eastern made its 15th Big Sky Conference Tournament appearance in 30 years as a member of the league in 2017, and now has a record of 13-13 in its 26 games. The Eagles are 1-0 in the first round, 4-5 in the quarterfinals, 6-4 in the semifinals and 2-4 in the championship. Before winning the 2015 title, Eastern hadn't appeared since the 2011-12 and 2010-11 seasons, which were EWU's first since 2006. The Eagles qualified for each tournament from 1998-2006.
 
Eastern won Big Sky Conference Tournament championships and appeared in the NCAA Tournament in 2015 & 2004. The Eagles have also advanced to the National Invitation Tournament in 2003 and the College Basketball Invitational in 2016. Eastern registered the school's first NCAA Division I postseason win with a 79-72 victory over Pepperdine in the first round of the CBI.
 
Eastern head coach Jim Hayford has coached in nine previous Big Sky Conference Tournament games, with a record of 6-3 in four appearances (2012, 2015, 2016, 2017). His 2014-15 squad won the title and advanced to the NCAA Tournament with a trio of victories in Missoula, Montana. Included was a come-from-behind 69-65 over the host Grizzlies in the championship game.
 
 
Eagles Achieve Rare 20-Win Season, With Three-Straight Years of 18+
 
At 22-11 overall, the Eastern basketball program under head coach Jim Hayford has hit a threshold that has occurred just twice since in Eastern's 34-year history in NCAA Division I. Since 1983-84, the only other times EWU has won 20 games came in 1985-86 (20-8) and 2014-15 (26-9). This year's team is just one of five in the school's 34-year NCAA Division I history to have at least 18, including three-straight under Hayford.
 
Eastern has been in the Big Sky Conference for 30 seasons now, with a high of 14 league wins in 2014-15. Finishing 13-5 in league play this season, only one other time has EWU exceeded 11 league wins, that coming in 1999-00 when EWU had 12 to share the regular season league title with Montana.
 
Eastern closed the regular season with a 15-1 home record, tying the single season record of 15 set by the 1985-86 team. It was also accomplished two other times in EWU's NAIA era in the 1976-77 and 1977-78 seasons during EWU's school-record 31-game home winning streak.
 
Eastern's current total of 81 victories is the best four-year stretch in the school's Division I history, and the third-best overall. Eastern won 83 games from 1975-1978 and 106 from 1943-46. The Eagles have won 66 games in back-to-back-to-back seasons, which is also the best in EWU's DI history. Eastern won 80 games from 1945 to 1947 and 66 from 1976-78.
 
 
Jim Hayford Fastest to 100 Victories as Head Coach in Eastern History
 
Eastern head coach Jim Hayford has reached 100 victories as an Eastern coach in just his sixth season at the helm. He is the fastest to 100 in Eastern history, with Red Reese (470-301 in 31 seasons) achieving that feat in his seventh season. Vin Eustis (108-43 in eight seasons) hit 100 in his eighth and final year at the helm, and Jerry Krause (261-197 in 17 seasons) also reached his 100th in his eighth season. That trio and Hayford are the only coaches in the school's 109-season history (17 total coaches, nine in NCAA Division I) to have more than 75 victories. Hayford currently has a 106-90 record at Eastern, and is 360-174 in 18 seasons as a collegiate head coach.
 
 
Eagles Have Impressive Records When Winning Shooting and Rebounding Battles, as Well as in OT
 
The Eagles have compiled some impressive records in several areas this season, including a 18-2 record when scoring 73 or more points and a 5-1 record in overtime games. Eastern is one of the league's top shooting teams, and are now 14-2 when they make at least 50 percent and 17-4 when making 45.0 percent or better. Eastern finished ranked first in league games only in field goal percentage (.501) and scoring margin (+7.3).
 
Recently, the Eagles have been impressive rebounding the basketball, with a 13-4 record when they out-rebound opponents. Eastern has advantages in 15 of the last 19 games – including 11 of the last 12 -- but in its first 14 games, Eastern had a rebounding advantage just two times. Eastern is also 17-3 when it has 36 rebounds or more, and 17-5 when opponents have 35 or less.
 
Eastern's defense has also produced a 13-2 record when opponents make 44.9 percent of its shots or less, and 11-3 when opponents score 72 or fewer. The Eagles are a perfect 12-0 when they force 12 or more turnovers.
 
 
Eastern Has Big Sky's Second-Best RPI at No. 148
 
After its loss in the semifinals of the Big Sky Tournament, Eastern has dropped to second among league teams with a RPI ranking of 148 compared to 144 for league-champion North Dakota. Eastern was a season high 57th on 12/13 in the official NCAA RPI ratings. Prior to beating Montana on Jan. 26, Eastern had fallen behind Weber State briefly, and had been the top Big Sky team until UND passed them on March 11. The next-best Big Sky teams are Weber State (#185), Idaho (#207), Montana (#221) and Montana State (#254). With an 8-5 mark entering Big Sky play, Eastern joined Portland State at 7-4 as the only other league team above the .500 mark prior to the start of the league season. Plus, the Eagles received 10 votes in the Collegeinsider.com Mid-Major top 25 on Dec. 12 when the Eagles were 7-2.
 
 
Eastern In Top 31 in the Nation in Field Goal and Free Throw Shooting
 
Eastern's shooting from the field and the free throw line both rank in the top 31 in NCAA Division I and in the top four in the Big Sky Conference. Eastern's 47.9 field goal percentage is 31st in the nation and fourth in the league, led by Jacob Wiley at 64.3 percent to rank sixth individually and first in the league.
 
Eastern's clutch free throw shooting is a major reason EWU won its first six games decided by six points or less (EWU is now 8-3 in games decided by six or less and 13-6 in games decided by 10 or less). Eastern has made 76.7 percent thus far to lead the league and rank 17th in NCAA Division I. Jacob Wiley is 114th at 82.7 percent and Bogdan Bliznyuk is 142nd at 81.7 percent. They are ranked ninth and 11th, respectively, in the Big Sky. Felix Von Hofe is not ranked, but has made 40-of-51 thus far (78.4 percent) and Ty Gibson has sank 25-of-29 (86.2 percent). Eastern was as high as second in the nation early in the year.
 
Eastern is also 56th nationally in 3-point shooting at 37.8 percent to rank second in the league. The Eagles are paced by Felix Von Hofe (37.9 to rank 55th nationally), Ty Gibson (49.0 to rank second overall in the league) and Cody Benzel (45.2 to rank third overall in the Big Sky). Gibson and Benzel don't have the minimum number of attempts to be ranked nationally.
 
 
After Hiccup, Defense Returns Stronger Than Ever Versus Bears and Vandals
 
The writing was on the wall, and the defense responded at Northern Colorado on Feb. 11 with season-best performances for points and field goal percentage allowed. The 44 points UNC scored bested the previous fewest EWU allowed in a 70-47 win over Linfield, and was the best versus a Division I opponent since giving up just 60 to Montana on Jan. 26. The 28.3 shooting percentage for the Bears bettered EWU's previous best in holding Idaho to 30.5 percent on Dec. 30.
 
Eastern then allowed Idaho to make only 36.5 percent from the field and 67 total points in a 77-67 victory on Feb. 17. Prior to the UNC victory, EWU had allowed 219 points in its previous two games, which included a triple-overtime win. Those are the two highest scoring games against the Eagles this season, after defensively having their top six performances versus NCAA Division I foes in their first 10 league games.
 
 
Memorable Game Yields 4 Big Sky Records and 11 School Marks
 
On a memorable afternoon for Jim Hayford as he notched his 100th victory as EWU's head coach, a total of four Big Sky Conference records and 11 school marks were tied or broken as a result of Eastern's 130-124 victory over Portland State Feb. 4 at Reese Court in Cheney, Wash. Eastern set Big Sky and EWU records with 130 points scored, and the 254 combined points were also league and school records.
 
The 90 points combined by Bogdan Bliznyuk and Jacob Wiley set league and EWU records, as they came up just two from the NCAA record of 92.  They each had 45 points, tying the school record previously set by Rodney Stuckey (now with the Indiana Pacers in the NBA). Wiley, a senior graduate transfer from Newport, Wash., broke the school record for field goals made with 18, and Bliznyuk, a junior from Lutsk, Ukraine, had a record 29 field goal attempts. They also both tied the record with 53 minutes played. Wiley, who would receive National Player of the Week honors as a result of his big weekend, also set a Big Sky record with 83 points in back-to-back league games, which is also a school record for back-to-back games overall.
 
"It was head shaking," Hayford said after browsing all the record-breaking numbers. "Just amazing." A complete list of the records is available in the statistics portion of EWU's weekly .pdf basketball news release.
 
Besides the records, there were some interesting quirks about Eastern's weekend sweep, which included a 77-72 home win over Sacramento State. Versus Sac State, EWU scored what were then its second-fewest points in a half this season in the first 20 minutes, then scored its second-most points in a half with 54 after trailing at intermission 26-23. Versus the Vikings, Eastern allowed just 26 points in the first half for the second-straight game (ninth-best this season at the time), then surrendered a season-high 60 in the second half (Sac State had 46 to rank third). After two deadlocked overtime periods versus PSU, Wiley and Bliznyuk helped EWU forge a five-point lead, with Bliznyuk scoring 12 of EWU's 20 points in the final period and 27 overall in the final 15 minutes.
 
 
Eagles Double Big Sky and School Records for Overtime Periods With 10
 
Eastern's three overtime periods against Portland State on Feb. 4 brings to 10 its total for the season, doubling the previous Big Sky and EWU records of five in a single year. Eastern thus far is 5-1 in those contests, including a three-overtime game and two in double-overtime. The NCAA Division I season records are eight for overtime games and 14 for overtime periods.
 
Eastern defeated Seattle 80-76 in double overtime on Nov. 22 and then beat Denver in its next game in overtime by an 85-80 score. Two games later, the Eagles played at Seattle in another double-overtime thriller, winning 93-88. Eastern beat Morehead State 88-86 on Dec. 13, but then didn't have another until Jan. 28 when Montana State prevailed 91-90 in OT. On Feb. 4, Eastern needed three extra periods to beat Portland State 130-124 and set a variety of league and school records in the process. The previous EWU record for overtime periods in a single year was five in the 1998-99 season, including four extra periods in a 101-100 loss to Weber State on Jan. 16, 1993. The Eagles had no overtime games last season, two in 2014-15, one in 2013-14 and four in 2012-13
 
 
Eagles Entered League Play With 8-5 Record After Successful Pre-Conference Schedule
 
Eastern entered league play with a winning record of 8-5 – only the fifth time that has happened in 30 years in the Big Sky. The impressive start for EWU equals the NCAA Tournament team of 2014-15 (9-4) and the 1985-86 team (9-4) as the only teams to start 8-5 or better in 34 years in NCAA Division I. This year's Eagles were just the sixth team in 34 years to start 5-2 or better, including three under Hayford.
 
 
Eagles Picked as High as No. 5 in Preseason Polls
 
The Big Sky Conference men's basketball was a dogfight, and 2016-17 preseason predictions beared that out. Coming off its best back-to-back seasons in its NCAA Division I history, Eastern was picked fifth by the media and seventh by the coaches in the league's preseason basketball polls released Oct. 14.
 
While the Eagles appeared loaded and ready for another Big Sky title run, the rest of the league was as well. Weber State was picked to win the title in both polls, while the media picked Montana at No. 2, Idaho third and North Dakota to finish fourth just ahead of the Eagles and Idaho State at No. 5. After Weber State, the coaches picked the order of finish as Idaho, North Dakota, Montana, Idaho State, Montana State and then EWU.
 
 
Eagles Coming Off First Postseason Victory as a Member of NCAA Division I
 
The Eagles finished the 2015-16 season with an 18-16 record and advanced to the second round of the College Basketball Invitational, including the school's first NCAA Division I postseason win with a 79-72 victory over Pepperdine. Eastern finished fourth in the Big Sky Conference with a 10-8 league mark, then beat Northern Arizona 74-52 in the first round of the league tournament. Eastern was the Big Sky's 2014-15 regular season and tournament champion, and advanced to the NCAA Tournament.
 
The 44 combined victories the last two years were the most in since EWU became a member of NCAA Division I in the 1983-84 season. They are the most overall in 39 years since EWU won a combined 45 in the 1976-77 and 1977-78 seasons as a member of the NAIA.
 
Eastern finished the season ranked fifth in NCAA Division I with an average of 10.5 3-pointers made per game. Eastern also ranked 15th in NCAA Division I in scoring offense (81.4 points per game), 16th in overall field goal accuracy (48.3 percent) and 25th in accuracy from the 3-point stripe (38.5 percent).
 
 
Rodney Stuckey in 10th Season in NBA; Former Eagle Drew Brandon Signs with Romania Pro Team
 
Former Eastern men's basketball player Drew Brandon recently signed with the CS Phoenix Galati in Romania after playing previously in Germany, and is one of 14 former Eagles currently playing professionally. The most famous is Rodney Stuckey, who is in his 10th season in the NBA (now with the Indiana Pacers after seven years with the Detroit Pistons) after earning honorable mention All-America honors for Eastern in the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons.
 
Brandon was a member of EWU's 2015 NCAA Tournament team, and CS Phoenix is a member of the Romania Liga Nationala League. In 30 games as a rookie for Bayer in Germany last season, Brandon averaged 10.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.4 steals per game. He was named to the Eurobasket.com All-German 2.Bundesliga Pro A squad as an honorable mention selection, and was on its All-Defensive Team.
 
Former Eagles Venky Jois and Tyler Harvey are also currently playing overseas. In his first four games with Tartu Ulikool/Rock in Estonia in the 2016-17 season, Jois was averaging 7.0 points, 12.0 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 0.8 blocked shots per game, including 17 points and 13 rebounds in an 88-57 victory over Audentese in Estonia.
 
In his first five games with Auxilium Torino in Italy in the 2016-17 season, Harvey was averaging 6.2 points, 1.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.2 steals per game, and made 8-of-29 3-point shots. He averaged 11.9 points in 37 games as a rookie for the Erie Bay Hawks in the NBA's Developmental League, making 80-of-231 three-pointers for 34.6 percent.
 
In addition, former Eagle Laron Griffin recently signed with KB Trepca Mitrovice (SuperLeague) in Kosovo. Most recently, Griffin played for San Miguel in Liga MB in Salvador where in 18 games he averaged 16.3 points, 14.4 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.3 steals and 2.3 blocks per game.

Eastern has 14 former players who have played in the pro ranks within the last year. The complete list of current and former professionals is located at: http://goeags.com/sports/2016/6/27/eagles-in-the-pros.aspx
 
 
Quartet Sign Letters of Intent With Eagle Basketball
 
A quartet of high school players, including 6-foot-9 forward Tanner Groves from Shadle Park High School in Spokane, Wash., have signed letters of intent to play basketball and attend Eastern Washington University, EWU head coach Jim Hayford announced Nov. 9.
 
The others signed include 6-6 forward Brendan Howard, who was Montana's Gatorade Player of the Year as a junior at Great Falls High School. The third signee was Australian Jack Perry, a 6-2 guard who joins a group of five Aussies currently on EWU's roster. The fourth was 6-7 guard/forward Kim Aiken, an All-CIF selection from East Valley High School in Redlands, Calif.
 
More on the signing class, including comments from head coach Jim Hayford, is available at: http://goeags.com/news/2016/11/9/mens-basketball-quartet-sign-letters-of-intent-with-eagle-basketball.aspx?path=mbball
 
 
 

Player Notes

 
#20 - CODY BENZEL - G - 6-4 - 175 - So. - 1L* - Spokane, Wash. / Ferris HS '14
 
2016-17: For the season, Benzel is averaging 4.8 points on 47-of-104 shooting from the 3-point stripe (45.2 percent to rank third in the Big Sky). In league games only, he led the league at 56.8 percent (21-of-37). Benzel came off the bench to make all four of his 3-point attempts in the first half to finish with 12 points in EWU's 130-124 victory over Portland State (2/4/17) in three overtimes. It was his fifth double figure scoring game of the season and eighth of his career, but first since scoring 11 at Seattle (12/4/16). He hit a trio of 3-pointers in EWU's Big Sky Conference Tournament game against Sacramento State (3/9/17).
 
 
#32 - BOGDAN BLIZNYUK - G/F - 6-6 - 215 - Jr. - 2L - Lutsk, Ukraine / Todd Beamer HS '14
 
Career: With exactly 102 career games (16th in school history), Bliznyuk is the 20th Eagle to join the 1,000-point club, currently ranking seventh with 1,399 points. The only player in school history with a triple-double, when Bliznyuk registers a double-double, good things usually happen for the Eagles. He now has six double-doubles in the 2016-17 season and 15 in his career. Eastern has won 10-straight games when he's had a double-double, and a record of 13-2 when he achieves that feat. The Eagles are 6-0 this season when he has a double-double, and one of the 13 career victories was the first triple-double in school history with 11 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists on Jan. 16, 2016. He now has seven 30-point performances in his career (all this season), with 25 of at least 20 (18 this season).
 
Triple-Double History: Bliznyuk had 11 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists against Northern Arizona on Jan. 16, 2016, for the first triple-double in school history. But five other times – including twice by Bliznyuk this season -- an Eagle has come one stat from a triple-double. All of them have occurred since Jan. 11, 2014, including three by former Eagle point guard Drew Brandon. The closest former Eagle Rodney Stuckey – now playing in the NBA for Indiana – came was 14 points, seven rebounds and 10 assists on Nov. 19, 2005, versus Pacific Lutheran.
 
2016:17 Honors: A second team All-Big Sky selection as chosen by the league's head coaches, Bliznyuk earned first team All-BSC honors from HoopsHD.Com. He was also honored twice as Big Sky Conference Player of the Week by the league office. He joined teammate Jacob Wiley on Dec. 30 as in being honored by HoopsHD.Com as mid-season All-Big Sky Conference selections. Bliznyuk was named that organization's "Player of the Year So Far." Prior to the start of the season, he was a first team selection on the College Sports Madness preseason All-Big Sky Conference team.
 
2016-17: Bliznyuk is averaging 26.3 points, 8.9 rebounds and 3.4 assists in his last seven games entering the College Basketball Invitational. Bliznyuk ranks in the top 11 in four different statistical categories in the league, ranking fifth in points (20.4 per game), sixth in rebounds (6.6), sixth in assists (3.9) and 11th in free throw percentage (.817). Southern Utah's Randy Onwuasor is the only other league player to rank in the top 11 in each of those four categories. Bliznyuk ranks 31st nationally in scoring and 166th in assists. Bliznyuk's scoring average (20.36) is currently ninth in EWU single season history, and he became the eighth Eagle to score 600 points in a single season (he is currently sixth with 672, five behind Tyler Harvey with 677 in 2014).
 
In two Big Sky Conference Tournament games, Bliznyuk had 50 points, 17 rebounds, six assists and three steals, including a 32-point performance in the semifinals against Weber State (3/10/17). He ended the regular season by getting 60 points, 15 rebounds and 11 assists in a weekend split to help EWU finish with the second-most Big Sky victories in school history with 13.
 
 
#2 - TY GIBSON - G - 6-3 - 190 - So. - 1L - Issaquah, Wash. / Issaquah HS '15
 
2016-17: Was nominated by EWU for CoSIDA Academic All-America honors. For the season, Gibson is averaging 5.3 points on 48.1 percent shooting from the field, including 47-of-96 3-pointers (49.0 percent to rank second in the Big Sky). He was also second in 3-point shooting in league games only, making 50.0 percent (28-of-56) which ranks only behind teammate Cody Benzel at 56.8 percent (21-of-37). Gibson made just his third career start – and first this season – against Northern Colorado (2/11/17) and set a new career high for points in a game with 21. His previous career high was 19 against Great Falls (12/8/16). He tied his career high for made 3-pointers, going 6-for-8 from beyond the arc. He has started in all but one game since, scoring in double figures in three of his seven games as a starter. Earlier this season, Gibson scored 13 points in a less than four minute span in the first half and finished with what was then a career-high 19 points in EWU's 103-76 victory over Great Falls (12/8/16).
 
 
#14 - MASON PEATLING - F - 6-8 - 220 - Fr. - HS - Melbourne, Australia / Beaconhills College HS '16
 
2016-17: Peatling made his starting debut versus 17th-ranked Xavier on Dec. 20 and has started 16 total games. He is averaging 4.0 points and 3.1 rebounds, with a high of 13 points at Montana (1/26/17) and highs of nine rebounds and three blocked shots versus Idaho (12/30/16). He also had seven points versus the Vandals and has made 54.0 percent of his shots from the field for the season (54-of-100) and 37.9 percent of his 3-pointers (11-of-29). He was in the starting lineup from Dec. 20 to Feb. 9, helping Eastern go 8-6 in those 14 games. He made his 16th start of the season in the quarterfinals of the Big Sky Tournament against Sacramento State (3/9/17) and had eight points and six rebounds on 3-of-4 shooting from the field and 2-of-3 from the free throw line. He had scored only four total points in his previous seven games.
 
 
#44 - FELIX VON HOFE - F - 6-5 - 200 - Sr. - 3L - Melbourne, Australia / Wesley Col. '12 / Australian Inst. of Sport
 
Career: Von Hofe will finish as the winningest player in the school's NCAA Division I history, has set the school record for games played and is on the verge of EWU's 3-pointers made record. Eastern has won 81 games during his time at Eastern, and his 127 games played is one ahead of the record of 126 set by his former EWU teammate Parker Kelly (2012-15). Von Hofe is the 21st Eagle to join the 1,000-point club, currently ranking 18th with 1,041 career points. Von Hofe has moved up to eighth in career 3-pointers in the Big Sky Conference with 257, and needs just one to move into seventh (258, Scott Bamforth, Weber State, 2011-13). He ranks second in school history, having earlier this season moved past his former teammate Parker Kelly with 210 from 2012-15. Von Hofe is now three from the record of 260 set by his former teammate Tyler Harvey from 2013-15. Von Hofe now holds the school record with 647 attempts (breaking Harvey's record of 602), and his percentage of .397 is 12th. Von Hofe now has had 13 performances of at least 20 points in his Eastern career, including five this year and seven as a junior in 2015-16 when he had the fourth-most 3-pointers in school history with 105. He has scored in double figures 15 times this season (41 times in his career), and has led EWU in scoring twice in 2016-17 (11 in his career).
 
2016-17: Entering the season, he was a fourth team selection on the College Sports Madness preseason All-Big Sky Conference squad. Von Hofe has a team-leading 91 3-pointers this season to rank sixth in single season school history. He is 51st in NCAA Division I with an average of 2.76 per game, helping EWU rank 100th as a team in makes per game (8.2) and 56th in percentage (37.8). In helping Eastern moved into a first-place tie in the Big Sky with a 91-75 win over Southern Utah (3/2/17), he scored 20 points to become the 21st player in school history go over the 1,000-point mark in his career. His scoring performance was his best since getting 22 in a league-opening win at Idaho (12/30/16), and his 6-of-11 3-point performance was also his most since that game. He had five 3-pointers and 19 total points in an 82-64 win over Montana State (1/5/17).  One game earlier, Von Hofe had a 22-point performance in a 69-67 victory over Idaho (12/30/16) that included six 3-pointers.
 
 
#4 - SIR WASHINGTON - G - 6-3 - 180 - Jr. - 2L* - Las Vegas, Nevada / Clark HS '13
 
2016-17: Washington has scored in double figures in four of EWU's last nine games after having just four in the first 24 outings for the Eagles. He's averaged 8.6 points in those nine games. Washington made 12-of-24 (50.0 percent) of his 3-point attempts in Big Sky games, compared to 5-of-21 (23.8 percent) in non-conference outings. For the season, he is averaging 6.7 points per game, with eight double-figure performances (15 in his career). His most recent double figure performance was against Sacramento State (3/9/17) in the Big Sky Tournament when he had 11 on 5-of-8 shooting. He scored 16 points on 4-of-9 shooting from the field and 8-of-8 from the free throw line in EWU's 82-72 win over Weber State (2/23/17) for second place in the league standings. He scored 10 of them in the second half, and he also had five rebounds and five assists before fouling out with 3:09 to play. In his previous game he scored 17 points versus Idaho (2/17/17), the second-best performance in his career only behind the 21 he scored earlier this season versus San Francisco (11/27/16).
 
 
#24 - JACOB WILEY - F - 6-7 - 220 - Sr. - TR* - Newport, Wash. / Newport HS '12 / Montana / Lewis-Clark State
 
Career: Having attended nearby Newport (Wash.) High School, this is Wiley's first and only year in an Eastern uniform after transferring from Lewis-Clark State and having begun his collegiate career at Montana. He has 10 total games worth of experience in national and conference postseason tournaments, including a pair in the 2017 Big Sky Conference Tournament when he earned All-Tournament honors. He played two games in the Frontier Conference playoffs in each of the past two seasons, then played in one NAIA Tournament game in 2015 and two in 2016. Although he didn't play in the Big Sky Tournament as a freshman at Montana in 2013, he played versus Syracuse in the NCAA Tournament. His 93 blocked shots this season already ranks fourth on the EWU career list.
 
Making Big Sky History: Wiley has compiled some of the top statistics in NCAA Division I and the history of the Big Sky Conference. He is only the second player in Big Sky Conference history to score at least 639 points and have at least 303 rebounds in the league's 54-year existence, with current totals of 668 and 303, respectively. Montana's Larry Krystokowiak (now head coach at Utah) is the other player to accomplish that feat, and he had 709 points and 364 rebounds in the 1985-86 season. Wiley is the first to finish a season with at least 639 points/303 rebounds, plus at least 58 blocks (he currently has 93 to rank second all-time in the league). Likewise, no previous player that has had 639/303 has also had at least a .621 field goal percentage (Wiley is currently at .643). No Eastern player has had at least 600 points and 300 rebounds, with Ron Cox having 554/328 in the 1975-76 season and 485/356 the following year as a senior. Former Eagle Venky Jois had 525/278/56/.679 last season, and 518/238/69/.610 as a junior.
 
10-Game Scoring Totals Tops in EWU History; Back-to-Back Performances Tops in Big Sky: Even higher than the likes of Rodney Stuckey, Austin McBroom and Tyler Harvey, Wiley averaged 28.5 points in a 10-game stretch from Jan. 12 to Feb. 11 for a total of 285 points. Stuckey's best 10-game totals were 284 (28.4) as a freshman and 282 points (28.2 per game) during his sophomore season in 2006-07, prior to heading off to the NBA where he now plays for the Indiana Pacers. McBroom's top 10-game stretch was 261 points (26.1) in the 2015-16 season, while Harvey had a stretch of 274 (27.4) as a junior in 2014-15 and 247 (24.7) the year before. Wiley's 83 points against Sacramento State (38 on 2/2/17) and Portland State (45 on 2/4/17) are the most in back-to-back games overall and in conference play in school history, and also a record in the Big Sky. The Big Sky record was previously set by Damian Lillard (now of the Portland Trailblazers), who had 75 in two games in Feb. of 2012 (40 vs. Portland State 2/2 and 35 vs. Northern Colorado 2/4).
 
2016-17 Honors: Wiley was selected by the league's head coaches as the Big Sky Conference MVP and a first team all-league choice. He is EWU's third player in 30 years in the Big Sky to earn MVP honors, joining Alvin Snow (2004) and Rodney Stuckey (2006). He also earned All-Big Sky Tournament honors, and HoopsHD.Com selected him as its Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year and a first team all-league choice. Wiley earned Big Sky Player of the Week honors in four different weeks, was honored once as Mid-Major Player of the Week, won a tournament MVP honor, and garnered a variety of National Player of the Week accolades for his record-breaking efforts earlier this season in a home sweep of Sacramento State (2/2/17) and Portland State (2/4/17).
 
2016-17: For the season, Wiley is averaging 20.2 points per game overall to rank 34th in NCAA Division I and sixth in the Big Sky on 64.3 percent shooting to rank sixth in the nation and first in the league. His scoring average is currently 10th in EWU single season history, and he is just the seventh Eagle to score 600 points in a single season (he is currently seventh with 668). He's also averaging 2.82 blocked shots (first in the league and eighth nationally), with a school-record total of 93 to break the previous record of 69 set by Venky Jois in 2015. He's also ranked second all-time in the league, just two from the record (95, Brian Qvale, Montana, 2010-11). His field goal percentage of .643 currently ranks as the 16th best in league history. Wiley has made 82.7 percent from the free throw line (ninth in the league and 114th nationally). In addition, he is averaging 9.2 rebounds on the season (first in the league and 44th nationally) and 2.3 assists per game. In league-only statistics, Wiley led the Big Sky in four different categories during what will be a one-year career at EWU. He led in scoring (24.6), rebounding (10.3), blocked shots (2.5) and field goal percentage (.659). He was also 10th in free throw percentage (81.7 percent), and averaged 2.6 assists and 0.6 steals in 18 league games. Wiley now has seven 30-point performances this season and 17 with at least 20, and he has had at least 24 points in 11 of his last 19 games. He had at least 20 in 13 of EWU's 18 league outings. For the season, he has scored in double figures in all but four of EWU's 33 games and has 11 double-doubles, with a total of 13 double-figure rebounding performances. En route to earning Big Sky All-Tournament honors, he had 48 points, 18 rebounds and seven blocked shots in two games, while making 19-of-27 shots from the field (70.4 percent) and 10-of-13 free throws (76.9 percent). He had a 9-of-9 performance against Sacramento State to equal the second-best shooting performance in Big Sky Tournament and school history. Only Jermaine Boyette's 10-of-10 performance against Idaho State in 2001 was better at the tournament, and Chris White holds EWU's record with a 10-of-10 performance earlier that same season against Montana State on Feb. 1, 2001.
 
Records Fall in 3-Overtime Win: Against PSU (2/4/17), Eastern set Big Sky and EWU records with 130 points scored, as well as the 90 points combined by Wiley and Bliznyuk (they each scored a school record 45). They came just two points from the NCAA record for combined points of 92. Wiley also broke the school record for field goals made with 18, and he and Bliznyuk equaled the EWU record with 53 minutes played each. The 254 combined points by the Vikings and Eagles were also league and school records.
 
At Lewis-Clark State: Wiley capped a spectacular junior season for Lewis-Clark State in 2015-16 by earning first team NAIA All-America honors after averaging 14.9 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.4 blocked shots per game. He led L-C State to a 29-5 record and was the fourth-most accurate shooter (.604) in the NAIA, as well as ranking 20th in blocks per game and 43rd in rebounds per game. He was an Academic All-Frontier Conference selection while at L-C State.
 
At Montana: As a true freshman for Montana in the 2012-13 season, Wiley played in 20 games and averaged 3.0 minutes, 0.9 points and 0.6 rebounds per game. In two regular season victories over EWU, he played one minute in each. Wiley scored two points in an 81-66 win in Missoula and had a rebound in a 65-46 triumph in Cheney. His career highlight came during Montana's 2013 NCAA Tournament round game against Syracuse when he scored five points and recorded one block in the 81-34 loss. After quitting the basketball team prior to his sophomore season, he joined the Montana track and field squad and competed in the 400 meters.
 
 
 

Recent Game Recaps

 
After Hard-Fought Second Half, Weber State Pulls Away Late for 80-72 Win
 
Weber State scored 20 points off of 13 EWU miscues and used a late 13-2 run to beat the second-seeded Eagles 80-72 in the semifinals of the Big Sky Conference Tournament March 10 at the Reno Events Center in Reno, Nevada.  Eastern's dynamic duo of junior Bogdan Bliznyuk and senior graduate transfer Jacob Wiley combined for 56 points in the loss to the third-seeded Wildcats. After EWU led most of the first half, the second half featured eight ties and seven lead changes. Eastern took its last lead of the game at the 5:54 mark, then Weber State scored five points off a pair of Eagle turnovers during the game-deciding 13-2 run. The Wildcats opened their biggest lead of the night at 74-65, then led by no less than five the rest of the way. After shooting at a 57 percent clip in the game midway through the second half, Eastern made only six of its last 21 shots, missing its last five. Four Eastern players combined for a 1-of-12 shooting performance from 3-point range, as EWU finished just 5-of-18 (28 percent) from beyond the arc. The Eagles finished the game at 47 percent overall, compared to 50 percent for the Wildcats.
 
Eastern Survives Foul Trouble to Beat Sac State 89-70 in Big Sky Tournament Quarterfinals
 
With six players scoring at least eight points, Eastern rolled to an 89-70 victory over Sacramento State in the quarterfinals of the Big Sky Conference Tournament March 9 at the Reno Events Center in Reno, Nev. The Eagles held the Hornets without a field goal for a stretch of 7:45 in the first half and 10:08 in the second half, on their way to a 55 percent to 42 percent advantage in shooting from the field. Runs of 12-1 and 9-0 were the catalyst in helping EWU improve its season record to 22-10 with 11 victories in their last 14 games. Senior graduate transfer Jacob Wiley scored 18 of his game-high 24 points in the second half and had 10 rebounds, with junior Bogdan Bliznyuk adding 18 points, nine rebounds, six assists and a pair of steals. Four other players also scored at least eight, including 11 by junior Sir Washington, nine each by Cody Benzel and Felix Von Hofe and eight by freshman Mason Peatling. Matching Sac State's physicality, Eastern was whistled for 30 fouls and sent Sac State to the line 36 times, but no Eagle fouled out. After the Hornets cut Eastern's 13-point halftime lead to six on a pair of occasions early in the second half, Eastern used a 9-0 run to regain command. Washington had a driving layin and a 3-pointer to start the run, then baskets by Benzel and Peatling gave EWU a 55-40 advantage. Later, 3-pointers by Benzel and Bliznyuk opened a 64-45 Eagle lead during a stretch in which Sac State missed eight-straight shots and went without a field goal for 10:08.
 
 

Jim Hayford Comments

 
On Eagles in 2017: "We were different than every other Big Sky team. How many driving layups and post-up baskets and other two-pointers did Jake and Bogdan make? If you did a shot chart of all our baskets during the year, it would be a giant mass of baskets eight feet from the basket. The fact opponents knew it was coming and they couldn't stop them shows how outstanding Jake and Bogdan are. What a fun year. We have more basketball to play, but from day one this team was always headed into the same direction. These guys are amazing students – Jake and Bogdan are both 3.4, 3.5 students, and the whole team is everything good about getting to be a college basketball coach. I've been able to live a dream with this team this year."
 
On Semifinal Loss to Weber State: "It's a tough one. You have to put the ball in the basket – that's the game of basketball. We just didn't get enough support around Jake and Bogdan. You win as a team and you lose as a team. We're 22-11 and had a second-place finish in a really tough conference. Anybody watching these games realizes just how strong the Big Sky was this year. Every game was a war. Two years ago we won 26 games, and that's the only year an Eastern team won more games than this (in NCAA Division I). I'm extremely proud of our team."
 
On Eagle-Wildcat Matchup: "I'm really proud of our team and be a part of a game like that. There was outstanding sportsmanship and respect between the two teams. We have tremendous respect for Weber's program. When our staff took over six years ago, Weber State was the standard and what we wanted to be like. The last six games against them we've each won three, and they won the one that mattered today. We are trying to get there with them, and if we can do that, we're in a classy neighborhood because Weber is a classy program."
 
On Win Over Sac State: "A 19-point win – wow. I was still looking at the clock (with concern) with 40 seconds to go. We made enough 3-pointers to keep them honest, and our studs were studs. Bogdan came one rebound from a double-double and Jake with limited time had a double-double. When we got in foul trouble, we just told Jesse (Hunt) to go collect the fouls. Felix came out hot and then he got in foul trouble. Fortunately Bogdan didn't get in foul trouble and we were able to finish the game without anybody fouling out."
 
On Last Year for Wiley: "A year ago we were wondering how we were going to replace Venky Jois – arguably the best post player who ever came through Eastern Washington. At Senior Day last season, there was a guy sitting up in the stands saying this is where he wanted to go and this is what he wanted to do. He came and worked his tail off all summer, and then went on our foreign tour to Australia, and Jake said 'I like this offense, it works for me.' And then his coach says, "I like this post player, this works for me.' It was like love at first sight. He just keeps getting better each week and he's a big part of why we have such great chemistry. Imagine somebody getting these types of numbers with an ego thinking about himself. It just shows you he's a mature man to have this kind of success. It was a match made in heaven – if there was a guy sitting in the stands today watching Jake, I have a scholarship for him if he can come do what Jake did."
 
On Effort, Concentration and Determination: "There are three things we are preaching – the first one is effort and they bring great effort. The next one is concentration and the last one is determination. It doesn't matter who we are playing next – top or bottom of the standings – our team wants to get better and they are going to bring that effort, that concentration and that dedication. That's why they keep getting better."
 
On Bliznyuk: "Bogdan is an amazing young man – he's a great student, a great member of his family and a great teammate. He was very honored when we made him a team captain this year, and he's taken that extremely serious. He leads by example and is one of our hardest workers. What he says is really meaningful, and all of his teammates have a genuine love and appreciation for him. He has multiple skills – he can shoot it better than he has this year but he has a great drive game and post-up game. He's kind of a bully. Idaho is a really physical team, for him to come up with 13 rebounds shows he has some strength."
 
On Wiley's National Player of the Week Honors on Feb. 6 & 7: "Jacob is playing at an amazing level. He is working well with his teammates, and most importantly, leading us to wins. Jacob is deserving of this recognition when you consider all he has overcome and how hard he works. He is very humble and seeks out coaching daily."
 
In Team Victory Over PSU: "In the last 35 minutes of that game – second half and three overtimes – I don't remember an offensive execution that any guy on our team missed. If it was isolation for Bogdan or post-up to Jake, other players had to have proper spacing or get the ball to them with good timing. All of our players did exactly what they were supposed to do – it was a great team win, highlighted by two amazing individual performances."
 
On Wildness of Portland State Win: "It was a classic – that was something else. It was two teams just going at it. There were some amazing individual performances and some amazing clutch baskets. There were some pressure free throws. You got back through and you start forgetting all the different, just amazing plays that took place. I've never coached a game where two guys each had 45 points, and they both had double-doubles. We just kept going to them because they were doing so well, and Portland State didn't have an answer for them. It's amazing and it's really neat to have it happen in a win. It's the kind of stat you don't want to have happen in a loss."
 
On 100th Win at Eastern: "I've coached over 500 games, and at the end of year two here I was just hoping to be around for year four. We hoped all of our younger players would develop, and they did develop into a NCAA Tournament team. This year's team has a chance for the third year in a row to have one of Eastern's top four NCAA Division I records. I don't know how hard it was for the others who won 100 games, but I'll tell you it is hard to get Division I wins. I'm very grateful for our players. Coaches put players in a position to win games, but players win games."