GAME NOTES

CHENEY, Wash. – The Eastern Washington University women's basketball team is back on the road this week for a pair of games to wrap up the month of January. The Eagles travel to Cedar City, Utah, to face Southern Utah on Saturday, Jan. 25 at 1 p.m. Pacific time. Then it's a quick turnaround as Eastern travels to face Northern Colorado on Monday, Jan. 27 for an 11 a.m. PT matinee.
 
HOW TO WATCH: Saturday's game will be streamed for free on Pluto TV Ch. 536 and WatchBigSky.com with live stats available on EWUStats.com. Monday's game will be on Pluto TV Ch. 541 and WatchBigSky.com with live stats available HERE.
 
Live, in-game updates and video highlights can be found by following @EWUWBB on Twitter.
 
LAST TIME OUT: Eastern Washington is coming off of a double-overtime loss at home to Montana State last Saturday (Jan. 18) by a score of 89-85. The Eagles made a school record 17 three pointers and were led in scoring by Jenna Dick (21) and Kennedy Dickie (19). Jessica McDowell-White also turned in her second double-double of the season with 18 points and 12 assists.
 
The Eagles shot 60.9 percent from the field in the first half and held an 11-point lead midway through the third quarter to lead 58-49 with a quarter to play. The Bobcats outscored EWU during the fourth quarter, 23-14, and tied the game with 25.6 seconds left to send the game into overtime. Both teams were tied 78-78 at the end of the first overtime period and went back-and-forth until MSU made a layup with 10 seconds left and then made two free throws to seal the victory.
 
For the second-straight game, the Eagles outshot their opponents. Eastern Washington shot 45.6 percent from the field (31-68) and 53.1 percent from three-point range (17-for-32). The Bobcats shot 40 percent (28-70) from the field and were 10-for-26 (38.5%) from beyond the arc.
 
A LOOK AT THE EAGLES: Eastern Washington is currently sitting at 2-13 overall with a 1-5 mark in Big Sky Conference action and will look to snap a five-game losing streak on Saturday at Southern Utah.
 
Grace Kirscher leads the team with 10.5 points per game and is averaging 14.0 during conference play. She is followed closely by Kennedy Dickie who adds 9.2 points per contest.
 
Jenna Dick ranks 44^th in the nation in three-point field goal percentage, draining 41.3 percent (31-75) of her shots from deep. She adds 8.7 points per game along with sophomore Jessica McDowell-White who has added 29 three-pointers so far this season.
 
McDowell-White is also among the nation's best in assists, ranking 33rd in the nation with 5.1 per game. She also leads the team in steals with 1.4 per game.
Bella Cravens paces the Eagles with 7.9 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game.
 
As a team, the Eagles rank 22nd in the nation with 8.5 three-pointers per game. They have made 10 or more three-pointers in four-straight games, including a program record 17 last Saturday.
 
A LOOK AT THE THUNDERBIRDS: Southern Utah is 8-7 overall and 2-4 in Big Sky play. The Thunderbirds return home to defend their perfect 7-0 record in Cedar City after losses at Northern Arizona (84-76) and Sacramento State (87-82) last week.
 
Southern Utah boasts Rebecca Cardenas who leads the Big Sky and the team with 18.5 points per game. Harley Hansen also ranks inside the top-ten in the conference with 13.6 points per game while Shalyn Fano adds 10.7. Cardenas also leads the league with 2.5 steals per game and ranks fourth with 4.7 assists per game.
 
Hansen has a slight edge over Jenna Dick from behind the arc, draining 41.7 percent of her shots to Dick's 41.3 percent.
 
Southern Utah averages 71.9 points per game on 41.2 percent accuracy from the field.
 
SERIES HISTORY: Eastern Washington leads the all-time series, 12-8, and have won eight out of the last 10 matchups. In Cedar City, the Eagles are 4-4.
 
Last season, the Eagles suffered a 73-63 loss on the road on Jan. 31. Despite the result, Grace Kirscher was a perfect 6-for-6 from behind the three-point line and totaled her career-high 22 points. Bella Cravens added 11.
 
When Southern Utah made the return trip to Cheney on Feb. 21, Eastern picked up an 80-66 victory and five players scored in double figures led by Kirscher (16) and McDowell-White (14).
 
A LOOK AT THE BEARS: Northern Colorado is 7-8 overall with an even 3-3 mark in the Big Sky. Last week, they beat Sacramento State (73-63) on the road before falling at Northern Arizona, 72-45.
 
Alexis Chapman leads the team with 13.3 points per game and has made 36 three-pointers so far this season. Alisha Davis leads the team with 6.3 rebounds per game.
 
As a team, the Bears average 60.5 points per game on 36.3 percent accuracy from the field.
 
SERIES HISTORY: Northern Colorado will undoubtedly be seeking revenge for the last time the Eagles and Bears faced off. The two squads battled during the semifinals of the 2019 Big Sky Conference Tournament and it was the No. 6 Eagles who knocked off the No. 2 Bears, and defending champions, to advance to the championship game by a score of 59-57.
The Eagles trailed for the entirety of the game up until the 3:33 mark in the third quarter when Jessica McDowell-White hit a three-pointer to give the Eagles a 34-33 lead.
 
Eastern Washington continued to lead by a small margin throughout the rest of the game up until Northern Colorado's Krystal Leger-Walker hit a jumper with seven seconds on the clock to put the Bears up 57-56.
 
With the ball under Eastern's basket and three seconds on the clock, McDowell-White would play a large part in the contest once again, bouncing her inbounds pass off of her Northern Colorado defender and cashed in the layup, giving Eastern a 58-57 lead. She was fouled and completed the old-fashioned three-point play and the Eastern Washington Eagles advanced to the Big Sky title game.
 
The Eagles have won two-straight over the Bears. Last season, EWU lost in overtime at Reese Court by a score of 67-62. A month later, the Eagles avenged the loss and beat the Bears in Greeley by a score of 76-72.
 
Eastern Washington trails the all-time series, 11-15, and are 4-8 at the Bank of the Colorado Arena. EWU has won six out of the last 10 meetings.
 
UP NEXT: After the month of January that saw the Eagles only play at home once, Eastern Washington will return to Reese Court for three-straight to open the month of February. Sacramento State comes to town on Saturday, Feb. 1, for a 2:05 p.m. tip before hosting Northern Arizona on Monday, Feb. 3 at 6:05 p.m.
 
The annual Kid's Day takes place when the Eagles host Montana for an 11 a.m. tip on Thursday, Feb. 6.