Eastern Washington University Athletics

For the first time in the 2021-22 season, the Eastern Washington University women's basketball team took to the floor, hosting San Jose State at Reese Court tonight (Nov. 11) in Cheney, Wash. The Eagles had four score in double figures, but were edged by the Spartans by a final score of 77-67.
 
Freshman Jaydia Martin led all players with 23 points in 26 minutes of action. Jacinta Buckley added a double-double of 12 rebounds and 10 points, while Milly Knowles (10) and Alexis Pettis (11) scored in double figures as well.
 
"We're a young team with a lot of new players, but we thought it was a great showing. I really loved the grit, the toughness and the resilience that the team showed," said head coach Joddie Gleason, who took the helm for the first time tonight. "I thought that San Jose State did a great job, they hit shots and kept coming at us. Every time we would try and shrink their lead, they would hit two-or-three big shots in a row. I thought our team never gave up and kept fighting the whole time, and that's something that we'll take away from this."
 
The first quarter was close to start with three ties and two changes early on and Bria Rice made a layup to put the Eagles up 10-9. Then, with the game tied 11-11, the Eagles held San Jose State without a field goal for 3:01 going 1-of-9 from the field during the stretch. Then, the tables turned when the Spartans found their spark, going on a 14-2 run to lead 27-15 at the end of the first.
 
Both teams shot under 26 percent for the second quarter, but the Eagles outscored the Spartans 13-to-12 and held their opponent without a field goal for 4:31. Freshman Jaydia Martin went on a 6-0 run of her own and the Eagles cut the lead to nine, 34-25. A three-point play by Knowles also put EWU back within eight points, but the Spartans were able to hold on to a 39-28 lead at the half.
 
San Jose State started the second half on an 8-0 run and led 56-41 with a quarter to go.
 
The Eagles started the fourth quarter on a 4-0 run and a Martin three-pointer cut the lead to ten, 56-46. After the Spartans pulled back ahead 60-46, Alexis Pettis and Martin drained consecutive threes for a 6-0 run that cut the lead back down to eight points with 7:10 left to play. That would be the closest Eastern Washington would get in the fourth, but the Eagles saved their best quarter for last, shooting 46.8 percent from the field with four three-pointers and held the Spartans to 40 percent and out-scored the Spartans 26-to-21.
 
EAGLE DEBUTS: Andie Zylak, Jacinta Buckley, Jordyn Boesel, Jaydia Martin, Alexis Pettis, Bria Rice, Devynn Warns and Jaleesa Lawrence all made their Eagle debuts, with Zylak, Martin, Boesel and Buckley all earning a spot in the starting lineup.
 
WIN-LOSS RECORDS: Eastern Washington starts the season 0-1 while San Jose State is 1-1 overall.
 
TOP PERFORMANCES: Freshman Jaydia Martin led the Eagles with 23 points, 11 of which came in the fourth quarter. She made four three-pointers in her debut.
 
Fellow freshman Alexis Pettis added 11 points.
 
Milly Knowles followed with a career-high 10 points, plus five rebounds, and added a team-high two blocks.
 
Jacinta Buckley finished with a double-double of 12 rebounds and 10 points. Bria Rice and Jordyn Boesel each had three assists.
 
KEY STATISTICS: Both teams were under 35 percent from the field. Eastern Washington shot 31.9 percent (22-69) overall and were 6-of-23 from three-point range but 17-of-22 from the free throw line.
 
Nearly half of San Jose State's points came from behind the three-point line as they were 11-of-29 from a distance. The Spartans were also 23-of-66 (34.8%) overall and 20-of-23 from the charity stripe.
 
Eastern Washington won the turnover battle, 10-to-16. They limited San Jose State to just eight points in the paint, all of which came in the second half. The Eagles were out-rebounded 54-to-41.
 
UP NEXT: The Eagles now embark on their first road trip of the year. EWU plays at Pepperdine on Sunday, Nov. 14 and then at Grand Canyon on Tuesday, Nov. 16.
 
MORE COMMENTS FROM HEAD COACH JODDIE GLEASON:
 
On Gleason's First Game as Head Coach: "I was excited. I really wanted to get our players on the court so we could see all of the hard work they've been putting in and what they're all about. I think we'll learn from this game. We have so many freshmen and new players that I think we'll be ready come Big Sky play, but we have to play teams like this to get ready. I was excited and loved the energy in Reese Court."
 
On Being Within Striking Distance the Whole Game: "With Jaydia Martin in foul trouble, we had to move rotations a little bit. Some players played out of position, so it was nice to see people stretch themselves and do different things. We were fighting and trying to execute better in the second half. In the first half, we took some ill-advised shots and forced the issue. Defensively, we got stops against them (San Jose State). They're a good team that can shoot the ball, everybody on their team can shoot the three and they did that very well tonight."
 
On the Best Shooting Percentage Coming in the Fourth Quarter: "We found our open teammates. One of our goals is to draw to and kick. We want to attack and then find our open teammate and I thought we did that two-or-three times in a possession which resulted in easy layups and inside-out threes. We did that early in the first half, but it was early in the shot clock that we would shoot. Jaydia Martin hit some big shots in the second half and we hit shots that just weren't falling in the first half."