GAME NOTES

With the remainder of the Big Sky Conference season looming after the holidays, the Eastern Washington University women's basketball team is preparing to host Gonzaga for the final non-conference game of the season on Tuesday, Dec. 21. The Eagles and Bulldogs will face off at 6 p.m. at Reese Court in Cheney, Wash., with the game being broadcast on both ESPN+ and regionally on SWX.
 
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: Santa Swoop will be available for free photos at halftime on the concourse level of Reese Court.
 
As a reminder, proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test within the last 72 hours for fans ages 11 or older is required for entry to home games. Masks must be worn for fans ages five years old or older unless actively eating or drinking.
 
Tickets are available at GoEags.com/tickets.
 
LAST TIME OUT: Eastern Washington fell to both Washington and Nevada at the Husky Classic over the weekend in Seattle, Wash.
 
Eastern Washington nearly knocked off the Pac-12 foe Washington in a 62-59 loss on Saturday. Both squads struggled offensively in the first half, shooting below 27 percent, but EWU outscored the Huskies 13-8 in the second quarter to take a 22-19 lead into the locker room. With 1:40 left to play in the third, Eastern held a 44-32 lead that was diminished by a 20-0 UW scoring run that spanned two quarters. The Eagles climbed out of an eight-point deficit with 1:38 left in regulation when Jaydia Martin tied the game with a three-pointer. Another triple from Jacinta Buckley made it a one-point game, 58-57, with a minute remaining. Eastern trailed by five with 10 seconds to play, and Buckley had the last say with a layup, but the Huskies held on for the 62-59 victory.
 
A trio of Eagles in Andie Zylak, Martin and Buckley each led the way with 15 points. The Eagles led for 18:13 in a game that saw four lead changes and two ties.
 
Against Nevada, Eastern lost 71-60. The game itself had eight lead changes plus a tie, and Eastern had a 49-48 lead heading into the fourth. However, in the final frame, EWU was outscored 23-11 which was the difference in the loss. Jaydia Martin was the lone Eagle in double figures, leading the way with 18 points. Eastern trailed 33-26 at the half and 44-39 late in the third quarter. Jaleesa Lawrence made it a two-point game, and then Martin scored five-straight points to give Eastern Washington its first lead since the first quarter, 47-46 that stretched to 49-46. Nevada made a layup with 11 seconds left, but Eastern held the 49-48 lead heading into the final frame.

With 7:29 left to play, Nevada retook a 51-49 lead. Martin's third triple of the day put the lead right back into Eastern's hands, but the Wolf Pack instantly responded with a 13-1 run and the lead stretched to 64-53 with 4:06 left to play. In the end, the Eagles were outscored 23-11 in the fourth quarter and lost 71-60 despite keeping Nevada without a field goal for the final 4:22 of the game.
 
A LOOK AT THE EAGLES: Eastern Washington is 2-7 on the year and 0-1 in Big Sky play. Its two wins have come against Evergreen State (101-38 on Nov. 21) and Multnomah (102-61 on Dec. 7).
 
True freshman Jaydia Martin, who has scored in double figures in all nine games so far this season, ranks second in the Big Sky, first on the team, and 82nd nationally with 17.0 points per game. In fact, true freshmen have been playing a huge role for Eastern Washington, as they account for 60.2 percent of EWU's points scored this year and make up a third of Eastern's roster.
 
Martin leads the Big Sky with 3.0 three-pointers per game, a mark that is also 26^th nationally. Eastern's other true freshmen include Alexis Pettis (8.4 ppg), Jaleesa Lawrence (8.3 ppg), Andie Zylak (5.4 ppg) and Devynn Warns (2.0 ppg). Zylak leads the team and ranks ninth in the Big Sky with 3.3 assists per game.

Jacinta Buckley, who returned over the weekend after missing three out of the last four games due to injury, adds 10.8 points and 7.2 rebounds per game for the Eagles. Milly Knowles follows with 5.3 rebounds per game.

As a team, EWU ranks 43rd nationally with 8.2 three-pointers per game and 53rd in percentage, draining 35.1 percent of its attempts. The Eagles average 38.8 rebounds per game and are shooting 38.1 percent from the field with an average of 67.0 points per game. Eastern dishes 14.6 assists per contest.
 
A LOOK AT THE BULLDOGS: Gonzaga, who is a member of the West Coast Conference, is 8-3 overall. The Bulldogs are coming off of a 69-66 loss at UC Davis on Sunday afternoon. Eastern is the fourth Big Sky school GU has faced, picking up wins over Montana State, Montana and Idaho State.
 
Gonzaga ranks 12^th nationally in free throw percentage (78.2), and are out-rebounding its opponents by an average of 11.5 per game, which is also 12^th. Kaylnne Truong leads the team with 12.4 points per game and 33. Assists. Cierra Walker drains 46 percent of her shots from deep to rank 26^th in the country. The Bulldogs average 66.7 points per game while holding opponents to 55.1.
 
SERIES HISTORY: These two teams are no strangers to each other. Besides the COVID-19 shortened season last year, they have met consecutively every season since 1985. Eastern Washington trails the all-time series 12-34 with six of those wins coming at Reese Court. The Eagles are looking for their first win over GU since Dec. 31, 2003, which would snap a 16-game losing streak. Eastern and Gonzaga last met on Nov. 22, 2019 where the Bulldogs, who were ranked No. 23 at the time, won 84-44 in Spokane.
 
It will be a reunion for both team's head coaches, as EWU head coach Joddie Gleason coached Gonzaga's head coach Lisa Fortier in Gleason's first season as the coach at Butte College from 2002-04. Both of them coach alongside their husbands in associate head coach Skip Gleason and assistant coach Craig Fortier.
 
This is the second WCC opponent Eastern has faced during the non-conference season after falling to Pepperine in Malibu, Calif., back on Nov. 14 by a score of 48-67. The Eagles are 34-63 all-time against WCC opponents.
 
UP NEXT: After a break for the holidays, Eastern Washington is back in action for the re-start of Big Sky play next week. The Eagles host Portland State at Reese Court on Dec. 30 at 6 p.m. and Northern Arizona on Jan. 1 at 2 p.m. Both games will be streamed on ESPN+.
 
As a reminder, proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test within the last 72 hours for fans ages 11 or older is required for entry to home games. Masks must be worn for fans ages five years old or older unless actively eating or drinking.
 
Tickets are available at GoEags.com/tickets.