For the first time in 16 days, the Eastern Washington University women's basketball team is returning to action this week. The Eagles head to Missoula, Mont., on Thursday, Jan. 6 to play Montana at 6 p.m. Pacific time. It's then back to Cheney, Wash., to host Idaho at Reese Court on Saturday, Jan. 8 at 1 p.m.
 
The Eastern Washington and Idaho men will follow on Saturday at approximately 3:30 p.m. One ticket gets you in to both contests, and tickets are on sale at GoEags.com/tickets.
 
Both games will be broadcast on ESPN+, with Saturday's contest regionally on SWX.
 
LAST TIME OUT: Eastern Washington hosted Gonzaga on Dec. 21 at Reese Court, and were set to host Portland State and Northern Arizona before COVID-19 related issues within EWU's program postponed the Big Sky openers.
 
Eastern trailed Gonzaga by just nine at the half, but a big 31-point third quarter from the Bulldogs was the difference maker. Jaydia Martin led the Eagles with 12 points, extending the true freshman's double-digit scoring streak to 10 games. Gonzaga opened the third quarter on a 12-0 run and wound up outscoring the Eagles 31-9 during the period to take a 64-33 lead into the fourth. Eastern Washington used a 9-0 run in the fourth quarter to outscore Gonzaga 15-12, but fell 76-48.
 
A LOOK AT THE EAGLES: Eastern Washington enters the weekend 2-8 overall with an 0-1 mark in Big Sky Conference play.
 
True freshman Jaydia Martin ranks second in the Big Sky with 16.5 points per game and has scored in double figures in all 10 games this season. The Vancouver, Wash., native is seventh in the conference in field goal percentage with a 34.3 percent clip and sixth in three-point percentage, shooting 33.7 percent. Martin leads the league in three-pointers per game with 2.9. She has made a triple in every game this year, including at least two in eight games. Defensively, Martin has a block in every game but two, and has two in three games.
 
Jacinta Buckley is the other Eagle to average double figures with 10.0 points per game, and Jaleesa Lawrence (8.2) and Alexis Pettis (8.1) are close behind. Buckley averages 6.9 rebounds per game followed by Milly Knowles with 5.2.
 
Andie Zylak ranks seventh in the Big Sky with 3.6 assists per game is eighth in assist to turnover ratio with 1.4. The true freshman has dished an assist in every game this year, and has five games with at least four. Bria Rice, along with Martin, leads the team with 1.5 steals per contest.
As a team, Eastern averages 65.1 points per game and are shooting 37.5 percent from the field. They lead the conference with 79 made three-pointers, averaging 7.9 per game.
 
A LOOK AT THE GRIZZLIES: Montana is 9-4 overall with a 2-2 mark in Big Sky Conference play. It will look to snap a two-game losing streak after falling to Idaho State and Weber State on the road last week.
 
The Grizzlies average 69.6 points per game and are shooting 43.5 percent from the field. Montana leads the league in opponent field goal percentage, holding its foes to 34.6 percent from the field. While the Grizzlies only average 5.8 three-pointers per game, they do so efficiently, matching EWU with a 34.1 percent clip from deep. The Grizzlies are second in the conference with 42.1 rebounds per game and lead the league with 4.69 blocks per game.
 
Carmen Gfeller is fourth in the Big Sky with 14.3 points per game and is shooting at an impressive 57.3 percent clip, while three other Grizzlies join her in the top-25 in scoring. Gfeller is 10^th with 6.8 rebounds per game and teammates Abby Anderson and Sophia Stiles are also among the top-11. Stiles is third in the conference with 5.4 assists per game and Anderson is first in blocks with 2.0.
 
SERIES HISTORY: Eastern Washington trails the all-time series, 18-68, and will look to snap a four-game losing streak to the Grizzlies on Thursday after winning six-straight from 2016-19. In Missoula, the Eagles are 6-40 all-time.
 
Last season, Eastern lost 65-53 in Missoula and 65-62 in Cheney.
 
A LOOK AT THE VANDALS: Idaho is 1-10 overall with an 0-2 mark in league play. The Vandals' lone win came in its season opener against Lewis-Clark State and have since lost 10-straight. Idaho hosted Northern Arizona on Dec. 30, but then had its next two games against Portland State and Montana State postponed.
 
Idaho averages 58.5 points per game and allows its opponents to score 76.0 per game. The Vandals are shooting 33.0 percent from the field, but average 7.6 three-pointers per game right behind the Eagles.
 
Louise Forsyth is the team's leading scorer with 11.5 points per game and Beyonce Bea pulls down 7.4 rebounds per came to rank sixth in the conference. Tiana Johnson shoots 46.7 percent from behind the arc, averaging 2.1 three-pointers per game.
 
SERIES HISTORY: Eastern Washington will look to snap a seven-game losing streak to the Vandals on Saturday, as they trail the all-time series 33-40. In Cheney, the Eagles are 19-16 all-time over Idaho.
 
Eastern's last win over Idaho came on Jan. 12, 2018 at home. Last year, Eastern lost 79-69 in Cheney and 85-56 in Moscow.
UP NEXT: Eastern Washington stays in Cheney, hosting Idaho State on Thursday, Jan. 13, at 6 p.m. and Weber State on Saturday, Jan. 15, 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.