The Eastern Washington women's basketball team has been on an extended break and is well rested to get back on the court. Eastern hosts UC Irvine in a Big Sky-Big West showdown on Thursday, Dec. 1 at 6 p.m.

The game will be streamed live on ESPN+ and live stats can be viewed through GoEags.com. Tickets to the game can be purchased online by clicking the link HERE.

Eastern was originally scheduled to play Gonzaga this past Saturday (Nov. 26), but the game was postponed due to health and safety protocols.

Last Time Out
Eastern had a dominating 99-44 win over Evergreen State in the team's last game. The Eagles led 30-8 after the first quarter and 52-22 at halftime. It was the first time Eastern has scored 50 points in a half since December of 2021 when they put up 54 on Multnomah in the first half. The Eagles were alert on defense, forcing 28 Geoduck turnovers and turning them into 35 points.

Jacinta Buckley led the Eagles with 15 points on 46.2 percent shooting and Jaydia Martin added 11 points on 44.4 percent shooting. Jaleesa Lawrence scored 12 points off the bench, going 4-of-6(66.7%) from the floor. Freshman Ella Gallatin also put up numbers off the bench, scoring eight points and finishing with a game-high, seven rebounds.

In the game, Eastern had 24 assists and 32 made field goals. Buckley, Martin and Jamie Loera each had four assists in the win.

A Look at the Eagles
There has been no shortage of scoring for Eastern to begin the season, as the team is averaging 77.4 points per game while allowing 59.6 points to opponents. The Eagles are second in scoring offense and third in scoring defense among Big Sky programs. The team's 17.8 scoring margin is the top number in the conference and ranks 61^st in the nation. The Eagles are shooting 43.3 percent along with a 37.4 percent mark three-point range.

At the free-throw line, the Eagles take the top spot in the Big Sky with 76.4 percent made attempts

Spreading the ball around is a cornerstone of Eastern's identity this season and the team ranks first in the Big Sky and 65^th in the nation with 16.4 assists per game. Along with distributing, the Eagles take care of the ball ranking first in the conference with a 10.8 turnovers per game that also ranks 10^th in the NCAA.

Eastern has a 1.52 assist-to-turnover ratio which leads the Big Sky and is 12^th in the nation.

Jamie Loera is the main facilitator for the Eagles, dishing out 22 assists this season for the third best total in the conference. The Moses Lake, Wash. native averages 4.4 assists per game and has a 2.8 assist-to-turnover ratio. Loera adds an aggressive defensive mindset, accounting for 15 steals this season to lead the Big Sky. Every aspect of Eastern's game involves Loera, as the graduate transfer is tied for the team lead in rebounds with 6.2 a game. Her 11.8 points per game is third on the team and she is shooting 47.9 percent this season.

The top scorer for Eastern continues to be Jaydia Martin and she is averaging 14.6 points per game while holding a 42.9 shooting percentage. Martin has the fourth-best three-point shooting percentage in the Big Sky with a 46.2 figure. The sophomore has made 12 three pointers this season, also listed fourth in the conference.

The three-headed scoring attack for the Eagles is not complete without Jacinta Buckley who averages 12.0 points per game. Buckley's 54.2 field goal percentage ranks second in the Big Sky. The Spokane, Wash. native picks her three-point shots well, going 6-of-11(54.5%) to expand her abilities as a scorer. Buckley is a key rebounder for Eastern, tying Loera for the team lead with 6.2 per game.  

Scouting the Anteaters
UC Irvine is 4-1 early in the season, winning its last two games and going 2-1 on the road. The Anteaters defeated Long Island University (65-56) and Seattle U (54-53) during its winning streak. They fell to Washington, 60-62, in double overtime for the team's lone loss. UC Irvine has already faced one Big Sky school this season, defeating Sacramento State, 60-58, in the team's second game of the season.

Through five games, the Anteaters have a scoring margin of plus-15, averaging 67.4 points per game and allowing 52.4. The team is extremely aggressive at jumping in opponents passing lanes, averaging 15.4 steals per game. UC Irvine holds a plus-11 turnover margin this season.

The Anteaters present a difficult defensive assignment, with three players averaging in double figures for scoring. Forward Naomi Hunt leads the team slightly with a 10.6 points per game average and junior Diaba Konate averages 10.3 per game. Sophomore Olivia Williams carries a 10.0 average for the team. Additionally, sophomore Nikki Tom adds a fourth option with 9.4 points per game.

Series History
Eastern Washington leads the all-time series against UC Irvine, 4-2. They are 2-1 at home and 2-1 on the road. The Eagles won the last game between the two teams, 75-67, at Reese Court in December of 2010. Eastern won the first three meetings and the latest contest, with UC Irvine winning the next two games in between.
 
Season Tickets and Court Side Seats
Season tickets can be purchased to see all 14 of the Eagles home games at GoEags.com/tickets. Prices for season ticket packages start at $57 for adults in general admission.

New this season are premium courtside seats that allow fans to be right next to the action. These reserved seats are available for purchase by MVP Gold boosters of the EWU women's basketball Fast Break Club at a season ticket price of $99 per seat. Call (509) 359-6059 to secure your spot in the Fast Break Club.
 
Up Next
Eastern Washington will have a nine-day break between games before welcoming Tarleton State to Cheney on Saturday, Dec. 10 at 2 p.m.