Undefeated in Big Sky games and currently on an eight-game winning streak, Eastern Washington men's basketball returns to the road this weekend. Eastern will play Northern Colorado on Thursday, Jan. 19 at 5 p.m. Pacific Time. The Eagles next head slightly south to play Northern Arizona on Saturday, Jan. 21 at 1 p.m. Pacific Time.

Both games will be streamed live on ESPN+ and fans can listen live on 700-AM with the voice of the Eagles, Larry Weir. Live stats for Thursday's game can be seen on UNCBears.com and Saturday's on NAUAthletics.com.

Last Time Out
Eastern Washington finished up a four-game homestand this past week, holding off a determined Montana team for a 64-57 win. The Eagles had the lead early, but Montana would jump ahead in the first half. Neither team built any separation, but the Grizzlies had a 28-27 lead at halftime. In the second half, both offenses struggled to score to begin, but Eastern managed to tie Montana at 32 with 13:52 left in the game. The Eagles then took the lead with three-pointers from Dane Erikstrup and Steele Venters. The Grizzlies did not give up, cutting the lead down to one at 7:03. Ethan Price and Tyreese Davis made key baskets in the paint down the stretch of the game and helped secure the win for Eastern.

Price led the Eagles with 13 points, while Davis had 12. Venters scored 11 points and Angelo Allegri had 10. Allegri also recorded eight rebounds and five assists to lead the team in the game. As a team, Eastern shot 42.9 percent from three-point range.

The win was Eastern's eighth consecutive victory, and the team has started 6-0 in the Big Sky for the first time in program history. It was the Eagles' first season sweep of Montana since the 2020-21 season.

A Look at the Eagles
Eastern leads the Big Sky with an unblemished 6-0 record and is 12-7 overall this season. The team is 3-4 on the road and 7-1 at home, 7-0 at Reese Court. The team has now won 12 consecutive games at Reese, dating back to last season. It matches the longest streak since Eastern won 12-straight from Jan. 2017 to Jan. 18 2018.

In conference games, Eastern is averaging 81.0 points per contest, the top scoring average in the conference. Overall, the Eagles average 75.7 points per game with a plus-5.1 scoring margin and average 8.8 made three-point shots this season to lead the conference (48^th in the nation). With a 47.4 field goal percentage, the Eagles rank third in the conference and 45^th in the NCAA. Eastern allows the second-lowest field goal percentage in the Big Sky, with opponents shooting 41.7 percent. They also distribute the ball at a high level, with 14.63 assists per game, also the top mark in the conference.

On the glass, Eastern leads the conference in combined rebounds (36.9), defensive rebounds (27.3) and rebounding margin (5.5). The team's rebounding margin ranks 41^st in the nation. Along with clearing the boards, the Eagles have a 3.32 blocks per game average to lead the conference, getting 63 total this season.

Steele Venters has cemented his spot as one of the best scorers in the Big Sky, averaging 15.3 points per game to rank ninth in the conference. In conference games, Venters averages 17.2 points per game to rank fifth. The redshirt-sophomore continues to shoot well, ranking seventh with a 46.5 percent from the floor. Venters has yet to miss a free throw in conference games, going 25-of-25 from the line.

Complementing Venters, Angelo Allegri contributes 12.2 points per game to rank second on the team and is tied for 19^th in the Big Sky. The senior is tied 10^th in the conference with 5.4 rebounds per game. Being an all-around contributor, Allegri dishes out 3.5 assists per game to hold sixth in the Big Sky. Tyreese Davis, averages 3.2 assists per game to rank 11^th. Protecting the ball is key for the Eagles and Allegri is tied for seventh in the Big Sky with a 1.4 assist-to-turnover ratio. Davis is tied for ninth with a 1.2 ratio.

Cedric Coward also averages 5.4 rebounds per game to tie with Allegri for 10^th. Contributing across the board, Coward averages 0.7 blocks per game to sit in a tie for eighth in the Big Sky and averages 1.7 assists per game. The sophomore is tied for 24^th on the conference leaderboard in assists.

In a three-way tie for second on the block shots in the conference is Ethan Price, averaging 1.0 per game. He has 19 total for the Eagles this season. The sophomore is fourth on the team and 16^th in the Big Sky with 4.7 rebounds per game.

Casey Jones is the team's top rebounder with 6.7 rebounds per game. His average ranks eighth among Big Sky players. Jones has four games this season with double digit rebounds.

Scouting the Bears
Northern Colorado is 1-5 in Big Sky games this season, and 6-12 overall, going 1-5 at home. UNC earned a 69-67 road win against Portland State in its most recent matchup on Saturday (Jan. 14). The Bears lost to Sacramento State, 64-72 on Thursday (Jan. 12). The team averages 70.8 points per game and allows opponents a 79.0 average. UNC is shooting 42.4 percent from the floor and is third in the Big Sky with a 35.9 percent from three-point range.

The three-point attack for the Bears is spearheaded by senior guard, Dalton Knecht, shooting a conference-best, 41.2 percent. Knecht is the leading scorer in the Big Sky with a 19.6 points per game average. He averages 2.6 made threes a game, also the top number in the conference. Graduate student Daylen Kountz gives UNC two top-10 scorers on the conference leaderboard, as the guard averages 16.0 points per game to rank seventh. Senior guard Matt Johnson distributes the ball for the Bears with 3.8 assists per game to rank fourth in the Big Sky.

Series History
Eastern is 16-15 against Northern Colorado in Division I, with a 17-15 record overall. The Eagles are on a one-game losing streak to the Bears after they eliminated them in the Big Sky Tournament last season. After erasing a 17-point deficit, Eastern had a chance to win the game at the end of regulation, but could not convert the opportunity.

Scouting the Lumberjacks
Northern Arizona is 1-5 in the Big Sky and 5-14 overall this season, going 4-3 at home. The Lumberjacks are on a three-game losing streak, dropping its two road games this past week by a combined four points. NAU fell to Portland State (74-75) on a buzzer-beater and Sacramento State (56-59). This season, NAU is averaging 70.6 points per game and allowing 74.5. The team has a 41.4 shooting percentage and allows opponents a 46.1 mark.

Junior guard Jalen Cone is the engine for the Lumberjacks this season with a 17.4 points per game average to rank fourth in the Big Sky. Cone has a 38.3 three-point percentage, ranking second in the conference and his 41.6 shooting percentage ranks ninth. He also carries the second-ranked three-point percentage (38.3) and made threes per game (2.6). In the paint, redshirt-sophomore forward Carson Towt averages 8.0 rebounds per game to rank fourth in the Big Sky.

Series History
The Eagles are 42-36 against Northern Arizona in DI games, and 42-37 all-time. Eastern is the winner of 11-straight over the Lumberjacks. In the 2022 Big Sky tournament, the Eagles eliminated NAU, 78-75, behind 20 points from Linton Acliese III and 19 from Steele Venters.

Up Next
Eastern Washington will be at Reese Court next week for a pair of matchups, opening with Idaho State on Thursday, Jan. 26 at 6 p.m. Following that game, Weber State will arrive in Cheney for a game on Saturday, Jan. 28 at 2 p.m.