CHENEY, Wash. — Consider the conference on notice.
Two days after the Eastern Washington Eagles opened conference play with a 34-point drubbing of Portland State — their largest margin of victory over a Big Sky opponent since 2006 — they shot the lights out on their way to a 26-point victory over Sacramento State in Cheney on Saturday afternoon.
EWU, now 6-7 overall but 2-0 to start their Big Sky schedule, led by as much as 30 in the second half. Preseason All-Conference selection Ethan Price posted a career-high 25 points, shooting 8-12 from the floor and 4-6 from beyond the arc, to lead the way. Sacramento State dropped to 3-10, 0-2.
"We've been waiting for it a little bit," head coach David Riley said of Price's scoring outburst. "Teams have been keying on him. That's just the reality of basketball… we've had other guys step up throughout the year and today was Ethan's turn. If they play him one-on-one or do normal ball screen coverage against our bigs, it's tough (to stop him)."
It's the third time Price has led the Eagles in scoring. Seven different players have earned that honor at some point this season.
"No one has selfishness within the team," Price noted. "Just to be able to have that throughout the team, throughout the six, seven guys who have been scoring, it carries and spreads."
The game was close early, with Eastern holding just a one-point edge midway through the first half.
Cedric Coward, who had 21 points against PSU on Thursday, hit three-straight 3-pointers to spark a 22-2 run, pushing the Eagle lead to 21 with 4:40 left in the first. Coward finished with 19. Swingman Casey Jones added 12 of his 16 points in the opening frame, punctuated by two highlight-reel two-handed jams, as Eastern went into the break up 44-27.
"Last year it was a big challenge for us," Price continued, when asked about playing with a lead. "We'd go up by a lot in games and find ourselves back in a five- or ten-point game. The returners this year made it a big emphasis… when we're up by that much, (we focus on) the point that it's just 0-0 and to keep our foot on the gas."
Sacramento never truly threatened down the stretch as EWU held the lead above 20 for the final 17 minutes of play.
Headlined by Price's highly efficient day, the Eagles shot 53.1% from the floor (26-49) and 55.6% from deep (15-27) while holding the Hornets to just 35.2% and 22.2%, respectively. It's the second-straight game in which Eastern has shot over 50% from both the floor and 3-point range while holding their opponent at or under 40% and 25%.
Eastern hits the road on Wednesday for their final non-conference game of the season, playing at South Dakota. They return to Cheney on Saturday, Jan. 6 to host North Dakota State at 2 p.m. before resuming the remainder of conference play.
Eagle notes:
- The Eagles had four players in double figures, with each of Price, Coward, Jones and G Jake Kyman hitting at least 3 shots from outside.
- It was the sixth time this season the Eagles have held their opponent under 70 points. They are 6-0 when doing so.
- It was the fifth time EWU has held their opponent under 25% shooting from 3PT.
- With two on Saturday, Price is now two away from moving into EWU's top 10 all-time career blocks.
- G Ellis Magnuson moved into a tie for 4th in EWU history with 128 career games played. He moved ahead of Alvin Snow for 8th in all-time assists at 320, earning 4 against Sac State.
Eastern's next home game is Saturday, Jan. 6 against North Dakota State. It will be the final Holiday Hoops Game, with free admission to kids 12 and under. Season tickets for EWU men's and women's basketball are also available and start as low as $100!
Tickets for basketball and all EWU Athletics events are available at goeags.com/tickets or via the EWU Athletics Ticket Office at 509-359-6059.
ABOUT EASTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS
Eastern Washington University Athletics sponsors 14 intercollegiate sports, six for men and eight for women, both as learning opportunities for its most athletically talented students and as an enhancement to student and community life. Eastern is affiliated with Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and is a member of the Big Sky Conference, an association of 10 regional schools with comparable enrollments and academic goals.
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