CHENEY, Wash. — On Senior Night at Reese Court in Cheney, a thrilling comeback bid by the Eastern Washington Eagles fell just short as they lost to the Montana State Bobcats, 79-74. The Eagles, who clinched the 2022-23 Big Sky Regular Season Championship last week, will head into next week's Big Sky Tournament as the top seed.
Playing in front of a raucous EWU crowd of 3,353, the visiting Bobcats streaked out to an early first half lead, going up by 12 at the midway mark and as much as 16. Junior RaeQuan Battle, who ranks 6th in the Big Sky in scoring, led with 12 points while MSU held Eastern to just 11-for-27 shooting (40.7%). Eagle guard Angelo Allegri, in his second season after transferring from University of North Carolina Greensboro, led the Eagles with 10 points as EWU trailed 38-25 headed into the break. Allegri was recognized before the game as the team's lone outgoing senior.
It looked like more of the same in the second as the Bobcats responded to each Eagle push with baskets of their own. Allegri sank a free throw 2:35 into the half to cut the deficit to 9 but MSU held their ground as reigning Big Sky Player of the Year Jubrile Belo scored 6 of his 16 over the next three minutes to extend their lead back to 16 with under 14 to go.
"We came out kindof 'tinkering', like we were trying to make the game plan perfect rather than doing what we do, which is play, move the ball and read each other," said head coach David Riley.
"That's on me, because I had the guys in the mindset where they were thinking rather than playing. When we're playing together, that's when we're at our best. The guys did that in the second half."
Down 17 with 10 minutes left, the Eagles refused to go quietly. A layup by Cedric Coward sparked a crowd-energizing 15-2 run capped by 3s from Ethan Price, Steele Venters and Allegri to make it 62-66 with 4:34 on the clock.
EWU got as close as 3 but Montana State did enough down the stretch, highlighted by two critical conversions down low by Belo, to keep the Eagles from completing the comeback. The Eagles (22-9; 16-2 Big Sky) and second-place Bobcats (22-9; 15-3) split the regular season series; EWU won in Bozeman, 70-67 on New Year's Eve.
Venters led the Eagles in scoring with 23 points on 7-for-13 shooting (2-for-3 3-PT), adding 4 rebounds. Allegri finished with 19 and reserve forward Dane Erikstrup pitched in 13.
"Montana State is a great team. They made some great plays," added Riley. "It's going to be really clear what the film shows… we know what we've got to do. It'll be great to have a couple practices and go kick some butt in Boise."
Eastern's next game will be at the Big Sky Tournament at Idaho Central Arena in Boise, Idaho next week. They are scheduled to face the winner of the 9/10-seed game on Sunday, March 5 at 5:30 p.m. MT / 4:30 p.m. PT.
