CHENEY, Wash. — Eastern Washington (1-3) mounted a late second-half comeback but ultimately fell short against Cal Poly (3-2), losing 82-78 in a hard-fought contest on the road.
"It's a process and it's a frustrating process," said head coach
Dan Monson. "Cal Poly was more experienced than us and out played us. It was a hard loss to swallow but our guys competed until the end and go themselves back in it."
Nic McClain was a standout for the Eagles, setting a new career high with 28 points, surpassing his previous best of 16. On the glass,
Sebastian Hartmann led the team with eight rebounds, while
Mason Williams chipped in with six.
First Half:
The game started with both teams struggling with turnovers, as Eastern Washington and Cal Poly each committed 12 turnovers in the first half. The Eagles opened the game with energy, scoring the first points on a fast-break reverse layup by
Mason Williams, assisted by Hartmann. Eastern pushed ahead with a 6-0 run to start strong.
Cal Poly quickly responded, taking their first lead of the game at the 10-minute mark, 16-15. The Mustangs capitalized on an EWU turnover for an easy bucket, forcing the Eagles to call their first timeout.
Vice Zanki hit a clutch three-pointer to tie the game at 18-18, assisted by
Andrew Cook. However, Cal Poly regained momentum, going on a 6-0 run to pull ahead. But Eastern fired back, going on a 10-0 scoring run to regain the lead. With just eight seconds left in the half, the Eagles were up 35-34. But in the closing seconds, the Mustangs hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer to take a 36-35 lead into halftime.
Second Half:
The Mustangs came out of the break with urgency, going on an 8-0 run to open the second half, including back-to-back three-pointers.
Elijah Thomas halted the scoring streak with a three-pointer of his own, but the Eagles struggled offensively, going more than three minutes without a basket.
During that drought, Cal Poly went on a 9-0 run, extending their lead to 22 points. However, Eastern Washington responded with a rally of their own, using a 10-0 run to claw back into the game.
Andrew Cook hit two clutch free throws to pull the Eagles within six with 1:45 remaining.
With time winding down, Williams nailed a deep three-pointer to bring the Eagles within three, forcing Cal Poly to call a timeout with 1:04 left. Eastern's defense then forced a 30-second shot clock violation, giving the Eagles a chance to tie the game. McClain followed with a quick layup to make it a 81-78 game with 37 seconds remaining.
However, the Mustangs managed to hold on, sealing the win with a free throw in the final seconds to win 82-78.
Despite the loss, Eastern Washington showed resilience, fighting back after a slow start and making it a one-possession game in the closing moments. McClain's career-high scoring performance and the team's late surge highlight the potential for the Eagles as they look to bounce back in their next matchup.
Up Next
The Eagles will faceoff against Washington state at 6:30 p.m., in Spokane, Wash., at the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena.
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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