CHENEY, Wash. — Sunday is typically a time to relax, but Eastern Washington women's basketball had business on the Reese Court. Eastern faced the Portland Pilots, falling 74-62 in the game. EWU's record dropped to 1-3 this season, while Portland improved to 3-0.
The Eagles led after the first quarter, but the Pilots won the second and tied the game at halftime. After a back-and-forth battle in the third quarter, Portland separated from Eastern in the fourth.
"There were a few issues in the game, but ultimately, it came down to us not hitting shots in the fourth quarter. I thought we hung with them and broke their press really well," head coach Joddie Gleason said. "We had some open looks and just didn't hit them at the times we needed to. But, I love the way our team battled and executed in the game. They're a team that went to March Madness last year. That veteran leadership helps teams make shots down the stretch and we did not. They are super physical and aggressive. I think they did a really good job throughout the game."
Turnovers were an issue for EWU, committing 23 in the game, leading to 23 points for the Pilots.
The Eagle offense continued to run through Peyton Howard as the graduate transfer finished with 16 points on 6-of-10(60%) shooting, going 2-of-5(40%) from three-point range.
"I think the biggest issue for us was rebounding and boxing out," Howard described. "They had a lot of offensive rebounds and putbacks. We say put backs usually get and-ones and they got a lot of those big, tough, game changing plays. We also need to make shots down the stretch. We executed our plays, but we just didn't make those shots. That will come this season."
The Eagles and Pilots traded baskets early in the first quarter, staying within a possession of each other. Alexis Pettis buried a three at the 2:33 mark to put Eastern up 12-8. The basket started a 12-2 run for EWU and they led 21-12 after the first quarter. From the floor, the Eagles were a blistering 75 percent and 2-of-2 on threes.
After EWU went up by 11 to start the second quarter, Portland went on a 7-0 run to cut the lead down to four. Bella Hays broke the streak with a layup and the Eagles led 25-19 and 4:34 on the clock. With two minutes left in the half, the Pilots put together another 7-0 run to take a one-point lead. The teams exchanged scores down the stretch and the game was tied at 36 at the break. Eastern shot 30.8 in the quarter.
The score remained tight in the third quarter, as both teams looked for separation. Trailing by three, Kourtney Grossman was in the right position for an offensive rebound and converted the layup to cut the lead down to one. Portland got the lead up to four with under two minutes to go. A layup from Howard with 25 seconds reduced the deficit to one for the Eagles at the break. For the quarter, Eastern shot 35.7.
The fourth quarter began with the same competitive atmosphere as the previous two quarters. The Pilots bult a five-point lead with 7:42 left in the game. Neither team scored until the 4:26 point, with Portland connecting for three. Eastern did not score for a 6:20 minute period in the fourth, allowing the Pilots to go on a 11-0 run. The stretch was enough for Portland to separate, leading 64-55 and 3:18 left in the game. They held off any late rally from the Eagles and won 74-62. EWU was held to 21.1 percent shooting in the quarter.
In the game, Eastern had a 36.8 shooting percentage, while the Pilots were shooting at 37.9 percent.
Eag Notes
- Eastern improved its free throw shooting this game, going 14-for-19(73.7%) from the line. Portland was 28-for-36(77.8%).
- Former Eagle and Big Sky Freshman of the Year Masie Burnham scored a game-high 22 points for the Pilots.
- EWU's bench had a 26 to 22 scoring advantage over the Pilots, led by Alexis Pettis with 9 points and Paris Kirk with 8.
- Portland narrowly won the rebounding battle, 39 to 38. The teams each scored 30 points in the paint. Kourtney Grossman led Eastern with 7 rebounds.
Up Next
Eastern Washington gets to travel to Honolulu, Hawai'i next for the Bank of Hawai'i Classic, hosted by the University of Hawai'i. EWU plays Saint Mary's on Friday, Nov. 22 and then Hawai'i on Sunday, Nov. 24
Season tickets for women's basketball are now on sale. Reserve your seats at Reese Court for the 2024-25 seasons by clicking on the link here, emailing tickets@ewu.edu or calling the ticket office at 509-359-6059.
Join the Eagle Athletic Fund for as low as $50 per year! Support Eagle student-athletes on and off the field while enjoying exclusive EAF perks such as season ticket and tailgating priority, invitations to special events, exclusive access and more. Visit goeags.com/eaf for more information.
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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