CHENEY, Wash. — The regular season is in the past and Eastern Washington women's basketball has turned its attention to the postseason. Eastern travels to Boise, Idaho for the 2024 Big Sky Tournament, starting on March 9 and concluding on the 13th at the Idaho Central Arena. 

The #1 seeded Eagles will play on Sunday (March 10) at 11 a.m. Pacific Time (12 p.m. Mountain Time) against either the #9 seed, Weber State, or the #10 seed, Portland State. EWU won the regular season title for only the second time in program history (2009-10). EWU is 4-0 against the Wildcats and Vikings this season. 
   
The EWU Alumni Association has organized a variety of fan watch parties and get-togethers for the tournament! Check those out here.

The Big Sky announced its postseason awards yesterday, and the Eagles were heavily represented. Jamie Loera was named league MVP, along with her second-straight Defensive Player of the Year, adding First Team All-Conference and All-Defensive team.

Head coach Joddie Gleason was named the Coach of the Year after rewriting the program's record books this season.

Aaliyah Alexander joined Loera on the First Team and Jaleesa Lawrence picked up Second Team honors. 

All season, the focus of the Eagles is defense and the results are clear in the stats. EWU leads the Big Sky, allowing opponents 55.8 points per game, also ranking 18th in the NCAA. Opponents are shooting 36.5 percent against the Eastern defense, the lowest mark in the conference and 22nd in the nation. The team averages 38.5 rebounds per game - tied for the conference lead - while averaging 12.3 offensive rebounds - second in Big Sky. 

Loera earned the MVP award after leading the Eagles in rebounds (5.9), assists (5.5), steals (2.4),  and minutes played (34.1), while ranking second in points (13.3). On the conference leaderboard, Loera leads in steals, holding second in assists, eighth in points and 11th in rebounds. Her assists per game figure is 23rd in the NCAA and her steals per game is 42nd. Loera carries a 2.0 assists-to-turnover ratio that is second in the Big Sky and 64th in the nation. 

Leading the scoring charge, Alexander posts a 15.0 points per game average, ranking second in the Big Sky and leading the team. 

Going into the tournament, EWU finished the regular season with a 16-2 conference record and is 26-5 overall. Both win totals are program records. Alexander has 26 games scoring in double figures, with one 30-point game and five 20-point games. She is shooting 42.4 percent from the floor, good for fifth in the conference. 

Adding to opponents difficulties defending the Eagles, Lawrence entered the starting lineup and ranks third on the team with a 10.7 points per game average. The figure also places her 19th in the Big Sky. 

Eastern rebound effort is spread throughout the roster, with Loera leading the way. She is supported by Jacinta Buckley's 5.8 rebounds per game and Milly Knowles with 5.3 per game. Buckley leads the team with 17 blocks. 

The Eagles went 10-3 in the non-conference stretch of the regular season, highlighted by a 3-0 mark against Mountain West programs. Eastern defeated Utah State (75-39), Boise State (64-43) and Wyoming (62-43). EWU nearly knocked off the current No. 13 team in the nation, Gonzaga, at home, but just missed, 80-82. 

Eastern opened its Big Sky schedule with six-straight wins, part of a 10-game win streak that set the program record for the longest winning streak. In a much anticipated matchup against Northern Arizona in Flagstaff, the Eagles rallied from a 15-point deficit to force overtime against the Lumberjacks. Despite the comeback effort, Eastern fell short in OT, 81-89. 

Following a tough loss against Montana State (61-62)  at home, EWU began its current 10-game win streak, tied for the longest streak in program history. During its road trip to Montana, the Eagles had clutch shots from Buckley and Loera to beat the Grizzlies (56-55) and Bobcats (52-50).

With the Big Sky tournament beginning on Saturday (March 9), EWU awaits the winner of the Weber State/Portland State game. Eastern plays the winner in the tournament quarterfinals on Sunday (March 10) at 11 a.m. Pacific Time. 

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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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