PORTLAND, Ore. — Eastern Washington women's basketball finished its Portland Invitational play on Sunday afternoon against the host school. Portland defeated Eastern, 73-58 to give the Eagles a 1-1 record in the rose city. EWU drops to 3-4 on the season, while the Pilots improve to 5-4.
"We dug ourselves too big of a hole in the first quarter to come back against a quality Portland team," head coach Joddie Gleason said. "We gave up nine second chance points in the first quarter and they only got one off the glass the rest of the game. I love the way we responded and out-rebounded them for the game."
Portland jumped ahead of Eastern quickly in the game, building a double-digit lead after the first quarter. The Eagles made runs to try and spark a comeback but could not break through against the Pilots defense.
Eastern outrebounded Portland, 39 to 37 in the game, while also holding an 11 to 9 offensive rebound advantage. EWU struggled with turnovers, suffering 19 in the game, leading to 17 points from Portland.
Gleason discussed dealing with the Pilots' defensive approach,"Portland plays aggressive pressure defense all game, which will help us come Big Sky play. I thought we worked extremely hard and fought the entire game, but we could not hit enough shots when it was needed."
Ella Gallatin led Eastern in scoring for the second-straight game, posting 19 points on 8-of-16(50%) shooting. She was 3-of-4(75%) from three-point range. Kourtney Grossman poured in 15 points and added eight rebounds.
"Ella had a great weekend for us. She led us in scoring, defended their leading scorer and was a consummate team player," Gleason said of Gallatin's contributions this weekend.
The Eagles shot 37.0 percent for the game, while Portland was efficient with a 46.2 shooting percentage.
The score was close early in the game as both themes had their shooting working. Kourtney Grossman connected from three to give the Eagles a 9-7 lead at the 5:29. The Pilots then blitzed with a 17-4 run to take control in the opening quarter. EWU trailed 24-13 after the first, shooting 35.7 percent.
Eastern looked to reduce the deficit in the second quarter, and Ella Gallatin started the team off well with a made three. Portland then answered back to keep its double-digit lead intact. The Pilots posted a 50-percent shooting mark in the second, while EWU recorded a 33.3 percent shooting line. Portland outscored the Eagles 15-12 in the quarter and its lead grew to 39-25 at halftime.
The teams went back-and-forth in the third quarter as Eastern tried to pull closer to the Pilots. The Eagles had their best quarter of the game, shooting 58.3 percent and scoring 19 points. Five Eagles scored, led by six points from Gallatin and five from Grossman. Portland shot 46.2 percent in the quarter and 16 points. Going to the fourth, EWU trailed 55-44.
In the fourth, Eastern brought the lead down to under 10 at 6:28, with Grossman getting inside for a layup. The Pilots responded with six-straight points to stop the comeback attempt from the Eagles. During the final quarter, Eastern shot 26.3 percent from the floor with 14 points scored. Portland closed out the game shooting 43.8 percent in the final quarter with 18 points for a double-digit win.
Eag Notes
- Kourtney Grossman and Jaecy Eggers each had 8 rebounds, while Ella Gallatin pulled down 6.
- Gallatin scored in double figures for the 3rd time this season and 19th in her career. Grossman scored in double-digits for the 7th time this season and 27th of her career. Elyn Bowers posted her 6th double-digit scoring game of her freshman season, recording 12 points in the game.
- The Eagles had the edge in fast break points, finishing with 14 for the game against 11 from the Pilots.
- Gallatin and Emily McElmurry each tallied 3 assists in the game and the team had 9 for the game.
- Both teams struggled at the free throw line, combining to go 15-of-30(50%).
Up Next
Eastern Washington is back at home on Wednesday (Dec. 3) to begin the Big Sky-Summit League Challenge. EWU hosts Denver with a 6 p.m. tipoff from Reese Court.
Women's basketball season tickets are now on sale! Claim your seats at Reese Court for the 2025-26 season by visiting goeags.com/tickets to purchase online.
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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