PULLMAN, Wash. — Road wins are exciting but road wins are even better against an in-state rival. Eastern defeated Washington State 71-69 in Pullman on Wednesday night for the program's first win over the Cougars since 2015. Eastern improves to 6-4 on the season, while Washington St. falls to 1-9.
EWU led for the majority of the first half, but Washington St. rallied in the second to take the lead. Down by two going to the fourth, Eastern continued to execute its offense and retook the lead late. The Cougars had a chance at the end but the Eagles defense held strong to secure the road victory.
"We've been in these situations before and I think that this team just really never quits. They really listen to what we're telling them, as far as scouts and timeouts. They execute in those situations really well," head coach Joddie Gleason explained. "Washington State is a really good team. They're very well coached and they're prepared. They run their offense really well and are hard to guard. Coming in here to get the win is huge for us. It shows that we're ready to get these road wins in the Big Sky."
Ella Gallatin led the team with 22 points, while Elyn Bowers followed closely with 20 points. Jaecy Eggers added 18 points including 10 in the fourth. As a team, Eastern carried a 45-shooting percentage.
"I think Elyn [Bowers] did a great job of finding me, betting me the ball and then also we have so many threats on the court that it's really hard to double team. It's been really nice to get one-on-one possessions which helped me score," Gallatin described. "Like Coach said, it's not just one player being the star every game. I think it's really nice to know we have options everywhere and we don't have to rely on one person to get big wins."
Gleason talked about Gallatin's impact for the team in this game and overall this season, "[Ella Gallatin] is a huge reason and she has a high-IQ on the court. She helps everybody get in the right spots and communicates well. We play a lot of young players and Ella has to do a lot to communicate throughout the game. I think that's what makes our team special and unique. It's a different player every night that steps up."
The shooting was hot for Eastern out of the gate as they raced out to a 13-2 lead two-and-a-half minutes into the game. Ella Gallatin was automatic, scoring eight points in the early run. The Cougars responded with a 13-4 stretch that stopped the early Eagle momentum. EWU refocused and ripped off their own run. Over the final 2:39 of the first, Eastern went on an 11-0 run to lead 28-15 at the break. Gallatin poured in another five points, as the team shot a blistering 66.7 percent.
Scoring was tough to come by to open the second quarter as the Eagles did not score until the 4:54. Eastern's defense balanced the game, allowing only four points to WSU during the same stretch. The offense then picked up for both teams, as they traded scores. Gallatin continued to lead the attack and Elyn Bowers provided the complement with four points in the quarter. At halftime, EWU led 45-34, shooting 46.7 percent.
The back-and-forth battle continued into the third quarter, with Eastern maintaining its advantage. Up 51-41 at 7:40, the Cougars fired off a 10-0 run to tie the game over a four-minute stretch. The game then tied at 53 and 55, before WSU took the lead, 57-55, at the end of the quarter. EWU's shooting fell to 22.7 percent in the third.
Early in the fourth quarter, the score remained tight as Eastern did not let the deficit grow to more than a possession. Down by three, the Eagles organized an 8-0 run to take back the lead, 71-66 and 2:31 remaining in the game. Jaecy Eggers accounted for all eight points in the run. WSU made a three on its next possession to bring the score down to a possession. Despite a look for the Cougars as time expired, EWU held on for the road win. They finished the fourth quarter shooting 50 percent from the floor.
Eag Notes
- Eastern Washington won its first game against Washington State since March 18, 2015 when the teams faced off in the first round of the Women's NIT tournament. The teams have played twice in Pullman since that victory, facing off in 2020 (L, 52-75) and last season (L, 82-83 OT). EWU is now 6-14 against the Cougars in program history.
- Ella Gallatin scored her 2nd 20-point game of the season and 4th of her career. She has 22 double-digit scoring games in her career.
- Kourtney Grossman dropped another monster game on the glass, finishing with 18 rebounds. It's Grossman's 5th double-digit rebounding game this season.
- Eastern won the rebounding battle, 42 to 37. The Eagles dominated the paint, outsourcing the Cougars 44 to 28.
- Elyn Bowers notched her 2nd career 20-point game. She has scored in double figures in 8 of her first 10 games as an Eagle. Bowers also pulled down 7 rebounds.
- Jaecy Eggers was in double figures for the 6th time this season and 21st of her career. She added 5 rebounds in the game.
- EWU led for 29:52 of the game, with its largest lead of 17 points in the second quarter.
Up Next
Eastern Washington is off for just over a week before traveling to California for two games. The Eagles play Santa Barbara on Dec. 18 and CSU Bakersfield on Dec. 20.
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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