CHENEY, Wash. — With a cold front on the way, Eastern Washington athletics continues to prepare for another week of competition. Men's and Women's basketball are both at home this week, hosting Idaho for a Saturday doubleheader matchup at Reese Court. Track and Field splits its squad, sending one group to Seattle and another to Spokane, starting Friday. Women's tennis will be in Boise for two matches. Men's tennis travels to Moscow for a match.
Women's Basketball – vs. Idaho (Saturday, Feb. 15 at 1 p.m. Pacific Time) - Get Tickets
After starting a win streak on the road, Eastern Washington is back in Cheney this week looking to keep momentum. EWU hosts Idaho for the second matchup against the Vandals this season. The game tips off at 1 p.m. from Reese Court and is streamed live on ESPN+.
Eastern improved to 5-7 in the Big Sky with two wins this past week, and is 9-15 overall this season.
Starting this past Thursday (Feb. 6), the Eagles posted a 68-53 win over Sacramento State on the road. After holding a one-point lead after three quarters, EWU outscored the Hornets by 14 in the fourth to earn the double digit win.
Peyton Howard and
Kourtney Grossman each scored 17 points in the win. On Saturday (Feb. 8), Eastern put together a complete game
for a 65-58 win over Portland State, never trailing in the game. Howard again led the team with 17 points and Grossman had another double double - 12 points and 12 rebounds.
The Eagles fell in the first matchup against Idaho (1/18) in Moscow, 67-57, despite 14 points from
Ella Gallatin and 12 from Grossman.
Grossman added to her double double total over the weekend, now up to 11 and 10 in her last 13 games. Grossman leads the team and the conference, averaging 10.1 rebounds per game. Her 10.5 points per game ranks second on the team and 15th in the Big Sky. She is shooting 39.3 percent overall and 30.0 percent from three.
Howard is back to her scoring ways, dropping 17 points in three-of-her-last-four games. She has added 13 assists over the same stretch. On the conference leaderboard, Howard is sixth with 13.6 points per game, also leading the Eagles roster. She averages 3.5 assists per game to tie for sixth in the Big Sky, with 85 total this season.
EWU's defense showed up this past weekend, allowing a 33.6 field goal percentage and 55.5 points allowed.
Men's Basketball – vs Idaho (Saturday, February 15 at 4 p.m. Pacific Time)
Eastern Washington looks to extend its three-game winning streak when it faces Idaho on Saturday, Feb. 15, at 4 p.m., following the women's game in a doubleheader matchup.
Andrew Cook has been a standout performer for the Eagles in the Big Sky Conference, leading the league in free throw percentage with an impressive 88.4%. Additionally, Cook ranks third in steals, averaging 1.72 per game, and fourth in field goal percentage at a stellar 53.9%. His teammate, Nic McClain, has also made his mark, ranking second in steals with 2.29 per game and fourth in assists, averaging 4.06 per contest.
In their 83-80 victory over Sacramento State, Mason Williams led Eastern with 29 points and six assists, hitting a clutch three-pointer in the final seconds. Cook contributed 17 points, and Emmett Marquardt added 12. The Eagles shot 54.7% from the field and forced 13 turnovers, holding off a late rally from Sacramento State to secure the win.
In their 72-67 triumph over Portland State, Williams and Powell each scored 17 points, with Powell perfect from the field. Eastern dominated bench scoring 25-0, and Williams' buzzer-beater at the end of the first half gave them a 41-35 lead. In the second half, Powell's timely shots and a crucial steal by McClain sealed the victory.
Both games showcased Eastern Washington's strong teamwork and clutch performances, with Williams and Powell playing key roles. Their shooting and defense helped them fend off late-game challenges and secure two hard-fought wins.
Track and Field – 4th Annual Whitworth Invite at The Podium hosted by Whitworth University (February 14-15, All Day), Husky Classic at Dempsey Indoor Center, Seattle Wash. (February 14-15)
The Eagles will split their teams this upcoming weekend, with some heading to Seattle for the Husky Classic, hosted by the University of Washington, while others will return to The Podium for the 4th Annual Whitworth Invite, hosted by Whitworth University.
On Monday, February 10, the Big Sky Conference announced that Maddy Shekhawat and Caitlin Simmons were named Big Sky Athletes of the Week for the second time this season, following standout performances at the Riverfront Invitational.
Eastern had an impressive showing at the Riverfront Invitational, held at The Podium powered by STCU, with numerous personal bests and two school records. The competition featured 26 personal bests and three first-place finishes, underscoring the team's progress as they prepare for their upcoming events.
Among the standout performances, the women's Distance Medley Relay (DMR) team of Nattie Ruzauskas, Rhiannon Davies, Sara Sanders, and Jasmin Muneton set a new school record, breaking an eight-year-old mark with a time of 11:51.03. Maddy Shekhawat also made history, breaking his own 60-meter hurdles record for the seventh time this season, winning the event with a time of 7.70 seconds. Additionally, Dyvhon Fonoti earned a personal best in the weight throw, securing a spot on EWU's All-Time list, while Caitlin Simmons dominated the long jump with a leap of 6.19m.
The men's team also saw impressive performances, with Nic Cunningham setting a new personal best in the long jump and Owen Higgins finishing second in the mile with a time of 4:11.62, earning a spot on the EWU All-Time list. On the women's side, standout performances came from Nattie Ruzauskas and Sara Sanders in the mile, both setting new personal records. Caitlin Simmons also showcased her strength in the triple jump, while Diana Fernandez set a personal best in the 400m.
Women's Tennis – at Boise State (Friday, Feb. 14 at 10 a.m. Pacific Time), vs. College of Idaho (Saturday, Feb. 15 at 9 a.m. Pacific Time)
Continuing their longest road stretch of the year, Eastern Washington will travel to Boise this weekend. After falling to Air Force this past weekend, the Eagles will face off against Boise State and College of Idaho this weekend. Eastern will take on the Broncos (6-0) Friday Feb. 14th, at 10 am, and then the Yotes Saturday, Feb. 15th at 9 am.
EWU Tennis and Boise State will meet for their 21st all-time meeting, with the Broncos owning the series 17-3 over the Eagles. The last time the two teams met, Eastern would nearly pull off the upset, but fall 3-4 to Boise State. The Eagles and the Yotes will face-off for the fourth meeting of all-time, with the Yotes having the slight series 2-1 lead. Eastern won their last meeting in 2019 in Boise 7-0.
Last week, the Eagles lost a tough one in Spokane against Air Force. In the No. 1 and No. 4 singles, Isabella Foshee and Kelly Arends would each go to a tiebreaker in their dual-matches, but would lose in a pair of nail-biters.
Men's Tennis – at Idaho (Saturday, Feb. 15 at 4 p.m. Pacific Time)
After a week off, the Eagles prepare for a match against the Vandals this weekend. EWU Men's Tennis will continue their non-conference slate with a clash against Big Sky rival Idaho (3-3) in Moscow. This will be the first of two meetings between the two in Moscow this season, with this one being a non-conference match.
Eastern Washington is 7-38 all-time against Idaho, with the Vandals winning the last five matches. The Eagles have only won in Moscow once, when they defeated the Vandals 4-3 in 2009.
Last time out for the Eagles, they would fall in a gritty 3-4 home loss to Montana. No. 1, 3, and 5 singles would take their dual-matches, but it would not be enough to pull out the victory. The first four singles would go three sets, with Tyler Waddock, Drew Dillon, and Arshjot Bhatti winning their dual-matches over the Grizzlies.
Single game tickets for men's and 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.
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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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