PORTLAND, Ore. — Following the team's first road win on Thursday, Eastern Washington women's basketball now has its first road winning streak of the season. Eastern defeated Portland State, 65-58 behind another balanced offensive performance. EWU improves to 5-7 in conference and 9-15 overall this season.
EWU led from the opening minute, with the offense scoring well and the defense continuing to give opponents difficulty.
"What a great weekend for this team, with two wins on the road. We've been talking about the need to play tough and together; we did that for all four quarters tonight," Head coach Joddie Gleason said. "When PSU made runs at us in the second half, we stayed composed and somebody stepped up to make a big shot or defensive stop when it was needed. Having four players in double figures, again tonight, made us tough to stop."
Peyton Howard dropped 17 points for the second consecutive game, as four Eagles total scoring in double figures.
"Once again, Peyton Howard put the team on her back and made sure we secured this win," Gleason added. "Her leadership and competitive greatness showed through in both games. We are looking forward to being back at Reese Court for the next two weeks. Go Eags!"
Eastern opened the game with a 4-0 lead, as Alexis Pettis and Kourtney Grossman scored early. EWU pushed the lead out to 10-4 at the 6:10 point, scoring effectively inside. PSU clawed back into the game with a quick 5-0 burst that had the lead reduced to one. The Eagles continued to score and stay in front, but the Vikings did not allow the lead to grow. After the first quarter, Eastern led 17-15 while shooting 57.1 from the floor.
In the second quarter, the teams tried to reset their offense, with both missing a pair of jumpshots. Both teams then traded scores as the quarter remained tight. EWU managed to then get some separation at 6:11 on a three from Grossman. PSU's offense responded and began to trim the lead down. The score was 29-26 at the 2:51 mark. The Eagles then got back-to-back scores from Bella Hays and Peyton Howard to re-establish the separation. Howard scored a layup as the clock expired and Eastern led 36-26. They shot 40.0 percent in the quarter.
After Eastern extended its lead to 12 in the third quarter, the score tightened up, as the Vikings found rhythm on offense. The Eagle lead was down to five at 4:01, but the Eagles made two free throws to stop the run. The teams exchanged scores, but PSU would close the third quarter on a 5-0 run. EWU led 45-42 after three, struggling with only a 17.9 shooting percentage in the quarter.
The Vikings cut the lead to one quickly to start the fourth, but Pettis answered right back with a jumper. The basket sparked a 7-0 run from Eastern to go up 52-44 at the 6:13 point. The quarter of runs continued, as PSU struck back with a 5-0 burst. It was then Ella Gallatin's turn to respond, hitting a three to stop the Vikings' run. Another 4-0 spurt from PSU reduced the lead to a pair, 55-53 with 3:02 remaining. A layup from Gallatin gave the Eagles some breathing room, and she followed up on the next possession with a pair of free throws. Eastern was able to convert its free throws down the stretch to secure the road win, 65-58. They shot 33.3 percent in the final quarter.
Eag Notes
- Kourtney Grossman notched her 11th double double this season, finishing with 12 points and 12 rebounds. It was her 15th double digit scoring game and 12th double digit rebounding game this season.
- Eastern finished the game with a 33.3 shooting percentage, while Portland State was only slightly higher at 35.6.
- EWU committed only 9 turnovers in the game, one shy of its season-low. It was the third game this season where the Eagles had under 10 turnovers.
- Peyton Howard recorded her 18th game scoring in double figures. She has scored 17 points in 3 of her last 4 games. Alexis Pettis scored 14 points for 9th game in double figures and her 2nd-straight game. Ella Gallatin finished with 11 points for the 12th game this season in double figures.
- EWU just won rebounding margin - 43 to 42 - over the Vikings, while having a 24 to 22 scoring advantage in the paint.
- Jaecy Eggers posted 2 blocks for her 8th game with 2-or-more blocks.
- Gallatin led the team with 4 assists and 2 steals.
Up Next
Eastern Washington has only one game on the schedule next week, hosting Idaho on Saturday (Feb. 15) at 1 p.m.
Single game tickets for women's basketball are now on sale. Reserve your seats at Reese Court 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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