FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – Eastern Washington fell to Northern Arizona, 92–86, as the Eagles' second-half comeback effort came up just short in Flagstaff.
Isaiah Moses led Eastern with a game-high 30 points, shooting 9-of-10 from the free-throw line. JoJo Anderson,
Alton Hamilton IV, and
Kiree Huie also scored in double figures.
Straton Rogers paced the Eagles on the glass with nine rebounds, while Hamilton added eight.
Eastern shot 47 percent from the field, compared to 52 percent for the Lumberjacks. NAU forced 12 Eagle turnovers while committing just five, but EWU controlled the boards, outrebounding the Lumberjacks 36–25, and held the advantage in points in the paint.
The Eagles trailed 52–35 at halftime after a challenging first half. Northern Arizona jumped out early with efficient three-point shooting to build a multi-possession lead. Eastern responded with strong interior play from Moses and Huie, and a
Johnny Radford three briefly pulled the Eagles within one midway through the half. However, turnovers and second-chance opportunities allowed NAU to regain control, and a late Lumberjack triple sent EWU into the break down 17.
Eastern opened the second half with renewed energy, forcing early turnovers and capitalizing in transition. Radford knocked down a fast-break three to start the half, followed by a Moses triple as the Eagles cut the deficit to 11. EWU continued to battle on the glass, with Rogers and Huie creating second-chance opportunities, while Moses added points from both the perimeter and the free-throw line.
Northern Arizona answered with a stretch of efficient offense to push the lead back to double digits, but the Eagles refused to go away. Moses and
Cole Scherer connected from deep, while Anderson and Hamilton attacked the basket to keep Eastern within striking distance. Late three-pointers from Moses sparked a final push, as EWU trimmed the deficit to four with just over a minute remaining.
NAU sealed the win at the free-throw line, holding off the late rally as Eastern Washington continued to compete until the final horn.
Up Next
The Eagles continue their road trip on Jan. 31, traveling to Greeley, Colo., to face Northern Colorado at 1 p.m. (PT).
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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