TUCSON, Ariz. — Eastern Washington fell to Arizona, 85-54, in its second exhibition matchup of the preseason.
Jamil Miller led the Eagles with 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting while adding three rebounds and a steal.
Andrew Cook followed with nine points, three rebounds and two steals, while
Alan Gballou and
Lance Horntvedt Jr. each provided eight points off the bench.
Alton Hamilton IV finished with seven points, four rebounds and a team-high three steals.
Eastern shot 34.5 percent from the field and finished with 13 steals, while the Eagles' bench contributed 22 points. Eastern also grabbed 13 offensive rebounds, creating additional opportunities throughout the game.
The Eagles answered Arizona's opening basket with a Miller dunk off an assist from
Jalen Griffith to tie the game at 2-2. The Wildcats responded by creating separation, but Eastern continued to battle behind Miller and Cook.
Cole Scherer added an early basket in the paint as the Eagles looked to stay within striking distance.
After Arizona extended its advantage late in the opening half, Eastern responded with a 9-2 run to close the period. Freshman
Lance Horntvedt Jr. sparked the stretch with a three-pointer before finding Hamilton IV for a transition layup. Miller followed with a basket and knocked down two free throws in the final second, sending Eastern into halftime trailing 50-26.
Hamilton IV gave the Eagles an immediate boost to begin the second half, connecting from beyond the arc off a Griffith assist before adding a pair of free throws. Cook continued to attack the paint, scoring twice early in the half, including a transition layup following an Arizona turnover.
Gballou provided a spark off the bench midway through the period, scoring all eight of his points in the second half. The freshman finished 4-of-6 from the field, including a dunk and three layups, as Eastern continued to find production from its bench.
The Eagles remained active defensively throughout the second half and continued to create opportunities off Arizona turnovers. Griffith converted a transition layup, while Eastern's pressure helped the Eagles finish the night with 13 steals.
Horntvedt closed the game strong for Eastern, scoring five points in the final 47 seconds. After making a free throw, the freshman converted an and-one layup off an
Isak Homelius steal and assist. He added another free throw in the closing seconds to finish with eight points and four rebounds in 10 minutes of action.
Up Next
Eastern Washington returns home for its final exhibition matchup before officially opening the 2026-27 regular season.
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.
FOLLOW THE EAGLES
SOCIAL: Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram
Follow the Big Sky Conference (@BigSkyConf) on X, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Blue Sky and TikTok for all the latest news around the league and use the hashtag #ExperienceElevated.
