MISSOULA, Mont. – Eastern Washington defeated Montana 82–74 on Thursday night, snapping the Grizzlies' 11-game home conference winning streak.
The Eagles were led by
Kiree Huie, who finished with 15 points and nine rebounds.
Isaiah Moses added a well-rounded performance with seven rebounds and 13 points, and a team-high eight assists, while
Alton Hamilton IV,
Johnny Radford and JoJo Anderson also scored in double figures. Eastern showcased its depth, scoring 32 points off the bench.
As a team, EWU shot 52 percent from the field, edging Montana's 50 percent. The Eagles were efficient from beyond the arc, connecting at a 41 percent clip compared to the Grizzlies' 35 percent. Eastern also won the turnover battle, forcing 17 Montana turnovers while committing just 14 of its own. Rebounding was even at 32 apiece.
Eastern trailed 36–34 at halftime after a back-and-forth opening half marked by physical play and frequent lead changes. The Eagles opened the scoring on a
Tyler Powell layup and stayed close early behind strong defense, including multiple blocks from Hamilton. Anderson provided a spark inside, while
Cole Scherer and Moses knocked down timely three-pointers. Radford's pair of triples in the final five minutes helped Eastern cut the deficit to two heading into the locker room.
The Eagles wasted little time in the second half, as Huie tied the game with a tip-in just over a minute in. The teams traded baskets early before Eastern found its rhythm offensively behind Moses and Anderson. A Powell three midway through the half ignited a key run, and Radford followed with back-to-back three-pointers to push EWU ahead 67–61.
Montana made one final push, trimming the lead to two with just over four minutes remaining. Eastern responded with poise, executing on both ends of the floor. Hamilton converted key free throws and finished through contact at the rim, while Huie and Anderson secured critical rebounds. Moses sealed the win in the final minute with a pull-up jumper and clutch free throws as time expired.
Strong defense, balanced scoring and late execution proved decisive as the Eagles closed out the eight-point road victory.
Up Next
Eastern Washington remains on the road, traveling to Bozeman, Mont., to face Montana State on Saturday, Feb. 7 at 5 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.
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.
