Improved defense carries Eastern Washington past Montana State 68-63
It was 10 minutes after the final buzzer, and most of the Eastern Washington men’s basketball team had made its way back out to Reese Court – except for Nic McClain.
The redshirt junior had just scored seven of Eastern’s last 10 points, helping them to close out a 68-63 victory over Montana State, the Eagles’ first Big Sky victory this season.
But McClain was still back in the locker room, getting coached by assistant Larry Anderson.
Asked about it after he emerged, McClain said simply, “That’s how you get better.”
McClain’s performance Saturday mirrored that of the entire Eagles team. Compared to their 92-81 loss Thursday to Montana, the Eagles’ showing against the Bobcats demonstrated marked improvement.
“It was just much needed,” EWU head coach Dan Monson said of the victory, the 450th of his coaching career, “because it’s a young group that is trying to get better, and the coaches see it. But as a player, you’ve got to feel it, and they felt it today.”
Eastern didn’t shoot all that well (44.6%), and it made just 1 of 14 3s, a season low. Its 68 points were the fourth fewest Eastern (5-10, 1-1 Big Sky) had scored all year.
But on defense, it was arguably the Eagles’ best performance. Montana State (5-10, 1-1) was 19 of 52 from the floor, the lowest percentage (36.5) and number of field goals made by an Eagles’ opponent all season.
The Bobcats also had just five offensive rebounds – fewer than all but two previous EWU opponents – and went 6 of 22 from 3-point range.
The relatively poor shooting nights for both teams kept the game close: Neither team led by more than seven.
The ebb and flow settled into a tie with 3:45 to go when MSU’s Tyler Patterson’s 3-pointer evened the game at 58 and prompted Montana State to call a timeout.
“At (that) timeout I said, ‘This is where we grow,’ ” Monson said. “We have the ball in a tie game with 4 minutes to go. We have the advantage. And if we just get stops, we’re going to win.”
That’s just what the Eagles got. The Bobcats missed their next two shots as the Eagles made their next three, giving Eastern a 65-58 lead with 1:57 left.
Two of those baskets were driving layups by McClain, who finished with 16 points, five rebounds, four assists, four turnovers and two steals, one of his most complete games of the season.
He also drew 10 fouls – half of the 20 Montana State committed.
“I had to get that confidence back from coaches, knowing nobody can stay in front of me,” McClain said. “Just get downhill … I just had to get back to that.”
Montana State scored the next five points, on Patterson’s layup and a 3 by Jabe Mullins, the former Washington State player, with 22 seconds left.
But McClain hit a pair of free throws after he was fouled on the ensuing possession, and Mullins’ pass was stolen by Andrew Cook the next time down, sealing EWU’s victory.
“For the first time all year, we won a game (in a way) other than outscoring somebody,” Monson said, highlighting Eastern’s defensive effort.
Cook, a senior, finished with 13 points on 6-of-10 shooting from the field; he also had three steals and zero turnovers. Sophomore Mason Williams added 11 points, and junior forward Angelo Winkel, who was playing just his sixth game of the year, scored seven points off the bench and grabbed four rebounds.
“He was great tonight,” McClain said of Winkel. “(He brought) energy and effort on both ends.”
Eastern is on the road for its next four games, starting Thursday at Portland State, followed by games at Sacramento State (Saturday) and Idaho (Jan. 18) before a rematch against Montana State in Bozeman on Jan. 20.
EWU women
Montana State 66, EWU 54: The Bobcats (12-2, 2-0 Big Sky) closed the game on a 16-2 run to storm past the Eagles (4-10, 0-2) at Brick Breeden Fieldhouse in Bozeman.
Kourtney Grossman led EWU with 13 points and 16 rebounds. The Eagles trailed 28-16 at halftime, but led 52-50 with 5 minutes, 45 seconds remaining.