| EWU 95, North Dakota 85 |
Thursday, Feb. 11, 2016 • Cheney, Wash.
Reese Court
Attendance: 1,650
|
| |
1st |
2nd |
Final |
| North Dakota |
34 |
51 |
85 |
| Eastern Washington |
44 |
51 |
95 |
|
| Key Notes |
| • Freshman Conner Avants (UND) scored a career-high 15 points on 5-of-6 shooting from the floor. |
| • Drick Bernstine (UND) finished with his seventh double-double with 14 points and a game-high 10 rebounds. |
| • Austin McBroom (EWU) scored a career-high 35 points with 20 of those coming in the first half. |
| • The Eagles have won five straight and took over sole possession of third place in the Big Sky standings. |
|
Statistical Comparison
|
EWU |
UND |
| FG Percentage |
51.7 |
46.9 |
| 3-Point FG Percentage |
37.9 |
46.2 |
| FT Percentage |
75.0 |
73.1 |
| Offensive Rebounds |
10 |
9 |
| Defensive Rebounds |
28 |
21 |
| Total Rebounds |
38 |
30 |
| Turnovers |
11 |
6 |
| Points Off Turnovers |
5 |
20 |
| Bench Points |
19 |
26 |
|
|
|
|
CHENEY, Wash. – Eastern Washington used a hot first-half shooting to get by North Dakota and break a tie for third place between the two teams in the Big Sky standings, posting a 95-85 win Thursday at Reese Court. The Eagles' senior duo of Austin McBroom and Venky Jois combined for 59 points as EWU (14-10, 8-4 BSC) won its fifth straight and earned a series split with the Fighting Hawks (12-11, 7-5 BSC).
McBroom had 20 of his career-high 35 points in the first half as Eastern Washington built a 44-34 lead at the break. It was Jois that kept UND from mounting a comeback after the Fighting Hawks got within four with a 10-4 spurt to open the second 20 minutes.
Jois, who was the coaches' preseason Big Sky Player of the Year, went 9-for-9 from the field for the game and scored 18 of his 24 points after halftime.
Junior Quinton Hooker led four UND players in double figures with 20 points, but the Fighting Hawks could never find a rhythm on the Eagles' home floor. Freshman Conner Avants added a career-high 15 points on 5-of-6 shooting from the floor.
Sophomore Drick Bernstine added 14 points and a game-high 10 rebounds to post his team-leading seventh double-double of the season.Freshman Geno Crandall added 13 for the visitors.
“We didn't have the pop that we have had lately to start games and I think that hurt us early,” UND head coach Brian Jones said. “They got some three's to fall in the first half as well. We did a better job of guarding that line in the second half, but unfortunately the damage was already done.”
McBroom and Jois helped EWU shoot 51.7 percent from the field for the game, going a combined 18-for-26 from the field. Jois added nine rebounds and helped his team hold a 38-30 edge in that category.
UND led by five at 14-9, but McBroom caught fire and started a 14-0 spurt with his second of five first-half 3-pointers. The Fighting Hawks could never recover from that despite reeling off a quick 7-0 run late in the first half that pulled them within 35-30.
The Eagles pushed their advantage back to double-digits before the half ended as Jois got the the last two baskets. McBroom hit his first five attempts from beyond the arc and EWU finished 9-for-18 in the opening 20 minutes to build its 10-point halftime lead.
UND opened the second half with that strong spurt, cutting its deficit down to 48-44, but that would be as close as the home team would let the visitors get after halftime.
Hooker finished with eight assists and Crandall added five as UND only turned it over six times in the contest, while forcing the Eagles into 11.
UND will look for a road split on Saturday at Idaho. Tip-off against the Vandals is set for 9:05 p.m. CT.
-- UND --
