Box Score BOX SCORE
PORTLAND, Ore. – The No. 17 Warner Pacific College men's basketball team defeated No. 21 Eastern Oregon University Saturday, 89-78.
The Knights (7-2, 2-0 Cascade Collegiate Conference) led nearly start to finish, but Eastern Oregon was never out of the game and were within four points with 7:37 remaining in regulation.
In the first half, Warner Pacific used a 6-0 run capped by a Stephen Harris bucket to build an 18-10 lead. EOU battled back within a single bucket (30-28) thanks to an Ervin Fielder score with 4:34 on the first period clock. Later, Biniam Tadele would hit a jump shot inside the final minute to send Warner Pacific to the locker room with a 40-33 lead.
After the break the Knights looked to gain control after a 10-2 burst made the score 54-43 in their favor, but EOU responded with seven consecutive points of their own. The momentum swung to WPC in a wild stretch of action, started by a hustle play from Doug Thomas who tracked down a long rebound and kicked a pass ahead to Sean Gaines who scored a lay-in. Moments later Sharp found Gaines again for a crowd pleasing dunk on a fast break opportunity.
Those plays gave WP an 11-point advantage, but EOU still did not give up and later trimmed the lead back down to four on a
Trent Roos three-point basket – one of his four makes from distance on the night. The Knights held EOU at bay down the stretch with a pair of field goals from Gaines and Harris, all assisted by Sharp.
Tadele led Warner Pacific with 21 points on the night, including 8 of 9 from the free throw line. Sharp added 18 points and 11 assists, with no turnovers. Gaines contributed a season-high of 15 points and seven rebounds.
Roos finished with 25 points leading all scorers. The junior's season-high total came from 7 of 15 from the field, including 4 for 9 from behind the arc.
Travares Peterson hit 4 of 5 tries from three-point range to add 18 points.
Kyllian Wood had 12 points. Felder grabbed a team-high six rebounds.
Cody Thurmond threw seven assists.
Eastern (7-3, 1-1) committed 15 turnovers in the loss. The Knights finished with seven turnovers. WPC shot 56 percent from the field, while EOU was 45 percent. The Mountaineers were 9 of 21 from three-point range, compared to Warner Pacific's 5 for 17 shooting.
The Mountaineers host Lewis-Clark State (5-1) next Saturday for their next game. Fans can get a free general admission ticket to the game by bringing a non-perishable food item. Live video and stats will be available on EOUSports.com. Live radio will be on KUBQ 98.7 FM.
