Box Score



KIRKLAND, Wash. – The No. 10 Northwest University men's basketball team won a Top 25 matchup over No. 23 Eastern Oregon University Friday, 93-83.

The Eagles (15-0, 5-0 Cascade Collegiate Conference) continue their best start in school history with the victory. Northwest remains the only undefeated team in NAIA Div. 2. NU also snapped a four-game skid against the Mountaineers.

Northwest was led by Michael Greene's 20 points. The sophomore was 9-for-11 from the field. He added nine rebounds. Rich Skillman scored 16 points, grabbed 15 rebounds, and was one assist shy of a triple double. Jordan Call recorded 18 points behind 4-of-6 shooting from behind the arc. Jason Waltman and Tyler Mendezona each added 11 points.

A Jamar Johnson three-pointer at the 16:51 mark of the first half gave Eastern a 10-3 early advantage. It would be the largest lead EOU would have in the game. The Mountaineers led by seven three times in the first half with the last time coming after a three-pointer by Mason Jones with 10:13 remaining in the first half.

Eastern led 33-27 with 5:37 left in the first half after a Johnson three-pointer. The Eagles would then respond with a 6-0 run to even the score after a Call jumper with 4:22 remaining in the half. Two minutes later, Skillman gave NU its first lead after a steal and dunk. Northwest would take a 46-41 lead into halftime after trailing nearly 17 of the first 20 minutes.

The Eagles created their decisive margin in the first three minutes of the second half, opening on an 11-0 run. Northwest would continue to stretch the margin to its largest lead of the game, 69-47, capped by a three-pointer by Ahmaad Cook with 13:53 remaining in regulation.

Down 22 points, the Mountaineers would then make a big run of their own. Eastern would reel off 18 unanswered points over the next four minutes to close the gap to 69-65 with 10:07 left in the game.

A pair of Eagle three-pointers gave Northwest another double-digit lead, but EOU responded again. The Mountaineers went on a 6-0 run to close within four points with 5:36 remaining in regulation, Eastern would come no closer.

Northwest finished the game shooting 49.3 from the field, while Eastern Oregon was 49.1. The Eagles made 12 of their 30 three-point attempts; EOU hit 11 of its 20. The Mountaineers were 18-for-21 from the free-throw line, and NU was 9-of-16.

The Eagles outrebounded Eastern, 40-30. The Mountaineers entered the game as the nation's best offensive rebounding team, averaging 18 per game, but it was NU that finished with 17 offensive rebounds to EOU's seven.

Eastern Oregon (10-5, 3-3) committed 14 turnovers, while Northwest had 13. The Eagles threw 20 assists and the Mountaineers had five. NU also had a 10-7 steals advantage.

After scoring 28 points in Thursday's win at The Evergreen State College, Johnson scored 26 to lead EOU. The senior was 6-for-9 from the field, 4-of-4 from three-point range, and 10-for-11 from the free-throw line. Jones added a season-high 14 points. JaMier Morris scored 11 points. Ervin Felder had eight points and a team-high eight rebounds.

The game was almost a mirror-image of the last meeting, but with the roles reversed. The Mountaineers defeated Northwest, 83-73, in the CCC tournament semifinals Feb. 26, in La Grande. EOU, ranked No. 11 at the time, got a 23-point lead after a Thomas McCarthy with 13:01 remaining in regulation. NU, No. 23 at the time, would close to the final 10-point margin.

Eastern Oregon returns to Quinn Coliseum where it will host Northwest Christian University next Friday. The Beacons (8-9, 1-4) fell at Corban Friday, 59-50. Tipoff between the Mountaineers and NCU is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Live video and stats on EOUSports.com. Live radio will be on KUBQ 98.7 FM with pregame at 7:30 p.m.