Box Score

LA GRANDE, Ore. – Austin Kuemper scored 22 points and led the Northwest Christian University men's basketball team to shoot 49 percent from the floor for the game in defeating Eastern Oregon University, 76-59 Friday evening at Quinn Coliseum.

The Beacons got off to a fast start against the Mountaineers. In the first four minutes of the game, Northwest Christian led by seven points, 11-4. On its next possession the Beacons extended its lead to 10 points after Spencer Coleman hit a three pointer.

The Mountaineers continued to battle and cut the Beacons lead down to three points, 18-15, after an old fashion three point play by Kyllian Wood. However, Northwest Christian grew its lead back to 10 points, after a 7-0 run.

After back to back three pointers by Craig Tucker and Trevor Phillips, EOU found themselves down four points, 25-21. The Mountaineers kept it close for the remainder of the half, but Kuemper gave Northwest Christian an 11 point lead, 38-27, with 30 seconds left. Eastern Oregon cut the lead down to eight points, 38-30, after a Tucker three right before halftime.

Northwest Christian came out of the locker room and went on a 10-2 run and extend its lead to 16 points after Coleman hit a three pointer with 17:30 left in the second half. The Beacons continued to grew its lead and three minutes later found themselves ahead by 18 points, 52-34.

Eastern Oregon trimmed the lead down to 12 points but saw the Beacons grow the lead back to 17 points, 61-44, with 8:50 left in the game. Remi White put the Beacons ahead by 24 points, 70-46, after hitting a jumper with 3:23 left in the game.

The Mountaineers continued to battle and went on a 13-0 run to trim Northwest Christians lead down to 11 points, 70-59. During this run, the Mountaineers saw five different players score and had two old fashion three point plays.

That would be as closeas they would get with Northwest Christian scoring the last six points of the game and defeating the Mountaineers, 76-59.

Tony Eackles led EOU with 15 points and Trevor Phillips followed with 11 points. Coleman scored 17 points for Northwest Christian to follow Kuemper.

Eastern Oregon returns to action tomorrow night when they host Corban at 7:30 p.m. at Quinn Coliseum. Northwest Christian travels to Caldwell, Idaho to face College of Idaho at 7:30 p.m. MT.