Box Score KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – The Eastern Oregon University men's basketball team struggled offensively against Oregon Tech Friday night on Danny Miles Court as the Owls defeated the Mountaineers, 81-60. The Owls shot 51 percent from the floor en route to the victory.
Tony Eackles Jr. led the Mountaineers with 23 points on 6-of-13 shooting.
Kyllian Wood finished with 17 points and eight rebounds on the night.
Eastern Oregon jumped out to a fast start against the Owls as they took an early four point lead, 11-7, after
Kevin Attila hit a three pointer. However, the Mountaineers' lead did not last long as the Owls answered with a 9-2 run capped off by a Mihajlo Matic three pointer giving the Owls a 16-13 lead.
Oregon Tech slowly started to extend its lead over the Mountaineers. With 6:21 left in the first half Oregon Tech grew its lead to 10 points, 30-20, after Josh Johnson hit a free throw. The Mountaineers continued to come back and after an old fashion three point play by Eackles, EOU was down seven points, 35-28.
The Owls grew the lead back to 12 points, 42-30, with 26 seconds left before halftime.
Trevor Phillips hit a jumper as the clock expired to put EOU down 10 points, 42-32, to go into halftime.
Eastern Oregon started the second half by trimming the Owls lead to five points, 45-40, in the first four minutes of the second half. The five point margin would be as close as EOU would get in the second half. Eackles and Wood scored the first eight points for EOU in the second half.
Once the Mountaineers got within five points, the Owls went on a 16-6 run that extended their lead to 15 points, 61-46, after a Derek Evans layup. The Mountaineers continued to battle and cut the lead down to 12 points, 63-51, after a
Trevor Phillips three pointer.
Oregon Tech continued to extend its lead in the second half and the Mountaineers had no answer as the Owls gave themselves a 21 point lead, 81-60, and closed out the game.
The Mountaineers return to action tomorrow night when they travel to Ashland, Ore. to face No. 9 Southern Oregon University. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.
