Box Score

LA GRANDE, Ore. – Tony Eackles Jr. hit a the game-winning fall away jumper with 5.5 seconds left to upset No. 21 Concordia University, 82-80, Saturday evening at Quinn Coliseum.

Eackles led the Mountaineers with 19 points on 7-of-13 shooting from the field. Deonta Edwards followed with 14 points for EOU. Willy Ligon led Concordia with 19 points.

The Mountaineers dominated early in the contest as they raced out and lead or were tied for the lead for the first 16 minutes of the game.

EOU continued to extend its lead in the first half as they grew the lead to as many as seven points, 21-14, after Trevor Phillips hit a three pointer. However, Concordia started to mount a comeback. The Cavaliers held the Mountaineers scoreless for three minutes and cut the EOU lead down to one point, 21-20, after a Ligon jumper.

EOU continued to add to its lead but Concordia continued to stay close. With 5:44 left in the first half, the Cavaliers took its first lead of the game after Ligon hit a three pointer. Concordia and EOU continued to battle but with 3:30 left in the first half, Concordia stretched its lead to five points, 35-30.

Both teams continued to battle as Concordia and EOU traded leads in the final two minutes of the first half. It looked as if Kevin Attlia gave EOU a two point lead going into halftime but Tyler Velasquez hit a three pointer with six seconds left to put Concordia ahead, 41-40, at halftime.

Both teams continued to battle in the second half of the contest as the Cavaliers grew its lead to three points, 43-40, before the Mountaineers battled back and took the lead. EOU was able to gain a two point lead, 46-44, after an Edwards' layup.

With the game tied at 51-51 and 15 minutes left in the contest, neither team held a lead larger than four points the rest of the way. Both teams continued to trade baskets and leads.

After Ligon hit a three pointer, to cut the Mountaineers lead down to one point, 63-62, Kyllian Wood answered with an old fashion three point play to take a four point lead, 66-62. However, the Cavaliers answered to cut the lead to one point, 66-65, after a three by Marquis Matthews.

The lead continued to change hands and with five minutes and thirty seconds left in the game, the game was tied at 73. Concordia built its lead to four points, 80-76, over the next two minutes of the game.

After trailing by four points, 80-76, EOU scored the last six points of the game and held the Cavaliers scoreless for the final two minutes and 49 seconds. Eackles clinched the win for the Mountaineers by hitting the fall away jumper with 5.5 seconds left to lift EOU to an 82-80 victory.

The Mountaineers return to action next Friday, Feb. 7 when they travel to Caldwell, Idaho to face College of Idaho at 7:30 MT. Concordia is back in action next Friday when they host Corban at 7:30 p.m. PT.