Box Score

EUGENE, Ore. – The Eastern Oregon University men's basketball team led by as many as 15 points but could not hold the lead and a late rally by Northwest Christian gave the Beacons a 77-73 win over the Mountaineers on Saturday night.

Deonta Edwards led the Mountaineers with 21 points on 7-of-14 shooting. Tony Eackles Jr. followed with 20 points and Kevin Attila scored 13 points to lead EOU. The Mountaineers shot 49 percent for the game.

The Beacons and Mountaineers were locked in a close, high scoring attack to start the contest. Deonta Edwards got EOU's offense clicking early as he scored six of the first eight points for EOU, as he hit two three pointers in the first two minutes and ten seconds of the game.

Both teams continued to trade leads and with the EOU down three points, 11-8, the Mountaineers went on a 9-0 run that saw four different Mountaineers score led by Tony Eackles Jr's four points. Kevin Attila capped off the run by hitting a three pointer and putting EOU on top 17-11.

Eastern Oregon extended its lead to eight points, 25-17, before Northwest Christian started to mount a small comeback. The Beacons scored seven of the next nine points to trim EOU's lead down to three points, 27-24. However, five straight points by EOU put Eastern Oregon back on top by eight points, 32-24, with 4:37 left in the first half.

The Mountaineers offense started to cool off and Northwest Christian continued to battle back towards the end of the first half. EOU scored four points the remainder of the half and the Beacons cut the lead down to four points, 36-32, to go into halftime.

The Mountaineers came out of halftime and extended its lead early in the second half. EOU started the half on a 13-3 run to take a 14 point lead, 49-35 in the first four minutes of the half. During the run Edwards scored five points and Attila capped the run with a three pointer.

Eackles hit a three pointer to put EOU ahead 15 points, 52-37. However, the Beacons went on an 11-0 run to trim the Mountaineers lead down four points, 52-48, after a layup by Travis Pacos. The Mountaineers extended its lead back to seven points, 55-48, after Edwards hit a pair of free throws.

With EOU ahead by seven points, 62-55, the Mountaineers went scoreless for the next three minutes. During this stretch the Beacons went on a 9-0 run. The run gave Northwest Christian its first lead in the second half, at 66-62.

The Mountaineers did not go away and continued to battle and EOU found itself down 71-67. A layup by Kyllian Wood and a three pointer by Edwards gave EOU a one point lead, 72-71, with 1:22 left in the game. However, the Mountaineers lead did not last as NCU scored the next four points to take an 75-72 lead. EOU did not have an answer and the Mountaineers fell 77-73.

EOU returns to action next Friday, Feb. 21 when Northwest travels to La Grande, Ore for senior weekend. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.