EUGENE, Ore. - Bryan McGriff led the Eastern Oregon University men's basketball team with 23 points, on 9-of-17 shooting, but it was not enough as EOU was defeated by Northwest Christian University, 77-68, on Friday evening.
 
Following McGriff was De'Sean Mattox who scored 18 points for the Mountaineers (10-8, 2-6 CCC). Deonta Edwards added 13 points and collected nine rebounds for EOU.
 
Austin Kuemper scored a game-high 26 points, on 10-of-17 shooting, for the Beacons (12-5, 5-3 CCC). Devyn Iglehart scored 15 and Javonte Byrd and Michael Loomis added 10 apiece to round out the double-figure scorers for Northwest Christian.
 
EOU's offense came out cold, and they went the first four and a half minutes without a field goal and the Beacons scored the first six pints. A layup by Kalvin Johanson put EOU on the scoreboard, 6-2. Northwest Christian slowly built their lead back to five points, 11-6, after a Travis Pacos three-pointer.
 
The Mountaineers slowly started to make a comeback and a three-pointer by Deonta Edwards trimmed the Beacons lead down to five, 16-11. EOU continued to keep the game within five points, 22-17, after a McGriff layup with 6:10 left in the half.
 
Eastern Oregon found themselves down four, 27-23, with 2:47 left in the half. McGriff scored the next five points for EOU, giving EOU their first lead of the game, 28-27. After a Michael Loomis three-pointer, EOU found themselves down two, 30-28. McGriff tied the game, at 30-30, after he collected an offensive rebound and hit a jumper, tying the game at 30-30.
 
Kuemper put Northwest Christian put EOU ahead by two, 32-30, but EOU battled back and Mattox hit a free throw with three seconds left tying the game at 32-32, at halftime.
 
Northwest Christian came out and raced out to a lead. Within the first minute and a half of the half, the Beacons had a five point lead, 39-34. EOU battled back and trimmed the lead back to one point, 41-40, after a tip-in by Michael Crane.
 
After Cranes' tip-in, at 17:47, the Mountaineers went scoreless for the next five minute of the game that saw the Beacons score eight unanswered points, taking a nine point lead, 49-40. Mattox broke the scoreless stretch for EOU with a pair of free throws. On the next possession, Mattox hit a three pointer trimming the Beacons lead down to four points, 49-45, with 11:58 to go in the game.
 
The Beacons answered back and grew their lead back to nine points, but the Mountaineers responded and cut the lead back to four points, 54-50, after a McGriff layup. Eastern Oregon continued to battle and after a layup by Edwards,  EOU was down two, 61-59, with 6:12 left.
 
That was as close as the Mountaineers would get as the Beacons grew their lead to 12 points, 75-63. Eastern Oregon did not have an answer and fell to Northwest Christian, 77-68.
 
The Mountaineers return to action tomorrow when they play Corban University at 7:30 p.m. PT in Salem, Ore.