PORTLAND, Ore. – The Eastern Oregon University men's basketball team looked as if they were going to upset No. 11 Concordia University on Saturday evening. However, the Cavaliers scored the last seven points of overtime to defeat EOU, 68-67.
 
De'Sean Mattox led the Mountaineers (12-11, 4-9 CCC) with 19 points.  Bryan McGriff added 16 points as the Mountaineers dropped their fourth straight game. Deonta Edwards rounded out the double-figure scorers with 12 points.
 
Anthony Holton scored a game-high 20 points for the Cavaliers (19-4, 9-3 CCC). Justyn Searle added 16 points while Tyler Velasquez scored 12 points. Esvan Middleton scored 10 points and 11 rebounds in the game.
 
Over the first two minutes of the contest, the Cavaliers jumped out to an early 6-0 lead over EOU. McGriff put the Mountaineers on the board with a pair of free throws before Concordia extended the lead back to six, 10-4.
 
EOU found themselves down 12-4 before the Mountaineers hit their first field goal. Austin Strock hit the first field goal for EOU, a 3-pointer, putting EOU down 12-7. One minute later, Strock hit a pair of free throws putting EOU down 12-9. Eastern Oregon was held to one field goal over the first nine minutes of the contest.
 
EOU continued to battle and after an old fashion three point play by Edwards, EOU found themselves tied with Concordia at 12-12. After Eastern Oregon tied the game at 12-12, both teams went scoreless for the next three minutes of the game. 
 
Both teams' offenses started to heat up over the last seven minutes of the half, the Mountaineers and Cavaliers traded baskets and found themselves tied at 19-19. With the game tied, Eastern Oregon went on a 6-2 run to close out the half, taking a 25-21 lead at halftime.
 
The Cavaliers answered back to start the second half as they scored the first five points of the half taking a one point lead, 26-25, after a layup by Anthony Holton.  After the Cavaliers took the lead, EOU and Concordia traded baskets over the next two minutes.
 
With the game tied at 32-32, Concordia went on a 5-0 run to take a five point lead, 37-32, but the Mountaineers answered right back as they battled back to tie the game at 37-37 after a three point play by Mattox.
 
Both teams continued to trade baskets in the second half and after a layup by Holton, the Cavaliers and Mountaineers were tied for the tenth time in the game at 49-49, with six minutes left in the second half. Neither team took a lead over three points for the remainder of the contest.
 
With 1:55 left in the half, the Cavaliers and Mountaineers were tied for the 13th time of the game at 56-56. Middleton put the Cavaliers ahead 58-56, but the Mountaineers answered as Mattox hit a layup with 38 seconds remaining in the game. Both teams missed one last shot and the game was heading to over time tied at 58-58.
 
The Mountaineers took advantage to start overtime as they opened overtime on a 9-3 run taking a 67-61 lead with 1:41left. However, the Mountaineers did not score again and the Cavaliers scored seven unanswered points, capped by a free throw by Holton. EOU had one last shot to try to win the game but Strock's 3-pointer did not fall and EOU was defeated by Concordia, 68-67. 
 
The Mountaineers return to action on Friday, Feb. 6 when they host College of Idaho at 7:30 p.m. PT.