ROCKLIN, Calif. – In the eighth game of the Bill Holtz Warrior Classic, the EOU men's basketball team looked to keep its win streak alive as they took on host William Jessup.
 
Despite being down by as many as 10 points in the first half, the Blue and Gold fought to comeback in the first half before keeping and maintaining a lead through the second stanza, on the way to a 94-85 victory in Rocklin, Calif. 
 
Once again, EOU (3-1) was led offensively by senior forward Bryan McGriff who shot 8 of 15 for 24 points while nabbing a total of 12 rebounds while dishing out two assists.
 
Not far behind McGriff was freshman guard Max McCullough who drained four threes on five attempts while totaling 17 points, two rebounds and two assists.
 
Despite the slow start, it was a pair of free throws from senior guard Kentrell Washington that put the Mounties on a 12-5 run and put them only down one, 25-24.
 
A three pointer with three and half minutes left in the first half from junior guard Matt Wong put EOU on the leader board 35-32, the first Mountaineer lead since the team led 3-2.
 
William Jessup (1-1) answered with a 7-0 run but a jump shot from Wong with 21 seconds in the first half tied the game before a Warrior layup rolled into the hoop with only nine seconds remaining.
 
However, With only two seconds remaining and EOU down by one, junior guard Matt Wong found senior forward Travis Meeker behind the arc to drill the last-second shot, putting the Mountaineers ahead 40-39, a lead they would not lose.
 
For much of the second half, William Jessup remained in striking distance often tying the game up. That was until Washington sunk a three pointer with the game knotted at 57.
 
Washington's three put the Blue and Gold on a 16-4 run that concluded with an layup from junior wing Austin Winegar that put EOU up 73-61.
 
The Warriors would get as close to the lead as seven points with the score 85-78 but McGriff halted the comeback with an old fashion three point play and returned the lead to 10, 88-78.
 
BY THE NUMBERS
13 – Threes made for EOU
4 – Mountaineers score in double figures
41 – Combined points between McGriff and McCullough
 
UP NEXT
The Mountaineers host Simpson University on Saturday with tip-off set for 5:30 p.m.