LA GRANDE, Ore. – Five Mountaineers scored in double figures as No. 12 EOU held on to defeat Northwest, 102- 91 inside Quinn Coliseum on Saturday night.
 
Leading the way for EOU, was senior forward Bryan McGriff who chalked up 21 points, five boards, a pair of assists all while going 10 of 10 from the charity stripe. Senior guard Kentrell Washington tallied 19 points while grabbing seven boards and tossing three assists. Junior guard Blake O'Donnell racked up a double-double with 16 points, 11 rebounds, as well as two assists. Senior wing Travis Meeker put up 16 more points, while junior wing Austin Strock rounded out the Mounties in double figures with 12 points, three boards and two assists.
 
The Eagles (16-7, 8-7 CCC), scored first with a layup to kick-off the game, but the Mountaineers quickly responded with a trey from McGriff. Freshman guard Max McCullough followed suit, connecting on a three of his own on the next EOU possession.
 
In the first five minutes, EOU (18-5, 11-3 CCC), went off from behind the arc, going 4-for-5 and led Northwest by seven, 14-7. A 6-4 run for the Mounties put them up by nine (20-11). However, the Eagles responded with a 6-0 run, cutting the lead to only three, 20-17.
 
By the 7:25 mark of the first stanza, EOU found itself up 11, 35-24 thanks to a 10-2 run, capped off by an O'Donnell three-ball.
 
With three minutes to play in the first, junior guard Matt Wong secured free Big Macs for the EOU faithful as the Millbrae, Calif. native hit the team's 10th three (49-32). By the break, the Mountaineers had worked themselves up to a 21-point lead, 55-34.
 
Starting the second half, the Eagles got things going with a 6-2 run, cutting the EOU lead to 17 (57-40). The Eagles then capped off a 10-0 run at the 13:50 mark with a Dak Shagren jumper (62-53).
 
At the 11-minute mark, the Eagles continued chipping at the Mountie lead, cutting it to only four, 64-60.
 
Meeker drilled a shot from behind the arc to rebuild the EOU lead to six, 68-62 before the Eagles answered with a trey of their own. However, O'Donnell answered with another EOU three at the 8:31 mark (71-65).
 
An O'Donnell lay-in at 4:35 capped off an 8-4 run, putting the Mountaineers lead back above double digits, 83-72.
 
The Mountaineer lead was extended to 12, 93-91 thanks to a pair of shots from the foul line from Meeker with 1:28 remaining. Meeker once again hit a pair for free throws with 54 seconds left to put EOU into triple digits, 101-89. Northwest came as close as nine points in the final minute, but the EOU lead was too much for the Eagles to mount a comeback.
 
BY THE NUMBERS
36 – Points off the bench for EOU.
190 – Combined points between the Mountaineers and the Eagles.
483 – Points on the season for McGriff.
 
UP NEXT
EOU returns to the hardwood next weekend when they travel to Multnomah on Friday night. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. To follow live video/stats click here.
 
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