PORTLAND - With a final score of 105-102, Eastern Oregon University Men's Basketball won its closest contest yet to end the first weekend in CCC play 2-0. The Lions had a chance at a last second three-point attempt but came up short, leading to a Mountaineers win and extending EOU's win streak against Multnomah to 6-0 on the season.
 
How it Happened
• Although the final result was close, EOU (6-2, 2-0 CCC) led Multnomah (0-16, 0-2 CCC) from start to finish. Both teams shot well from 3-point land, EOU shooting 56.5% and Multnomah 46.7% for the game. 
• The Mounties looked like they were in control the entire game, outscoring the Lions in the paint 46-18, and winning the battle of the boards 34-25.
• Even with EOU shooting 66.7% from the three-point line, the Lions only trailed by three at half. EOU went on a run with 10 minutes to go in the second half to push their lead to 10.
• With a few buckets traded back-and-forth, the Mounties still kept some distance from the Lions until the clock started to dwindle.
• With just a few minutes left in the game, Multnomah hit two crucial three-pointers and forced two EOU turnovers to put the pressure on the Mounties with under a minute to go. Never-the-less, EOU had ice in the veins as they sank clutch free throws to make it a one possession game.
• After a trip up and down the court, an EOU offensive foul with .8 seconds left gave Multnomah the ball and a chance to tie the game. The ball landed in the hands of MU's Grant Dunns who put up a last second shot, but the Mountaineers' defense was too much and Dunn's 3-point attempt rattled around the hoop as the buzzer sounded, securing the win for the Mounties.
 
 
Mountaineers Stat Leaders
• Paul Pennington paved the way for the Mounties shooting 9-11 putting up 24 points on the night. He also added 6 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals.
• Justin Jeske added a career high 20 points shooting 9-12 and pulling down 7 boards in the process.
• Kendall Williams, although only playing 17 minutes, posted 16 points on the night.
• Zane Wright finished with 14 points, shooting 5-6 overall, including 4-5 beyond the arc.
 
For the Lions
• Zach Richardson continues to put up big numbers against the Mounties, finishing with 34 points, shooting 7-16 from 3 point land.
• Multnomah also had contributions from Forrest Smith who scored 24 points, Wallace Ungwiluk with 17, and Grant Dunn with 12.
• Maxime Dehon had a near double double with 9 points and 11 rebounds.
 

By The Numbers
4 - Four Mountaineers finished in double figures.
15 - EOU Men's Basketball has an overall win record of 15-4 over Multnomah.
28 - The Mounties had a total of 28 assists, second best of the season
5 - This is the fifth time EOU has scored over 100 points in 2021.

Up Next
• Eastern Oregon's next scheduled games are set for April 2 and 3 as the team will hit the road again for more CCC action. The Mountaineers will be back in Portland, this time to take on Warner Pacific University. Friday's game time is set for 6 p.m. PT, while Saturday's game will tip-off at 3 p.m. PT.

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