BUTTE, Mont. – Eastern Oregon traveled to Butte, Mont. for their first NAIA Tournament appearance since 2017. Matched up with the No. 24 team in the nation, Thomas More University, the Mountaineers couldn't overcome a rocky start falling to the Saints, 66-44. EOU finished their best season in recent years with a record of 21-11 finishing second in the CCC regular season and tournament.
 
EOU struggled shooting in the first half as they hit a wall after getting to nine points with 13-and-a-half minutes to go. With the score at 14-9 in the Saints' favor, Thomas More completely shut down EOU's offense the rest of the half. Thomas More finished out the half on a 20-3 run with the Mounties only bucket coming on an AJ Huddleston three with four minutes to go.

At the half the Mounties trailed 34-12 led by Huddleston's six points.
 
Eastern showed life to start out the second half and made an effort to cut into the Saints' lead. Unable to find any luck from outside, the Mounties shifted their focus inside cutting into the deficit. In the first 10 minutes of the half every single basket EOU converted on was inside the paint and they brought themselves within 13 points of the Saints.
 
Unfortunately, that was all Eastern could muster as the Saints extended their lead once again and finished out the game outscoring EOU 22-13 thanks to 12 points in the final 10 minutes from their leading scorer Reid Jolly.
 
The 66-44 loss to Thomas More marks the end of the 2022-23 season for Eastern Oregon Men's Basketball.
 
BY THE NUMBERS

• Eastern struggled to find a rhythm on offense shooting 26.8% from the field and 17.4% from deep
• Thomas More made one more three on nine less attempts
• Shooting held the Mounties back who were competitive on the glass (outrebounded 42-36) and were better in terms of ball control (11 turnovers to Thomas More's 15)

 
STANDOUT PERFORMANCES

• Thomas More
  • Reid Jolly: 22 PTS, 9-20 FG, 6 REB, 1 AST, 2 STL
  • Jacob Jones: 18 PTS, 5-8 FG, 2 REB, 1 AST, 1 STL