FROM NEWS SERVICE REPORTS
It's a short home stand, but a welcome one.
Coming off a winless four-game stretch of road games, the Eastern Washington University men's basketball team is back at home tonight (Jan. 20) to face Northern Arizona in a Big Sky Conference game. Tipoff at Reese Court is 7:05 p.m.
Saturday the Eagles are back on the road to close out its stretch of 5-of-6 games away from Cheney when they play at Sacramento State at 7:05 p.m.
“We need to go home,” Eastern head coach Kirk Earlywine said shortly after his team finished winless on a four-game road stretch with a 71-59 loss at Montana State.
His team was out-scored 48-33 in the second half after leading by three at intermission. Eastern also lost 66-47 to Montana last week, and in both games against the Grizzlies and Bobcats, a 15-1 run contributed greatly to putting EWU in a hole it could not dig out of.
“I'm tired and exhausted, and I know the players are,” Earlywine said. “We've been on the road for the last four games. Maybe that was part of the problem in the second half against MSU.”
The Eagles enter action this week 4-13 overall and 1-4 in the Big Sky Conference, while Northern Arizona is 10-7 overall and 2-3 in the league.
The Hornets are 3-14 and 0-6 in the league, including an 88-79 overtime loss to the Eagles on Dec. 29. Entering its home game against Northern Colorado, Sac State has lost eight-straight games dating back to its last victory on Dec. 10 versus William Jessup.
Since that victory over Sac State, the Eagles have lost five-straight games. The Eagles held Montana State to 30 percent shooting en route to leading 29-23 at halftime, but then allowed the Bobcats to make 73 percent in the second half.
The loss at Bozeman extended EWU's losing streak on the road to 16 games -- 10 games this year and six to end the 2009-10 season. The last time Eastern tasted victory on the road was a year ago on Jan. 10, 2010, when Dean made a game-winning, six-foot running bank shot with 3.8 seconds to play in a 75-73 victory at Montana State.
“We have to play for the whole 40 minutes -- and play the right way,” Earlywine said. “In the second half against Montana State we really didn't do that.”
While the Eagles are 0-10 on the road this season with a 16-game road losing streak dating back to last year, the Eagles have won four of seven games at home.
“There is no question it's important,” Earlywine said. “Were in the middle of a tough stretch right now and we have to find a way to continue to get better.”
Eastern's last three home games have all been close, with two decided by a total of just six points and the third going into overtime.
Following Saturday's game at Sac State, the Eagles will play five of their final nine league games at home. Plus, Eastern will host a yet to be announced opponent on either Feb. 18 or 19 in the ESPN BracketBusters.
“As you look back on any season, there are five to eight times in a season when I guess you can term it a crossroad,” said Earlywine when asked if the Eagles were at a crossroad in their season. “We're in a tough stretch right now, and we have to get ourselves going back in the right direction.”
Reader Comments(0)