EWU Sports Briefs

BASKETBALL:

Eastern women win twice, again

The Eastern Washington women’s basketball team won both of its Big Sky Conference games last week, making sure along the way they sent a big crowd of youngsters home happy, too.

The Eagles thrilled a “Kids Day” crowd of some 2,500 at Reese Court with a 49-36 win, Jan. 19 over Northern Colorado. Things were a bit more tense Jan. 21 in an 96-89 overtime victory against Northern Arizona to run the Eagles record to 5-3 in Big Sky play, 12-6 overall.

“That was a gutsy effort the whole game, not just in overtime,” head coach Joddie Gleason said of the NAU result.

The Lumberjacks would never lead until the 2:50 mark, 73-72 and then finally 80-79 with 9 seconds remaining before Jamie Loera’s first of a pair of free throws sent it to OT tied at 80.

In overtime, NAU crafted an 86-82 lead with 4:14 to play but Eastern battled back to tie it at 88-88 with 1:48 remaining. The Eagles won it sinking their final eight free throws, six coming from Aaliyah Alexander as part of a 19-point day.

Jaleesa Lawrence, coming off the bench, scored a career-high 23 points to lead Eastern. Jaydia Martin had 18 points while Jacinta Buckley had 16. 

Martin had game-high 14 points for Eastern and Alexander 10 more against Northern Colorado as the Eagles rallied from a 24-19 halftime deficit.

Eastern will be on the road next week to play Idaho State on Thursday (Jan. 26) and Weber State on Saturday (Jan. 28).

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TRACK & FIELD

Klobutcher sets EWU indoor record in pole vault

Eastern Washington Track and Field wrapped up another successful indoor meet on Jan.21 in Moscow as the team earned multiple wins at the 2023 Lauren McCluskey Memorial Open at the Kibbie Dome.

Zach Klobutcher from Covington, Wash., set the EWU Indoor all-time record in the pole vault, clearing 17 feet, 1 inch to earn the meet win. He was previously second on the all-time list at 16-11 ½.

Bobby Say took first in the men’s triple jump at 49 feet, 4 inches. Savannah Schultz won the pole vault clearing 12 feet, 9 ¾ inches. Noah Hasselblad earned a win in the men’s 3,000 meters with a time of 8 minutes, 28.13 seconds.