Big Sky draw almost set

Well, the 256 different scenarios for the Big Sky tournament are now down to two after last night's games. Eastern is obviously the No. 1 seed and Northern Arizona with its overtime win over Montana will also have a bye into the semifinals as the No. 2 seed. Check out the Big Sky Web site to see how the tournament is laid out.

The only game left is Sacramento State and Montana State, the winner is the No. 4 seed and the loser will have its season come to an end.

Eagles head into Tourney on 2-game skid

The Eastern Eagles lost a heart-breaker that gave Idaho State a berth and No. 3 seed in the Big Sky tournament starting next Saturday. Former Eagle Marquis Poole hit the game-winning lay-in with six seconds remaining in double overtime. Poole had 31 points to lead the Bengals. For more on the game check out Kurt Eilmes' report in the Idaho State Journal.

For a different look on the game, here is the article by Jared Eborn in The Spokesman-Review.

Hamilton, Wildcats end Eagles' streak

The Eastern Eagles saw their 11-game winning streak come to an end thanks to the shooting of senior guard John Hamilton. Hamilton scored a career-high 31 points, including eight three-pointers. The Eagles were up three in overtime with just over a minute to play when Hamilton put his Wildcats on his shoulders and single-handedly kept their postseason hopes alive. To read more about the game check out the article in the S-R by Zack Van Eyck
or Jim Burton's article in the Standard-Examiner.

The Eagles hope to rebound and start another streak Saturday night as they travel to Pocatello to take on the Idaho State Bengals. The Eagles will hope that senior guard Josh Barnard's left heel is good enough to go. Barnard is listed as questionable for Saturday nights game.

Rivalry continues tonights against Weber

The Eastern Eagles look to keep their school-record 11-game winning streak alive as they travel to Ogden, Utah, to take on the Weber State Wildcats. As
Jim Burton from the Standard-Examiner writes, this is a must win for the Wildcats in a game that has turned into a rivalry in the Big Sky the past two seasons.

The Eagles are 5-0 on the road in conference play and according to head coach Ray Giacoletti, are happy to finish the season with two road games. "I'm glad we're on the road this week. We're together with no outside distractions," said Giacoletti.

Barnard out for Thursday

Eagles senior Josh Barnard will not play this Thursday at Weber State. Barnard has been struggling with a painful left achilles, which has restricted his movement and especially his shooting. "He's not going to practice this week. He didn't practice all last week and its really sore again," said head coach Ray Giacoletti.

Barnard was held scoreless in last Saturday's win against Portland State and was 0-2 from the three-point line. Giacoletti's hopes is that Barnard will be able to practice Friday and play Saturday against Idaho State, which plays zone. Barnard torched the Bengal zone with six three-pointers in the Eagles' 27-point win earlier in the season at Reese Court.

Danny Pariseau will start at the point, which will move Alvin Snow and Brendon Merritt to the wings. Also look for freshmen Paul Butorac and Eric Heinkel to get extended minutes with Barnard out.

A confusing and crucial final weekend

As the final weekend approaches in the Big Sky Conference, the only team that is in the conference tournament for sure is Eastern, which is 11-1. With Sac State and NAU tied for second and a five-way tie for fourth, this leaves 256 different scenarios for the leagues final regular season standing. To view these scenarios check out the Big Sky Web site.

The only thing we do know is that after this weekend, the top six teams will be in the conference tournament and the second-place team will await its opponent in the semifinals in Cheney.

Weber State looks for more fan support

The Weber State Wildcats were picked as the preseason favorite to win the Big Sky Conference. Now they will fight for their postseason lives at home this weekend against Eastern and Portland State. The Wildcats are currently 5-7 in conference, in a five-way tie for fourth place. They are also only one game back of second-place teams NAU and Sac State, both at 6-6. As Jim Burton writes, the Wildcats facility and fan support has not generated the intimidating atmosphere most schools pride themselves on.

Free throws bail out Eagles

The Eastern Eagles were in the midst of blowing a 10-point lead with under five minutes to play, but thanks to eight straight made free throws they were able to escape with their 11th straight win. As Jim Meehan of the S-R writes, it was a game that the Eagles almost deserved to lose.

Senior Brendon Merritt lead the team with 15 points, while Alvin Snow chipped in with 14. The Eagles will now go on the road this week to Weber State on Thursday and Idaho State on Saturday.

Eastern looks to maintain 'edge'

The Eastern Eagles may have the regular season Big Sky Championship, but don't think head coach Ray Giacoletti is going to allow his team to coast into the conference tournament. "It's business as usual, it's really important to see if we can stay focused and sharp. We're still trying to find our best basketball. Any other approach wouldn't lead to that," said Giacoletti.

"This has been the team with the most consistent focus and has had that edge," said Giacoletti, of this year's team compared to his three in the past. The last three teams in the past have also finished one game shy of an NCAA bid. "Those windows are only open so long, at very few points along the way. I'm happy they have a sense of accomplishment, now we need to seize the moment for the next step and hopefully continue to get better," said Giacoletti.

"Saturday's game is extremely important because its senior night. We need to find a way to send four seniors out on a good note," said Giacoletti. The four seniors that will be honored before tipoff will be Gregg Smith, Josh Barnard, Brendon Merritt and Alvin Snow. The game will be at Reese Court at 7:05 p.m.

Washington schools encounter unexpected success

If you look at the season Gonzaga is having, it is one that many expected. But one surprise in college basketball has been the performance of other Washington state schools. The Washington Huskies are looking to finish as high as second in the Pac-10 and still have a chance at the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1999. The Cougars are looking for their first season at .500 or better since 1996 and Eastern Washington University is atop the Big Sky and looking for the school's first ever trip to the NCAA tournament. These are all reasons, as Craig Hill of the News Tribune writes, to start following college hoops in the state of Washington.

Hopefully the success of these programs will help keep all of the Washington state high school standouts in Washington. Most recently, the Huskies missed out on the opportunity to land Bremerton star Marvin Williams. Williams chose the University of North Carolina, obviously the more historic and passionate basketball program. But with the successes of these programs in the ongoing season, a change could be just around the corner.

Barnard won't practice, but will play

Senior shooting guard Josh Barnard has not and will not practice all week, but will remain in the lineup for Saturday night's game against Portland State. Barnard, who is suffering from a sore left achilles tendon, has not missed a game this season. "This is really the last time we really have a chance to try and get him healthy," said head coach Ray Giacoletti.

Since the injury, Barnard has struggled shooting the basketball. Barnard is only three of his last 15 from the three-point line and has seen his percentage drop under 50 percent for the first time since the beginning of the year. The Eagles will need Barnard to find his touch once again if they hope to win the conference tournament and qualify for the NCAA tournament.

Snow to set record on 'Senior Night'

Senior Alvin Snow will play in his record-setting 113th game at Eastern Washington University on Saturday and it will be the last regular season game he ever plays at Reese Court. Snow, along with seniors Brendon Merritt, Josh Barnard, and Gregg Smith will also be honored before tipoff for Senior Night. For more on the night and for other statistics and little tidbits check out the press release from the Eagles' Web site.

Merritt honored

Senior Brendon Merritt was named the Big Sky Player of the Week for his performance in the Eagles' two home wins this past weekend. Merritt averaged 21.5 points per game in the two ball games and was a perfect 15-15 from the charity stripe. For more information on Merritt's weekend check out the release from the Big Sky Conference website.

Merritt, along with three other seniors will play in their final regular season home game as an Eastern Eagle this Saturday as they host the Portland State Vikings.

Eagles second no more

The Eastern Eagles broke their streak of three consecutive years in second place thanks to a 91-81 win over Northern Arizona Saturday night. The Eagles won their 10th straight, but the only number that mattered was "one," as the Montana Grizzlies, the only team to beat Eastern in conference play, gave the Eagles home court for the conference tournament with a 88-85 win over Idaho State. For more on the Eagles win check out Jim Meehan's piece in The Spokesman-Review and Chris Lang's in the Arizona Daily Sun.

This will be the first time that Eastern has hosted the Big Sky tournament in school history. For more reactions and ticket information check out this release from the EWU Web site.

The Eagles have an easier week with only a Saturday game on the schedule against Portland State. It will be senior night, so the chance of a letdown from the Eagles is unlikely. Portland State swept their weekend series beating NAU on Thursday and Sacramento State Saturday night and have won three of their last four. The Vikings are big and physical inside, which will give the Eagles some interesting matchups on the interior.

Eagles continue run, get help

The Eastern Eagles won a record ninth straight game Thursday night, taking out the Sac State Hornets 83-57. For a write-up on the game check out Jim Meehan's piece from The Spokesman-Review.

The Eagles lead in the conference also grew to 3 and 1/2 games after the losses of Idaho State and Northern Arizona. For a report on the Lumberjack loss to Portland State check out Chris Lang's article from the Arizona Daily Sun.

To read about Idaho State's remarkable 21-point near-comeback against Montana State, check out Kurt Eilmes' article from the Idaho State Journal.

Eastern will look again to junior Marc Axton to shut down conference MVP candidate Aaron Bond Saturday night as they host second place NAU. The Lumberjacks have now lost two straight after winning four straight and are struggling on the defensive end, allowing a combined 195 points in their last two games. Tipoff will be at Reese Court at 7:05 as the Eagles look to clinch at least a share of the Big Sky regular season championship.

Barnard a go for Thursday

Senior Josh Barnard will not let his sore left achilles keep him out of the Eagles' two important home games this weekend. It is an injury that bothered him throughout the Montana game on Saturday and might have been a factor in his 1 of 5 shooting from the three-point line. "He missed practice on Monday, we're trying to give it some rest and get him ready to go for Thursday," said head coach Ray Giacoletti. "It bothers him at first, but it seems to loosen up as the game goes on," said Giacoletti.

Barnard is averaging 10.4 points per game and shooting 51 percent from the arc. The Eagles will need Barnard's shooting along with his court presence for them to continue their eight-game win streak. The game against Sac State is at 7:05pm Thursday night at Reese Court.

Merritt finally healthy

Last Saturday's game versus Montana marked the first time this season that senior Brendon Merritt has found his three-point shot. Merritt was 5-7 from the field and 4-4 from the three-point line for a team high 17 points. Merritt entered the game almost 100 percent healthy for the first time this season. He has recently battled a bruised knee and a dislocated shoulder twice, which hasn't helped his game. He entered Saturday shooting only 41 percent from the field and a dreadful 21 percent from the three-point line. "I think he's pretty good right now. On Friday at practice was the best I've seen him move in a long time and I think it carried over into Saturday," said coach Ray Giacoletti.

Sac State gaining confidence heading into matchup with Eastern

The Sacramento State Hornets were off to a slow start at 1-4 in conference play, but thanks to three straight wins, find themselves all alone in fourth place. As Sam Amick of the Sacramento Bee writes, it is a season that has turned around after last game's 110-point explosion against Northern Arizona.

Sacramento State has lost seven in a row at Reese Court by an average margin of 17 points, but this is a different team. The Hornets have a group of seniors lead by Joseth Dawson, who was named this week's Big Sky Player of the Week thanks to his 30-point effort on Saturday. Dawson earned 14 of those at the free throw line alone. For more on Dawson's weekend, check out the recent press release from the Hornets Web site.

"We've got to be disciplined on defense and not bail him out. If he hits a jumper with a hand in his face, then he hits it. But we can't foul him and send him to the line," said Eastern's head coach Ray Giacoletti. "They're really athletic and they're really going to get out and try and pressure us. So we have to do a good job of spacing and running our motion offense which gives us a chance to get things going to the basket," said Giacoletti.

These two home games could be crucial to the Eagles hopes of hosting the Big Sky Conference Tournament in March. If they win both games, they would almost be assured of home court for the tournament. But once again, that is "if" they win both games. The Hornets on Thursday with their three-game winning streak and Northern Arizona on Saturday, a team that is unbeaten in conference play on the road.

Eastern gets revenge on Griz

The Eastern Eagles' win streak is up to eight games thanks to their latest and impressive win over the Montana Grizzlies Saturday night. The Eagles got off to a slow start, but a 18-0 run over an eight-minute stretch in the first half was the difference. Check out Jim Meehan's take on the game.
Here is what Bob Meseroll of the Missoulian had to say about the game.

The Eagles will return home this week to take on Sacramento State on Thursday and Northern Arizona on Saturday. Sacramento State is coming off an impressive upset of second place NAU last Saturday and is a very athletic and dangerous team. The Eagles may have a two-and-a-half game lead for hosting the conference tournament, but the conference is still a long way from being decided.

Eagles hang on to win 7th straight

The Eastern Eagles escaped Worthington Arena with their win streak still intact thanks to Marc Axton's three pointer that gave the Eagles the lead for good with 40 seconds left. Check out the S-R's article of the game.

For another take on the game, here is the Bozeman Daily Chronicle's article
by Tony Castleberry.

The Eagles now travel to Missoula to take on the Grizzlies, the only team to defeat the Eagles in Big Sky play this season. As Bob Meseroll of the Missoulian writes, the Grizzlies now have sole possession of last place thanks to Thursday's loss to Portland State.

Eastern looks to sweep the Montana road trip for the second straight season.
The Eagles beat the Griz 72-62 last year in Missoula thanks to 17 points
from Marc Axton. The game is at 6:35 local time and 7:35 mountain time.

Don't expect a February letdown from Eagles

After a horrible start to the season, the Eastern Eagles now find themselves back at .500 with a 10-10 record. This is thanks to a six-game win streak and a 7-1 record in January. As Tony Castleberry writes in the Bozeman Daily Chronicle, the Eagles' play in January was superb, but their record in February the past five years has been just as impressive.

Castleberry also writes about the defense of walk-on P.J. Owsley and Josh Barsh holding NAU's leading scorer, Aaron Bond, to only four second-half points and 6-of-19 shooting from the field. Owsley only averages about nine minutes per game, but with his long frame at 6-foot-7 he might continue to see an increase in his playing time.

This should worry Eastern fans as Bond and forward Marc Axton have identical games that revolve around three-point shooting. Look for the Bobcats to keep the same sort of matchup they did on Saturday versus Bond to shut down this week's Big Sky Player of the Week. Axton is coming off a career-high 25 points on 10-16 shooting from the floor.

Axton rewarded for performance

Marc Axton was honored Monday for his play this past weekend, being named as the Big Sky Conference's Player of the Week. Axton scored a career high 25 points and helped the Eagles snap their three-game losing streak to Weber State on Saturday. Check out the press release on the Big Sky's website.

Axton is second on the team in scoring, averaging 12.3 points per game, and has one of the best assist-to-turnover ratios in the Big Sky Conference. Axton and the Eagles will travel to Montana State to take on the Bobcats on Thursday night, a team Axton lit up, scoring 19 points on 7-11 shooting from the field.

Eagles get revenge

The Eastern Eagles ended the first half of the conference season with an impressive 73-67 win over defending Big Sky Conference champion Weber State last night. As Jim Meehan of the Spokesman-Review writes, it was a hard fought and crucial victory at this point in the season for the Eagles. For another take on the game check out Jim Burton's article in the Standard-Examiner.

The Eagles can savor their two important home wins from this weekend for now, but will face the always difficult road trip in traveling to Bozeman and Missoula this week. Eastern remains in first place at 6-1, but Northern Arizona kept pace with their two wins this weekend and are at 5-2 in conference play.