Eastern Washington's Steele Venters cuts around defenders Liam Sorensen and Tarik Cool while trying to drive to the basket during the game on Feb. 12.
CHENEY – A solid first half for the Eagles helped them hold off a late-game push by Idaho State, and Eastern turned back the Bengals 75-72 at home on Feb. 12. It was the second win in a row for the Eagles, who got past Big Sky Conference leader Weber State 75-67 on Feb. 10.
The Bengals opened the scoring with a three-pointer a minute into the game. Both teams battled to keep the score close early on.
But little over halfway through the first half, the Eagles were able to find some rhythm and began to pull away on a layup and a couple of Rylan Bergersen free throws put Eastern up 20-15.
Mason Landdeck was fouled on a three-point attempt and sank all three shots from the charity stripe to push the Eagles lead to 27-20 with 5:29 left in the first in the first half.
Back-to-back buckets by Idaho State's Tarik Cool kept it close. But a clutch three-point shot by Steele Venters ignited an Eagles run and Eastern led 38-29 at the half.
Angelo Allegri drained a couple of baskets early in the second half to make it 44-38 Eagles. Refusing to roll over and die, Idaho State went on a 12-5 run to go up by one, 50-49 with 11:25 left in the contest. It was the last lead in the game for the Bengals.
However, Idaho State did even it 63-all with just under four minutes to go. Two three-point plays by Bergersen gave Eastern a 69-65 lead with two minutes left.
A Malik Porter jamb with nine seconds to go got the Bengals within a point, 73-72.
Eastern Washington in-bounded the ball to Venters, who was fouled immediately. He went to the line for two shots, sank both of them and the Eagles hung on for the win.
Venters led all scorers with 21 points, Allegri added 16, and Bergersen finished with 14 points and three assists.
Cool led the Bengals with 20 points.
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