OLYMPIA, Wash. – After going over six minutes without a field goal to start the game, the Eastern Oregon Mountaineers finally found their stroke, earning a 73-54 win over the Evergreen Geoducks in a Cascade Conference men’s basketball game on Friday night at CRC Gymnasium in Olympia, Wash.

The Geoducks (1-5, 0-1 CCC) came out sprinting, using a 10-1 run to open the game as Eastern Oregon (9-1, 1-0 CCC) didn’t hit their first field goal until the 13:48 mark in the opening half.  Unfortunately for Evergreen, once EOU found their shot, they kept hitting as the Mounties tied things up at 17-17 with 8:37 to go.  The EOU lead continued to grow, eventually hitting nine on a jumper by Craig Tucker with one second before halftime as Eastern took the 34-25 lead into the break.

Any shooting woes that Eastern may have had in the first half did not return in the second period as the Mounties continued to build the lead in the final half.  Eastern grabbed their biggest lead of the game with 1:09 left to play, using a free throw by Kevin Attila to go ahead by 21 at 71-50.

After a Geoduck three pointer by Jordan Rawls (Shoreline, Wash./Decatur HS/Peninsula CC) and a jumper by EOU’s Derek Maloney, Evergreen’s Charlie Holzman (Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South HS) hit a free throw to score the final point of the game, giving Eastern Oregon the 73-54 win.

Evergreen was led by a game-high 22 points from Kyle Calhoun (Seattle, Wash./Hazen HS/Marshalltown CC).  Marc Taylor (Boise, Idaho/Skyview HS/Edmonds CC) was the next leading scorer for the Geoducks, putting up nine points and seven rebounds as Evergreen shot just 26.8% on the night, making 15-of-56 attempts.

Eastern Oregon was led by 17 points from Tony Eackles Jr.  Kyllian Wood added 14 points and 13 rebounds to earn the double-double.  Kalvin Johanson also earned the double-double, posting 12 points and 19 rebounds in the win.

The Geoducks will look to rebound on Saturday night when they host 20th-ranked College of Idaho.  Eastern Oregon will also be in action, traveling to Northwest in Kirkland, Wash.  Both games are set to tip at 7:30 p.m.

Box Score