SEATTLE – Taking on their third NCAA Division I opponent in eight days, the Evergreen Geoducks fell to the Seattle Redhawks, 100-59, in an exhibition men’s basketball game on Saturday night at KeyArena in Seattle.

The Geoducks kept it tight with the Redhawks early in the first half as the two teams were tied at six with 15:21 to go but Seattle came out of the first media timeout on fire, going on a 21-0 run before Evergreen would hit another basket.  SU continued to push the pace as the Redhawks would take a 49-26 lead into the halftime break.

In the second half, the Redhawks continued to pull away but the Geoducks never stopped battling, improving their second half point production by seven points  as Seattle earned the 100-59 win over Evergreen.  It was the third straight year that the two squads met and the third straight win for SU.

Evergreen was led by 17 points off the bench from KJ Hong (Federal Way, Wash./Decatur HS/Shoreline CC).  Kwame Awadjie (Tacoma, Wash./Spanaway Lake HS) added 10 points.  The Geoduck starters struggled against the bigger SU team, combining for just 15 points as Evergreen shot 33.9% from the field, making 19-of-56 attempts in the former NBA arena.

Seattle was led by 19 points each from Isiah Umpig and Deshaun  Sunderhaus.  William Powell added 14 points while Shore Adenekan added 10 points.  Former Washington Husky Clarence Trent was held to just four points in the counting game for SU.  The Redhawks shot 43.5% from the field but dominated the glass, outrebounding Evergreen 68 to 28.

The Geoducks return back to NAIA competition on Nov. 24 when they play host to Cal Maritime.  Tip with the Keelhaulers is set for 2 p.m. at CRC Gymnasium in Olympia, Wash.

Box Score

TACOMA, Wash. – Senior Kyle Calhoun (Seattle, Wash./Hazen HS/Marshalltown CC) put up 24 points but the Evergreen Geoducks couldn’t pick up the win, falling to the Puget Sound Loggers, 71-58, in  a non-conference men’s basketball game on Friday night at Memorial Fieldhouse in Tacoma, Wash.

In the first half, it was the Loggers who came out on fire, scoring the first five points before Bryce Phillip (Spanaway, Wash./Bethel HS/Green River CC) scored for the Geoducks.  Evergreen fought back to tie the game early but a 12-3 run gave UPS a nine-point lead with 13:30 to go in the opening half.  The Loggers continued to push the pace, using a layup with 9:30 to go to extend the lead into double-digits and Puget Sound would keep the lead, taking a 38-24 lead into the break.

In the second half, the two teams were even most of the way but the early deficit proved too much to overcome.  The Geoducks used a three-ball by Calhoun with 16:20 left to go to cut the Logger lead to 10 but they would never get any closer, falling 71-58 in the non-conference matchup.

Evergreen was led by the 24 points from Calhoun, who was nine-of-15 from the field, including five-of-seven from the three-point line.  Cameron Faison (Atlanta, Ga./Foster HS/West Valley College) added eight as the Geoducks next leading scorer.  The green and white shot just 39.6% from the field, making 21-of-53 attempts.

Puget Sound was led by 24 points from Rex Nelson.  Keith Shattuck came off the bench to score 11 while Nick Holden finished with 10 points for the Loggers.  UPS had a slight advantage in rebounding, bringing down 38 boards compared with 36 for Evergreen.

The Geoducks play their third Division I opponent of the season on Saturday night when they head up to Seattle to take on WAC member Seattle University in an exhibition.  Tip with the Redhawks is set for 7 p.m. at KeyArena.

Box Score

POCATELLO, Idaho – After playing Pac-12 Utah on Friday, the Evergreen Geoducks felt a little more at home against NCAA Division I Idaho State but it was the Big Sky Bengals who earned the win, 99-62, in a men’s basketball exhibition game on Saturday night at Reed Gym in Pocatello, Idaho.

In the first half, the Bengals (1-0) came out excited in their season opener as they pushed the pace and built an early lead over the Geoducks.  A 15-0 run gave ISU a large first half lead as Evergreen was forced to play from behind.  As Idaho State continued to make baskets, the Geoducks won the closing minutes of the first half, using a 12-4 run to cut the deficit to 20 at half, 49-29.

Evergreen came out strong in the second half, matching the Bengals shot for shot as the Geoducks headed into the first media timeout having outscored the Bengals, 9-7, in the opening minutes of the second period.  The Evergreen dominance wouldn’t last as Idaho State came out of the first media timeout pushing the pace as the lead began to grow again.

Idaho State’s fresh legs coupled with four games in five days for the Geoducks began to show as the second half continued as the Bengals pulled ahead before taking the game by a final of 99-62.

Evergreen was led by 22 points from sophomore Frankie Johnson (Renton, Wash/Hazen HS).  Marc Taylor (Boise, Idaho/Skyview HS/Edmonds CC) put up 14 points against his father’s Dan’s alma mater, also adding 10 rebounds to collect the double-double.  As a team, the Geoducks shot 37% form the field, making 23-of-62 attempts from the field, including 10 three-pointers.

Idaho State was led by 23 points from Jeffrey Solarin, who was 10-of-11 from the field to go with 10 rebounds. Tomas Sanchez added 15 points in the win while Chris Hansen the earned the double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds.  The Bengals shot 50.8% from the field and were given 35 free throws, sinking 27 from the stripe.

The Geoducks hit the hardwood again on Friday night, traveling to Tacoma to take on Puget Sound as part of the Doug McArthur Tip-Off Classic.  Tip with the Loggers is set for 8 p.m. at Memorial Fieldhouse.

Box Score

SALT LAKE CITY – Playing in one of the most legendary buildings in college basketball, the Evergreen Geoducks took to the floor against a Pac-12 opponent for the first time in school history, falling to the Utah Utes, 128-44, in an exhibition game on Friday night at the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City.

After Utah got the first basket, senior Marc Taylor (Boise, Idaho/Skyview HS/Edmonds CC) evened it up for the Geoducks at 2-2. Unfortunately for Evergreen, Utah would go on a 14-0 run as the 27-time NCAA tournament participants built the early lead.  The Geoducks continued to battle as Utah continued to build the lead.  The Runnin’ Utes would take a 59-20 lead into the break.

The second half didn’t get an easier for the Geoducks as Utah opened the second half on a 35-4 run to build the lead even larger.  Playing in the same arena as the 1979 NCAA Championship game where Larry Bird and Magic Johnson faced off, the only negative for Evergreen was the final score as Utah earned the 128-44 win.

Evergreen was led by 11 points from senior Kyle Calhoun (Seattle, Wash./Hazen HS/Marshalltown CC).  Kwame Awadjie (Tacoma, Wash./Spanaway Lake HS) came off the bench to add 11.  Taylor finished with a team-high seven rebounds in the exhibition loss.

Utah was led by 24 points and 13 rebounds from Jordan Loveridge, who collected 11 of those points from the charity stripe.  Delon Wright also recorded a double-double for the Runnin’ Utes, scoring 17 and bringing down 10 rebounds in the win.  The Utes shot 63.6% for the game, making 42-of-66 shots from the floor.

The Geoducks play their second straight NCAA Division I opponent on Saturday night when they head north to Pocatello, Idaho to take on Idaho State University.  Tip with the Bengals is set for 8 p.m. MST at Reed Gym.

Box Score

OLYMPIA, Wash. – Michael Greene was 11-of-13 from the field as the Northwest Eagles picked up a 76-57 win over the Evergreen Geoducks in a non-conference men’s basketball game on Wednesday night at CRC Gymnasium in Olympia, Wash.

Greene scored the first two points of the night for the Eagles (3-1) and Northwest would never trail.  Evergreen (1-2) found themselves down by double-digits with 12:09 left to play but the Geoducks kept battling, despite a sharp-shooting Northwest squad.  The Eagles shot 58.1% from the field in the first half en route to a 42-26 halftime lead.

In the second half, the Geoducks cut the lead to 11 with 16:40 to go but Northwest showed why they are receiving votes in the NAIA Top 25 as they pushed the lead into the 20s.  Evergreen kept battling and got the differential down to 13 but it was simply too much to overcome as NU earned the 76-57 win.

Evergreen was led by 17 points from Kyle Calhoun (Seattle, Wash./Hazen HS/Marshalltown CC).  Marc Taylor (Boise, Idaho/Skyview HS/Edmonds CC) added 14 points while Frankie Johnson (Renton, Wash./Hazen HS) dished out six assists on the night.

Northwest was led by 26 points from Greene.  Ryan McIntosh added 15 points for the Eagles while Nemanja Grujicic earned the double-double with 11 points and 14 rebounds.  C.J. Carter came off the bench to add 10 as the NU bench picked up 18 points.

Evergreen hits the big time their next time out as they take on the University of Utah in an exhibition on Friday in a game that will be televised on the Pac-12 Mountain network.  Tip with the Utes is set for 6:06 p.m. MST at the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Box Score