LA GRANDE, Ore. — Despite a tight game in the first half, Eastern Oregon men’s basketball opened the second half with a 26-8 run, defeating Warner Pacific 94-76 on Saturday evening.
The Mounties knocked down eight threes in the second half, shooting 50% from the field and three point distance in the final twenty minutes of play.
Leading the charge for Eastern Oregon was AJ Huddleston, who contributed 20 points, including four three-pointers. Brennen Newsom and Jonny Hillman also added 13 and 19 points each. Newsom finished the game one rebound shy of a double-double, securing four extra possessions for the Mounties on the offensive glass.
Senior forward Preston Chandler was also a difference maker throughout the contest, shooting an efficient 3-3 from three point distance and drawing crucial charges on the defensive end.
Warner Pacific’s efforts were highlighted by Collin Oestereich’s 20-point performance, scoring 13 second-half points for the Knights.
Eastern Oregon capitalized on their opportunities, shooting 45.9% from the field and 43.8% from beyond the arc throughout the game. They also found success early from the charity stripe, going 15-16 for a 93.8% success rate in the first half.
With this win, Eastern Oregon improves to 11-13 overall and 10-8 in conference play, while Warner Pacific falls to 2-22 overall and 0-18 in the CCC. The Mountaineers will look to carry this momentum forward as they prepare for their next matchup against Northwest University in Kirkland on February 16th.
