by Boise, Idaho – The Eastern Washington University women’s basketball team ran into a Boise State offense clicking on all cylinders Sunday afternoon, Dec. 14, falling to the Broncos, 90-72, in a nonconference contest at Taco Bell Arena.
Win-Loss Records
The loss evens Eastern’s record at 4-4 while Boise State improves to 7-3 with the win.
What It Means
The defeat snaps EWU’s two-game winning streak over the Broncos and drops the Eagles’ road record to 1-3 so far this season.
Turning Point
Down by 14 after the opening 20 minutes, Eastern picked things up in the early part of the second half, cutting Boise State’s lead to just six points, 53-46, through the first three minutes. The Broncos would answer EWU’s run to regain a double-digit lead, but the Eagles continued to fight back as a jumper from Marly Anderson pulled Eastern to within eight, 65-57, with 11:03 remaining.
Boise State’s Deanna Weaver connected on a three-point try on the hosts’ next possession, igniting a 17-3 run over the next five minutes that gave the Broncos a 22-point cushion, 82-60. The Eagles would get no closer than 16 points the rest of the way as BSU held on for the win.
Top Performers
Senior Lexie Nelson led four Eagles in double-figures with 19 points on 5-of-7 shooting. She connected on three three-pointers and went 6-of-7 from the free throw line, adding three rebounds and two assists.
Junior Hayley Hodgins finished with 16 points, going 7-of-14 from the field. She pulled down four rebounds to go along with three assists, two steals and one block.
Sophomore Jade Redmon tied her career high with 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting. She set new career highs in three-pointers made (4) and attempted (6), knocking down three triples in the first half.
Sophomore Tisha Phillips (Nez Perce Tribe) chipped in a career-best 11 points in 15 minutes off the bench, adding three rebounds and a steal.
Senior Melissa Williams was EWU’s top rebounder with seven boards. She added a career-high six assists while recording two steals.
Sophomore Marly Anderson registered a new career high with three blocked shots in 16 minutes off the bench to go along with five points and four rebounds.
Key Statistics
Eastern shot 44.8 percent from the field on the day, including a 56.5-percent clip in the second half. Boise State finished the game shooting 54.5 percent after connecting at a 60.5-percent clip in the opening stanza.
Both teams were effective from long range as the Eagles made nine of their 15 three-point tries while the Broncos finished 8-of-19 from downtown.
BSU outscored Eastern, 42-24, in the paint and recorded 23 points off of 13 EWU turnovers while the Eagles scored 16 points off of the Broncos’ 14 miscues.
Boise State pulled down 37 rebounds to the Eagles’ 30, but Eastern finished with 14 second-chance points compared to BSU’s 12.
