by CHENEY, Wash. — The Eastern Washington University women’s basketball team picked up a 67-60 win over Eastern Oregon on Sunday (Nov. 6) in its lone exhibition contest of the 2016-17 season.
The Eagles got a combined 27 points from freshmen Uriah Howard and Symone Starks in their first collegiate action. Howard, who made her first collegiate start on Sunday, filled the stat sheet, as she picked up a team-best 16 points and nine rebounds. Starks provided a spark off the bench for Eastern with an 11-point outburst in just 17 minutes of action.
Senior Tisha Phillips (Nez Perce Tribe) and junior Delaney Hodgins also recorded double-digit point against Eastern Oregon, as Phillips tallied 14, while Hodgins, a Preseason All-Big Sky first team selection, chipped in 10 points. The Eagles hit 41.1 percent from the field on Sunday, while they limited Eastern Oregon to 33.3 percent.
Eastern Washington took full advantage of its height differential against the Mountaineers, as they won the rebounding battle, 40-34. All five EWU starters had at least five rebounds against EOU, with Howard pacing the group with nine caroms. The rebound edge led to a 16-6 advantage in second-chance points for head coach Wendy Schuller’s team.
“I think Eastern Oregon deserves a lot of credit. They played their tails off,” said Schuller. “I thought they played a great basketball game. For us, I saw a lot of things we have to get better at in a hurry. I thought we missed some shots that we should have knocked down. I was really pleased with a couple of our younger players today, who were seeing their first collegiate action, and Tisha played like a senior down the stretch and that really helped us get the win today.”
What It Means: Today’s contest was an exhibition and the stats will not reflect upon the regular season. The overall record of both teams do not change either.
Turning Point: The Eagles made a statement in the opening quarter, as they outscored Eastern Oregon, 21-7 over the first 10 minutes of play. That first-quarter lead would loom large throughout the rest of the game, as the Mountaineers tied the Eagles point total in the second quarter, and won each frame in the second half of play.
Key Stats: Eastern Washington was plus-six in the rebounding department against EOU, which led to a 16-6 advantage in second-chance points on the night.
Top Performers: Freshman Uriah Howard tallied a team-best 16 points, while adding a team-high nine rebounds in her first collegiate game. Howard also stood out on the defensive end of the court on Sunday, as she blocked two shots and picked up a steal.
Freshman Symone Starks was equally as impressive as Howard in her Eagle debut, as the guard picked up 11 points in 17 minutes of action. Starks led the team with three 3-point field goals, while she handed out two assists and collected two steals.
It was busy as usual for fifth-year senior Tisha Phillips, as the point guard collected 14 points and handed out a team-best seven assists, while committing just two turnovers in 31 minutes of action tonight.
What’s Next: The Eagles open the 2016-17 regular season next Friday (Nov. 11), as they travel to the west end of the state to take on No. 17 Washington in the first round of the Preseason WNIT. Tip-off from Seattle is set for 7 p.m. PT.
