E Washington defeats Montana 66-65

E Washington Edges Montana in Thrilling Conference Showdown

In a dramatic turn of events, Eastern Washington (EWSU) erased a 5-point halftime deficit to edge Montana by a single point, 66-65, on their home court at Reese Court.

Trailing 33-28 at the break, EWSU came out strong in the second half, with Isaiah Moses leading the charge. The senior guard poured in 10 points in the period, including several clutch three-pointers that kept his team in the game. Moses finished with 20 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists.

Montana, meanwhile, struggled to find its rhythm on offense, shooting just 14.0% from three-point range. Money Williams led the Grizzlies' attack with 18 points, but it wasn't enough to overcome EWSU's determined effort.

The largest lead of the game came when Montana held a 9-point advantage early in the second half. However, EWSU refused to back down, using their bench and reserve players to chip away at the deficit. The Eagles ultimately took the lead with just over two minutes remaining, setting up a tense finish.

In the end, it was Moses who came through with the decisive play, hitting a deep three-pointer with 45 seconds left to put EWSU up by one. Montana had one final chance, but Williams' desperation heave at the buzzer fell short, securing the upset victory for Eastern Washington.

The win marked a significant statement from EWSU in conference play, while also handing Montana a tough road loss. The Grizzlies will look to bounce back quickly, while the Eagles will aim to build momentum heading into their next matchup.

Key Stats:

* EWSU:

+ 9/21 three-pointers (43.0%)

+ 15 assists

+ 6 steals

+ 5 blocks

* Montana:

+ 2/14 three-pointers (14.0%)

+ 12 turnovers

+ 3 blocks

Advanced Statistics:

* EWSU: eFG% 52.7%, FT Rate 12.5%, OREB% 19.2%

* Montana: eFG% 48.1%, FT Rate 34.6%, OREB% 27.3%

This thrilling conference matchup will be remembered for its dramatic finish and EWSU's hard-fought victory over a top-ranked opponent in Montana.