E Washington defeats Washington St 63-78

E Washington Edges Out Washington St in Thrilling 78-63 Victory

The Eagles of Eastern Washington University flew into Reese Court, the home venue of their arch-rivals, Washington State University Cougars, and emerged victorious with a hard-fought 78-63 win on Thursday night.

The primary storyline of the game centered around the away team's strong performance, which ultimately led to the decisive victory. At halftime, Eastern Washington trailed by just four points, but came out swinging in the second half, pulling away behind their potent offense and stifling defense.

Emanuel Ugbo led the Eagles' charge with 20 points, showcasing his efficiency from beyond the arc (1-2 3PT) and from the field (66.7% FG). Ugbo's balanced performance was complemented by Eemeli Yalaho's impressive all-around game, which included seven rebounds, eight points, one assist, and one steal.

Jerone Morton was equally impressive for Eastern Washington, dishing out six assists while scoring seven points and grabbing two rebounds.

Washington State struggled to contain the Eagles' offense, committing 15 turnovers and allowing them to score efficiently (32/62 FG). The Cougars' own performance was hindered by their poor three-point shooting (5-23 3PT), which made up for only a small portion of their total points.

The game's largest lead belonged to Eastern Washington, who held a 19-point advantage at one point in the second half. Despite Washington State's best efforts to mount a comeback, they were unable to close the gap.

Advanced statistics highlighted the disparity between the two teams. Eastern Washington shot an impressive 58.9% from the field, while their opponents managed only 38.0%. The Eagles also outrebounded their opponents by 14, grabbing 41 rebounds compared to Washington State's 27.

The win marks a significant upset in the non-conference schedule, as Eastern Washington takes down the previously undefeated Cougars (or at least on paper - this game was not officially ranked).