January 17, 2008

Men's Basketball Loses Heartbreaker In Overtime

Jan. 17, 2008

Final Stats

CHENEY, Wash. - A missed tipin at the buzzer of regulation sent the game to overtime, where the University of Northern Colorado men's basketball team could not contain Eastern Washington, falling 91-85 in their second overtime game of the year. Northern Colorado moves to 8-9 on the season and 2-3 in Big Sky Conference action, while the Eagles improve to 8-12 overall and 3-3 in league play.

 

Redshirt freshman guard Devon Beitzel led the Bears in scoring for the second-straight game, notching a career-high 18 points. Senior guard Thanasi Panagiotakopoulos scored 17, while both sophomore guard Will Figures and senior guard Sean Taibi added 11. Sophomore forward Jefferson Mason and junior guard Robert Palacios each grabbed six rebounds to lead the team, while Palacios and Beitzel led with four assists each.

 

Adris DeLeon posted the third-highest scoring total in Eastern Washington history with 42 points, hitting 14-28 from the field and 11-16 from the free throw line. Kellen Williams added a double-double with 21 points and 13 rebounds, while Brandon Moore added 14 points and Milan Stanojevic chipped in 12 as the Eagles starters scored all but two points in the game.

 

Northern Colorado shot 50 percent from the field (30-60) and hit a season-best 16 three-pointers in the game, connecting on 51.6 percent from beyond the arc (16-31), however they also shot just .500 from the free throw line (9-18). The Bears out-rebounded the Eagles 38-35, had 15 assists, one blocked shot and no steals as the Eagles committed just five turnovers in the contest. The Bears tallied 18 turnovers.

 

Eastern Washington shot .508 from the field (32-63) and hit just .259 from beyond the arc (7-27) but made both attempts in the overtime stanza. They also shot .645 from the free throw line, including 10-12 in the extra five minutes.

 

With just 6:36 left in regulation the Bears led by seven, but could not hold the lead and the Eagles had their largest lead of 11 with 0:52 left in overtime.

 

The Bears continue the road trip, playing at Portland State on Saturday afternoon in a game scheduled to begin at 2:05 p.m. Pacific, 3:05 Mountain.