Jake Kyman scores 15 as Eastern Washington beats Cal Poly for third straight win
Dec. 18—From staff reports
SAN LUIS OBISPO, California — The Eastern Washington men's basketball team seems to have found its groove.
Jake Kyman scored 15 points and had four assists as Eastern Washington won its third straight game, beating Cal Poly 62-53 in a nonconference game on Monday night.
Ethan Price and Casey Jones each added 10 points for the Eagles (4-6).
In a back-and-forth game, EWU pulled away from a 45-all tie with a 7-2 burst triggered by a Jones layup on a pass from Price to take a five-point lead with 7 minutes, 50 seconds left in the second half. EWU played with poise down the stretch and never trailed again.
"I was excited to see that," Eastern coach David Riley said of the late-game confidence his Eagles showed. "It's something where you walk into a tough gym and they were there playing physical and you find a way to get it done."
Riley said EWU's rough nonconference schedule helped pave the way to Monday's win.
"Honestly we weren't able to run good stuff early in the season," said Riley, whose team faces Washington, its fifth Pac-12 foe, on Thursday. "We got a little frantic early on in the year ... against some of those high-level teams that get into you. That's what prepared us to come in and execute down the stretch."
On a night when EWU struggled from 3-point range, making just 7 of 22 from beyond the arc, the Eagles turned to their defense, forcing 19 turnovers.
Kobe Sanders scored 17 points for the Mustangs (3-8).
The Eagles open Big Sky play on Dec. 28, hosting Portland State at 6 p.m.
