Box Score I Video Highlights
PORTLAND, Ore. --- Eastern Washington shot 62 percent from the field in the first half and used nine second half offensive rebounds to hold off the Portland Pilots 63-58 on Wednesday night at the Chiles Center. Junior forward Robin Smeulders scored a game-high 18 points for the Pilots (4-2), who struggled to a season-low 37 percent shooting on the night.
The loss snaps a three-game winning streak for Portland (4-2) and was the team’s first loss on its home floor this year. The Eagles (5-2) continued their best start since the 2002-03 season.
Senior guard Milan Stanojevic scored 17 points – all in the first half – to lead the Eagles. Junior point guard Benny Valentine provided the scoring down the stretch with 12 of his 15 points coming in the second half, including eight points in the final two minutes. Valentine entered the game as the Big Sky Conference’s leading scorer at 20.3 points per game.
“It was a good team win for Eastern Washington,” Portland head coach Eric Reveno said. “Valentine got going in the second half and made key plays, but it was just a good balanced effort from their team. They were well prepared, played well, and played within their roles.”
Smeulders added eight rebounds and a career-high five steals in a quality all-around performance, but he was the only Pilot to reach double figures. Portland had at least four players reach double digits in the team’s first five games.
Sophomore guard B.J. Porter scored a career-high eight points on 4-of-4 shooting off the bench. The Pilots played without starting forward Ethan Niedermeyer (high ankle sprain).
It appeared that Portland overcame a slow start midway through the second half as sophomore guard Jared Stohl gave the Pilots their first lead of the game with a three-pointer at 43-42. Smeulders pushed the margin to 45-42 with a layup and 11:56 remaining.
With a three point lead and 8:21 left, the momentum changed in EWU’s favor as the Eagles collected six offensive rebounds over the next four minutes and turned a deficit into a 54-51 lead. Valentine then put the team on his back down the stretch, converting a layup late in the shot clock and a runner in the lane with 1:03 remaining to give EWU a 58-53 edge. He then went 4-for-4 from the line in the final minute to secure the win.
“Primarily it was their offensive rebounding that was the difference,” Reveno said. “They missed 17 second half shots and rebounded nine of them. We’ve been relying on making shots all year to win games and we’re not the defensive team right now that we need to be. We lead the league in offensive field goal percentage and that’s how we’ve been beating teams, but we need to improve as a defensive team. I’m not going to worry too much about our offense right now.”
The Eagles shot 47 percent from the field for the game and made 7 of 15 three-pointers. Portland struggled to 3 of 18 from beyond the arch and was outrebounded 35-31.
A lackluster first half by Portland coupled with a perimeter shooting barrage from Stanojevic gave EWU a double digit lead early. Stanojevic made all six of his shot attempts in the first half – including five three-pointers – with his final three giving the Eagles their largest lead of the game at 33-20 with 5:36 remaining. The Pilots closed the half with an 8-2 run and trailed by seven at the break.
“We are heading in the right direction so we’re not going to panic,” Reveno added. “Eastern Washington is a good ball team and they played well. We are still a work in progress. We have had stretches defensively this year where we struggled but still were able to win. Now we have to take this loss as a learning lesson.”
Portland will conclude its homestand on Saturday by hosting the Idaho Vandals at 2 p.m. at the Chiles Center.
