Photo by Jeff Barrett
By Calvin Jensen
The Utah State Eastern men’s basketball team clashed with Arizona Western College in Ephraim, UT on Thursday, coming away with a 76-67 victory.
In the first half, Arizona Western held a slim lead of 31-30 against the Eagles; however, USU Eastern would not be out done. As the second half commenced, the Eagles found their rhythm.
Martell Williams once again showcased his skills with another double-double, contributing 32 points and grabbing five rebounds. Trace Ross connected on six of eight attempts, scoring 12 points and two steals on defense. Dyson Lighthall added 11 points and secured five rebounds in the game.
USU Eastern improved its shooting in the second half with an impressive 60% field goal percentage, which was good enough to secure a 76-67 victory over the Matadors.
The following day and in their third matchup against one another, USU Eastern fell to Gila Monsters of Eastern Arizona, suffering a 81-72 loss.
The Eagle’s offensive efforts were spearheaded once again by Williams, notching 23 points, seven rebounds and two assists. Teammates Dyson Lighthall and Taft Mitchell played their part, contributing nine points each. Mitchell’s skills also represented on the boards as he grabbed seven rebounds in the contests.
USU Eastern (7-3, 0-0) will return home to play its first home contest of the season against RSL Basketball Academy on Friday, Dec. 8 at 7 p.m. inside the BDAC.