Calvin Jensen, Sports Information Director, Utah State Eastern
USU Eastern men’s basketball opened conference play splitting their first two games against Colorado Northwestern Community College and Salt Lake Community College.
The Eagles tipped off conference action with a 63-54 victory over CNCC in Rangely, Colorado. USU Eastern leaned on its defense and efficient scoring to overcome a determined Spartans squad. The game was tightly contested early, with the Eagles holding a narrow 33-31 lead at halftime. However, their defensive adjustments in the second half held Colorado Northwestern to just 33.3% shooting from the field for the game, allowing them to pull away for the win.
Mark Huber led the Eagles with a game-high 21 points, including an impressive 9-for-11 performance from the free-throw line, while also grabbing six rebounds and dishing out four assists. Ryker Richards was nearly flawless, scoring 11 points on 4-of-5 shooting, and contributing three rebounds and two assists. The front court was anchored by Jaxon Heiden, who added seven points and a game-high nine rebounds. The Eagles’ defense forced 13 CNCC turnovers and limited the Spartans’ offensive opportunities, sealing the victory.
Two days later, the Eagles traveled to Taylorsville, Utah to face 4th ranked SLCC in what turned out to be a high-energy battle. Eastern fell just short in a 75-72 loss despite a valiant second-half rally. Down 39-25 at halftime, the Eagles stormed back with a 47-point second half, shooting an impressive 66.7% from the field after the break. However, the early deficit and critical turnovers proved too much to overcome.
Huber once again paced the Eagles, finishing with 17 points on 5-of-8 shooting, including a scorching 4-of-5 from beyond the arc. Heiden continued his dominance in the paint, recording a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Ike Palmer provided a scoring punch with 16 points, while Richards added 10 points and five rebounds. Despite the loss, the Eagles showed grit, particularly in their ability to dominate the paint with 36 points compared to SLCC’s 18.
With the split, USU Eastern now sits at 10-4 overall and 1-1 in conference play. The Eagles will look to build on their strong second-half performance against SLCC as they prepare for their home opener against No. 1 Snow College this Thursday, January 9 at 7:00 p.m. inside th BDAC.