CHENEY, Wash. (Interstat) — Montana State overcame a slow start to edge Eastern Washington 68-64 in a Big Sky Conference men’s basketball game Thursday night at Reese Court. The Bobcats trailed 23-19 at halftime but outscored the Eagles 49-41 after intermission. Christian King led Montana State with 27 points, including four 3-pointers. Patrick McMahon added 20 points for the Bobcats. Isaiah Moses scored 24 points for Eastern Washington, and Kiree Huie added 15. The Eagles shot just 36% from the field. Montana State improved to 9-7 overall, while Eastern Washington fell to 2-13. An announced crowd of 1,534 watched the game.

CHENEY, Wash. (Interstat) — A frigid first half gave way to a second-half offensive eruption for Montana State, which rallied from a double-digit deficit to edge Eastern Washington 68-64 in a Big Sky Conference men’s basketball game Thursday night at Reese Court. The Bobcats, who managed only 19 points before halftime, exploded for 49 in the second half behind a combined 47 points from Christian King and Patrick McMahon. The Eagles, who led by as many as 11 in the first half, saw their four-game home losing streak continue despite a valiant effort from guard Isaiah Moses. The game’s defining stretch came early in the second half. Trailing 40-29 with just over 16 minutes to play, Montana State unleashed a 17-3 run over the next five minutes to seize control. The surge was fueled by defense and the hot hand of King, a 6-foot-8 forward from Kirkland, Washington. King buried a 3-pointer to ignite the run, then converted a pair of free throws before McMahon capped the burst with a layup to give the Bobcats a 46-43 lead with 11:29 remaining. Eastern Washington, which fell to 2-13 overall and 0-2 in conference play, never fully recovered. The Eagles tied the game twice more but could not regain the lead. Montana State improved to 9-7 and 2-1 in the Big Sky. The first half was a struggle for both offenses, characterized by missed shots, turnovers and physical defense. Eastern Washington led 23-19 at the break, holding Montana State to 30% shooting from the field. The Bobcats committed nine turnovers in the half, which the Eagles converted into 12 points. King finished with a game-high 27 points for Montana State, adding three blocks and a steal in 31 minutes. McMahon, a 6-7 guard from Palmer, Alaska, contributed 20 points, including 10 during the decisive second-half run. Jed Miller of Agoura Hills, California, played a team-high 39 minutes, directing the offense with four assists and scoring nine points, including two critical free throws with three seconds left to seal the victory. Eastern Washington was led by Moses, who scored 24 points, 18 of which came after halftime. The 6-1 guard from Anchorage, Alaska, repeatedly attacked the basket, drawing fouls and making 10 of 11 free throws. Kiree Huie, a 6-9 forward from Grayson, Georgia, provided an interior presence with 15 points, six rebounds and two blocks. The Eagles had opportunities down the stretch. Trailing 66-64 with under 10 seconds to play, they forced a turnover and had a chance to tie or take the lead. Moses drove and missed a contested layup, but Alton Hamilton secured the offensive rebound and scored to seemingly tie the game with four seconds left. However, the basket was waved off after a foul was called on Eastern Washington before the shot, sending Miller to the line for the clinching free throws. Statistically, the game was a tale of efficiency overcoming volume. Montana State shot 45.8% from the field (22 of 48) while Eastern Washington shot just 36.1% (22 of 61). The Bobcats were also more effective from beyond the arc, making 7 of 20 attempts compared to the Eagles’ 4 of 18. Montana State’s 17-of-21 performance at the free-throw line proved crucial. Eastern Washington won the battle on the glass, grabbing 13 offensive rebounds to Montana State’s eight, and scored 20 points off 15 Bobcat turnovers. But Montana State’s defense, which registered five blocks and five steals, tightened when it mattered most, holding the Eagles to one field goal over the final three minutes. The announced attendance at Reese Court was 1,534. Montana State travels to face Idaho on Saturday. Eastern Washington remains at home to host Montana on Saturday.

BOBCATS, EAGLES MEET IN BIG SKY CONFERENCE PLAY CHENEY, Wash. (Interstat) — A surging Montana State squad visits a struggling Eastern Washington team as Big Sky Conference men’s basketball play continues Thursday night at Reese Court. The Montana State Bobcats (8-7, 2-0 Big Sky) have won four straight games, including their first two conference contests, and will look to extend that momentum. The Eastern Washington Eagles (2-12, 0-1), meanwhile, seek to halt a five-game losing streak and secure their first league victory. Montana State is led by guard Jed Miller, who enters the contest on a scoring tear. In the Bobcats’ 77-68 win over Northern Arizona on Saturday, Miller scored 22 points. He poured in 24 points in a conference-opening win over Northern Colorado on Jan. 1. Over his last five games, Miller is averaging 13.6 points. The Bobcats have found success with balanced scoring. In the win over Northern Arizona, Christian King added 18 points and Patrick McMahon had 11. Eastern Washington, despite its record, has shown offensive sparks, particularly from guard Isaiah Moses. Moses is coming off a 15-point, six-assist performance in an 84-81 road loss to Idaho on Saturday. He scored 23 points in a narrow loss to California Baptist on Dec. 12. Forward Kiree Huie added 16 points in the loss to the Vandals. The Eagles’ schedule has been arduous, featuring recent road games at BYU and Utah. Their last win was a 90-66 victory over Missouri-Kansas City on Dec. 6. Montana State holds a decisive edge in recent performance, but the conference road test presents a classic trap game before a quick turnaround trip to Idaho on Saturday. Eastern Washington will aim to leverage its home court to disrupt the Bobcats’ rhythm and build on Moses’ playmaking. Thursday’s matchup is the first of two regular-season meetings between the programs this season. Montana State will host the Eagles on Feb. 7 in Bozeman. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. PST.