Eastern Oregon landed five all five starters in double figures to spoil the home opener for the Pacific University men's basketball team on Friday, 132-125 in overtime.
Pacific (2-1) shot 39.1% from the field and had six players in double figures – Marcus Wallace (23 points), Andy Isokpehi (13 points), Nick Drynan (12 points), Jared Cattell (11 points), Davis Holly (10 points) and John Rigatti (10 points).
The Mountaineers (3-2) were led by a 35-point effort from Max McCullogh, who was not a one-man show. He was joined in double figures by Jarek Schetzle (31 points, 18 rebounds), Josh Brown (18 points), Kobi Gardea (14 points) and Brock Johnson (11 points).
Pacific started the game, shooting 46.8% from the field en route to a 60-46 halftime lead. During the opening 20 minutes, the Boxers built a lead as large as 16. Eastern Oregon clawed its way back into the game with a 74.3% shooting effort in the second half. The Mountaineers made 26 of 35 field goals and overcame 14 turnovers.
The two teams were tied twice in the extra period before seven-unanswered points by the visitors midway through proved to be the difference. Despite a three-point play by Wallace with 1:05 left to play cut the deficit to four, 124-120. A pair of chances to cut the deficit to a single position were thwarted by the EOU defense to seal the victory.
The two teams will face each other once again in 2019-20 as they will have a rematch on Saturday, December 14 in La Grande.
Next, Pacific will face Concordia (Texas) at 8 p.m. on Friday, November 22 as part of the Ken Schumann Classic.