Knights Struggle to Find Offense Against Eastern Oregon

Warner Pacific University Athletics

1/31/2020 11:14:00 PM

Abby Wilson | Interim Sports Information Coordinator

Portland, Ore. | Warner Pacific struggled shooting the ball on Friday night as they fell to the Mounties of Eastern Oregon University 63-71.

From the start, it was a slow and low offensive contest for Warner Pac. Coming into the night, the Knights were averaging 81 points a game but were held to just 62 tonight. The Mountaineers led for 39 minutes and 40 seconds of the game.

WPU couldn't seem to find the bottom of the net, shooting just 34.5% from the field. The Knights could not find an answer for Eastern Oregon's Jarek Schetztle. The seven-footer had himself a night with 29 points and 10 rebounds.

From the jump, the Knights struggled offensively, shooting 8-30 in the first half while the Mounties dominated in the paint. At the end of twenty minutes, the score was 33-26, the lowest scoring half for Warner Pacific in six games.

Coming out of the break, Chuck Williams picked up his defense, getting two steals off of Eastern Oregon's first two possessions. The junior transfer assisted on a made bucket off the first and scored a bucket off the second. After a tightened up defense, the Knights had managed to cut the lead to three with 13:44 remaining but just as momentum began to build on the WPU bench, Schetztle took it into his own hands; scoring four straight and extending the lead to seven. From that point on, the Knights couldn't catch EOU and ended up conceding the victory to the Mounties.

With the loss, the Knights snapped a four game win-streak, and a five-game 90+ point game streak. A team who historically shoots the ball well from three-point range, the Knights were just 28.6% from the arch on the night. The Mounties managed to grab 44 rebounds to WPU's 28.

Warner Pacific was led by JD Esters' 18 points, Stephon Shaw's 13 and Chuck Williams' 12. Williams had four steals as well. Kadeem Strickland contributed seven boards and three assists.

For Eastern Oregon, Landon Jones had 14 points and 10 rebounds.

Perhaps the Knights were saving their offense for an upset over the No. 3 team in the nation in the College of Idaho Coyotes, who are coming into CC Perry Gymnasium on Saturday night. Tip-off against the Yotes is scheduled for 7:30pm.

Print Friendly Version