PORTLAND | Despite being able to lock in and find themselves back into a tied scenario with less than 30 seconds remaining, the Warner Pacific University Men's Basketball team (14-16, 10-12) allowed a pair of free throws to Eastern Oregon University (18-12, 12-10), which clinched the road victory for the Mountaineers on the final day of the regular season, 71-73 as the final score.
 
Before the start of tonight's matchup between the Knights and Mountaineers, four seniors on the WPU Men's Basketball team were recognized for their final home game at C.C. Perry Gym, in front of friends and family alike that have seen them preserve through every challenge in their collegiate basketball careers. Those senior included center Christian Hodge, forwards Miles Brown and Kaleb Tompkins, and guard Drew Magaoay.
Warner Pacific quickly fell into a 2-7 hole to begin the contest, but scored on three straight baskets to take a slight one point edge early in the first half. Eastern Oregon responded with a 7-0 run of their own, with the only stoppage to their scoring coming via the first media timeout of the game.
 
Back-and-forth the Knights and Mountaineers went, neither team willing to budge, with each team holding six point leads at one point or another in the first half, with both squads unable to expose that advantage through the initial 20 minutes of gameplay.
 
Thanks to a crafty and-1 play underneath the basket from Knights' junior guard Thomas Miles, Warner Pacific was able to tie the ballgame up at 39-39 with 1.0 second remaining in the first half. Eastern Oregon opted to dribble out the ball following the bonus free throw, keeping the Mountaineers locked in a heated battle with the home team Knights.
 
The second half opened just as the first half began and ended, with Warner Pacific and Eastern Oregon hitting shot for shot, answering everything the other threw in their direction. Nearly identical stat lines for both the Knights and Mountaineers had every person in attendance on the edge of their seat the entire contest, as a Covid-Forfeit earlier this season meant this was the first matchup played out by these two schools this season, making the intensity in the air increasingly difficult to contain.
 
Two teams that clearly matchup well together continued to jaw and drive their opponents into a finale frenzy, causing their fan bases to grow progressively nervous and tense with every passing basket. Eventually, the Mountaineers found themselves in a 71-67 advantage with less than two minutes remaining, forcing the Knights to find answers quickly.
 
Sophomore guard Tyrese Yussuf-Willis showed up and showed out in the clutch this evening, scoring the next two points and drawing offensive fouls on each of the Mountaineers possessions to give the Knights a fighting chance in sending this competition into an overtime period.
 
With 27 seconds remaining, Warner Pacific felt that possibility turning into a reality, as senior guard Isaac Etter drove to the hoop and scored the game-tying layup, locking WPU and EOU in a 71-71 stalemate.
 
However, due to Eastern Oregon running the clock all the way down to just three seconds before initiating their final play call, the Knights defense stuttered ever so slightly for Mountaineers' guard Phillip Malatare to draw a foul on Yussuf-Willis, sending him to the free-throw line for a one-and-one opportunity.
 
After all the late-game heroics to knot this game up, the Knights watched their final home game victory slip through their fingers, as Malatare sunk both free throws to give Eastern Oregon a two point lead, forcing Warner Pacific into a buzzer-beating scenario.
 
Knights' freshman guard Nigel McKay got off an NBA three-point attempt at the horn, but the shot fell just short, staggering off the front of the rim to give the Mountaineers the 73-71 triumph.
 
Etter led Warner Pacific in scoring tonight with 20 points off the bench, logging a game-high 33 minutes and dishing out a pair of assists. Yussuf-Willis added 14 points in the Knights' efforts, adding five rebounds along the way.
 
Malatare not only secured the victory for Eastern Oregon, but did so with a double-double of 22 points and 10 rebounds, both of which were game-highs by either team. Fellow guards Xavier Lovelace scored 17 points with four rebounds, while Zane Wright capped off the double-digit scoring with 11 points for the Mountaineers.
 
The Warner Pacific University Men's Basketball team now looks ahead to the Cascade Collegiate Conference Tournament Quarterfinals, where they will travel to Klamath Falls, Ore. for a road rematch with Oregon Tech, set for next Wednesday, February 23^rd, at 7:00pm PDT.