Eastern Oregon Opens Covid-Delayed Season With 96-80 win, Richardson with 31 in defeat.

 

By Harry Cummins

     The Eastern Oregon Mountaineers opened their covid-delayed 2020-21 basketball season by defeating the Multnomah University Lions 96-80 today in a contest played at a neutral site in Connell,Washington.

     EOU was led by a quartet of players and rode a torrid 63% field goal shooting percentage in the second half to hold off the Lions (0-5).

     For EOU, freshman Paul Pennington had 19 points and 11 assists, while Zane Wright scored a team-high  20 points and Brandon Porter added 16 pts.  Justin Jeske recorded a double-double game with 14 points and 13 rebounds in a strong effort for the winners.

     In defeat, the Cascade Collegiate Conference's leading scorer, Zach Richardson, led all scorers in the game with a dazzling 31 point output, including 7 made 3's.  Back to back 3's by Richardson in a 28 second span of the second half cut the EOU lead to 83-76, but the Lions never got closer.   Richardson's 31 points and 7 3-pointers represented individual high-water marks this season in the CCC.

     Forrest Smith registered 20 points and 10 rebounds for the Lions in the loss.