Eagles top Lady Griz in Cheney

Thursday, February 5

Cheney, Wash.

7 PM (MT)

Montana

7-15, 4-7BSC

Eastern Washington

12-11, 5-5BSC

Montana

Eastern Wash.

Photos: Bridget Mayfield (EWU Athletics)

2/5/2026 10:41:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

By: Montana Sports Information

Eastern Washington built a 15-point first-half advantage and led the final 38 minutes in a 76-72 victory over Montana on Thursday night at Reese Court in Cheney.

The Lady Griz (7-15, 4-7 BSC) trailed 36-30 at the half and got it down to a one-possession game in the final minute, but the Eagles (12-11, 5-5 BSC) held on to complete the season sweep of Montana.

Avery Waddington put up one of the best stat lines of her career, finishing with 18 points, six rebounds, six steals and five assists.

Mack Konig, in her second game back from injury, had 12 points and four assists off the bench. Aby Shubert and Kennedy Gillette both hit three 3-pointers and combined for 20 points.

It was the second straight loss for the Lady Griz, who had won their previous four games by holding those opponents to 36.6 percent shooting.

Sacramento State shot 43.4 percent in its win over Montana in Missoula on Saturday. On Thursday, Eastern Washington shot 48.4 percent, the highest the Lady Griz have allowed since early January.

"The last two games, we just haven't had the defensive intensity from the tip," said coach Nate Harris. "That was something that gave us the opportunity to win a few games for a chunk of the season.

"We haven't had the defensive intensity we've needed to be good, especially to win on the road."

Montana scored the opening points of the game, a 3-pointer from Gillette, but the Eagles would end the first quarter with an 18-10 lead after the Lady Griz shot 3 for 15 after Gillette's early make.

The Eastern Washington lead was 34-19 before Montana closed the first half with a flourish.

Draya Wacker hit a 3-pointer, then Shubert and Waddington hit threes in the final 68 seconds of the opening half to make it a six-point game at the break.

The game yo-yoed from there, Montana pulling within three, 36-33, Eastern answering with 10 straight points.

The Lady Griz pulled within five, 59-54, with more than seven minutes left in the fourth quarter. The Eagles responded with six straight points.

"We did some good things offensively but were a little bit uneven," said Harris. "I thought we got aggressive and started attacking but that urgency was not consistent enough to win on the road."

Eastern Washington led 71-63 with just over two minutes left before Waddington scored back-to-back baskets at the rim to make it a four-point game with 1:02 left.

Shubert pulled Montana within three, 73-70, with a 3-pointer with 28 seconds left and, after a Waddington steal, Konig hit two free throws with 14 seconds left to bring Montana within one, 73-72.

Kourtney Grossman, who would finish with 21 points on 9-of-14 shooting and 15 rebounds, hit one of two free throws with 13 seconds on the clock, giving the Lady Griz a chance to tie or take the lead.

Eastern forced Montana into a miss on a tough shot in the lane in the closing seconds and hit a pair of free throws with two seconds left to close it out.

Jaecy Eggers scored 17 points for the Eagles, Elyn Bowers added 13 points, eight assists, six rebounds and three steals, and Ella Gallatin had 10 points and six assists.

Montana will play new Big Sky leader Idaho (18-5, 9-1 BSC) at 3 p.m. (MT) on Saturday in Moscow. The Vandals knocked off Montana State 73-70 in overtime on Thursday.