LEWISTON, Idaho — The Eastern Oregon University men’s basketball team’s season has come to a close.

The Mountaineers fell to Lewis-Clark State 74-69, ending its season in the Cascade Collegiate Conference quarterfinals. Eastern Oregon fell behind early, but managed to bring the game within one possession late in the game.

The matchup was a tale of two halves, as the Warriors built up a 40-29 lead at halftime. The Mountaineers shot 10-27 (37.04%) from the field in the first half, as Lewis-Clark State was a scorching 17-29 (58.62%). Garrett Hawkes led the charge in the first 20 minutes, scoring 12 points. Sam Stockton was tough to stop for Lewis-Clark State, scoring 13 points off 5-6 shooting from the field. The Warriors held a 20-9 advantage in team rebounding in the first half.

Eastern Oregon picked up the offensive intensity in the second half, shooting 14-31 (45.2%) from the field. Three players scored nine or more points for Eastern Oregon in the second half: Preston Chandler (11), Hawkes (10), and AJ Huddleston (9).

After the Warriors extended their lead to a game-high 14 points early in the second half, but the Mountaineers rallied back in a late push to make a comeback. With 1:55 remaining, Chandler converted a three-pointer that trimmed the deficit to 68-66. After an exchange of free-throws by each team, a three-pointer by Lewis-Clark’s John Lustig put the Warriors up 73-68. Eastern Oregon was unable to make up any further ground, falling 74-69.

Hawkes finished with a game-high 22 points, while three other Mountaineers scored in double figures. Eastern Oregon capitalized off 32 points in the paint and 18 points off turnovers.

Eastern Oregon concludes its 2023-34 season with a 12-17 record overall, finishing 11-11 in Cascade Collegiate Conference play.