Tyler Harvey to Test Draft Waters, Has Not Hired Agent

In a bit of a surprise, Eastern Washington's Tyler Harvey has announced that he will explore his options for the NBA Draft, but he will not hire an agent. That means he can pull out of the draft if he wants, but it sounds like his decision is pretty well made.

"When I went home (for spring break) I had a good chance to talk to my family about everything and what happened this year," Harvey said. "I was fortunate and blessed enough to lead the NCAA in scoring and we had a great year as a team, so we felt like the time was right. We thought this was the best opportunity to pursue a professional career."

As you would expect, Jim Hayford is very supportive.

"The dream of nearly every elite college player is to make it to the NBA," said Eastern head coach Jim Hayford of the first team Academic All-American who has a 3.60 grade point average and is one class shy of his degree. "Tyler has our full support and we know he will give it his best."

As a fan, certainly it would be great to see him back, because he is one of the most exciting players in all of college basketball. He led the NCAA in scoring, has limitless range, and a very underrated off the bounce game. It would have been fun to watch him one more year in Cheney.

However, you can't help but be happy for the guy. If you have read anything on him over the past year, you know how hard he has worked to get to where he is at, from not being able to get a scholarship to being able to declare for the draft after his junior year. Hopefully he can make it in the NBA, but if not, he should have a long and prosperous career overseas.

But I've got to think there's a spot on an NBA roster for a deadeye shooter with deeeeep range!

All I can say, it's been quite a blast watching him develop the last three years. What a player.

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Eastern Washington Falls to Georgetown

Eastern Washington came out strong, but Georgetown was just too much in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.

The Eagles led 24-17 at one point in the first half, and it looked like it could be their night. Tyler Harvey started the game off hot, and he was getting help. Venky Jois got Georgetown center Joshua Smith into early foul trouble, and guys like Parker Kelly, Felix Van Hofe, and Bogdan Bliznyuk were all hitting threes.

Then, Georgetown scored 41 of the next 54 points, as EWU just had no answers on either end. It's oversimplifying to say this, but things seemed to go south for the Eagles after the no-call on this play -

Yeah, umm this is a cheap shot , Jabril. https://t.co/4evuOUfR6F
— Troy Machir (@TroyMachir) March 20, 2015

Even after review, the refs somehow decided this was not worthy of any type of technical foul (a flagrant foul could not have been called because technically it was a dead ball foul). In a sense, EWU literally took a punch, but figuratively couldn't throw one back.

For a stretch at the end of the first half and beginning of the second half, Georgetown seemed like they couldn't miss. The Hoyas drained 11 threes, effectively doing to EWU what the Eagles what they hoped to do to Georgetown. When the Hoyas did miss, they were all over the offensive glass.

The Eagles could have easily given up after the big GTown run, as the score was 65-42 at one point. However, EWU kept battling the rest of the way, making the final score 84-74. A spark was Sir Washington, who surprisingly entered the game and did some good things. More than the box score, he looked like he brought some energy back to the Eagles.

The guy that impressed me the most was Venky Jois, who was all over the floor on both ends. He finished with 19 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 blocks, but even more than that, he gave a full effort at all times. If you only watched him, you wouldn't know the score of the game, and that's a true complement.

Tyler Harvey finished with 27 points, but it was a tough night. He was guarded often by Jabril Trawick (who, by the way, is a very easy guy to not like), and with Trawick's size, Harvey had trouble getting separation for his shot.

In the end, the Eagles finish the season 26-9, and they should have a great chance of playing NCAA Tournament basketball again next year. They lose two seniors (one of them being Drew Brandon, an important guy), but they arguably bring back their three most talented guys (Harvey, Jois, and Bogdan Bliznyuk). It was a great season for the Eagles, and it ended with a night in the Big Dance where they didn't have their best day, but they never stopped fighting.

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Eastern Washington Is The Big Sky Champion

It was a classic Big Sky title game, with both teams looking to be in control at different times. In the end, it was Eastern Washington making a stunning comeback in the final five minutes to beat Montana and take home the Big Sky title.

Early on, Eastern Washington looked like the team with more energy, and they got off to a nice start, building an early 14-7 lead. They had some missed chances early, but were active defensively, and really attacking the basket, especially going right at Martin Breunig (trying to get him in foul trouble). However, Montana weathered the storm, and took a 30-29 lead into the half.

In the second half, it was the Mike Weisner show, as he had a career high 18 points. He hit big shots throughout the second half, and at times found himself guarding Tyler Harvey, and doing a good job. He was really outstanding. Martin Breunig was also really great all game long. He finished with 23 points, 17 rebounds, and did a nice job defensively as well. If Montana had help on to win, he would be the one getting all the accolades, and rightfully so. He was outstanding.

At the 6:18 mark, Montana hit a basket to go up 59-48, and the crowd was going nuts. It was then that Eastern Washington went into a full-court press, which seemed to fluster Montana. The score was 61-52 at around the four minute mark. Then, Drew Brandon got a bucket, and Montana was called for a five second call after the couldn't get the ball in. After the TV timeout, Tyler Harvey hit a three, and suddenly it was a four point game and Montana was reeling. All told, EWU went on a 21-4 run to close the game out, save for the garbage time bucket by the Grizzlies with a second left.

Tyler Harvey, the nation's leading scorer, was at his best down the stretch. At the six minute mark, he had just ten points, and didn't seem to have any openings (many kudos have to go to Mario Dunn of Montana, who was sensational defensively). He had eight points down the stretch, including an and-1 on a 15 footer from the baseline, which gave EWU a four point lead with 43 seconds left, and the Grizzlies were never able to get any closer.

Montana has had trouble closing out opponents this year - Against both Sac State and Idaho, they had win probabilities of 97%+ in the final three minutes. I mentioned this in one of my previews coming into the tournament, and it turned out to be the Achilles heel for the Grizzlies. That's a tough way to lose.

Two other EWU players should be noted in a recap about the game. One is Bogdan Bliznyuk, as the freshman was outstanding, finishing with 13 points and 5 rebounds. At times, he was the only Eagle capable of getting buckets, and he kept the game close early in the second half. His future is very bright, obviously. The other guy is Drew Brandon, who finished with 16 points and 7 rebounds. His shooting has been unsteady this year, but it was on point in this game. One other Montana player to note is Jordan Gregory, who was getting to the basket all night. What a Big Sky tournament he had.

From an NCAA tournament standpoint, Eastern Washington had the best resume in the Big Sky conference, which should hopefully push them up a few lines when the brackets are announced. It has been a wildly successful season for the Eagles, who capture their second Big Sky championship, and could be even better next season.

What a classic.

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Eastern Washington and Sacramento State Advance in Big Sky Tournament

Through two games in the Big Sky Tournament, the favorites have advanced on the backs of their stars.

The first game of the day was an entertaining, back and forth affair between Eastern Washington and Idaho. Points came in flurries, with the Eagles eventually prevailing 91-83 to move on.

They were led by Tyler Harvey, who was simply sensational, tying a Big Sky tournament record with 42 points. He was 13/20 from the field, and hit eight threes in the victory. It wasn't a case of Idaho losing track of him either... Harvey hit stepback jumpers with guys in his face. He was essentially unguardable at times, and it was a lot of fun to watch. Mikh McKinney was a rightful MVP winner, but Harvey showed that at his best, he was the toughest guy to guard.

At times, it looked like EWU wasn't going to get enough from everyone else to get the win (other than Harvey, the Eagles were 5/20 from downtown), but they got just enough plays down the stretch. Venky Jois got a lot of defensive attention, but he eventually finished with 10 points and 14 rebounds. Ognjen Miljkovic made enough shots to be dangerous, and finished with 13. Bogdan Bliznyuk made some plays down the stretch. They got just enough from everyone else.

Idaho was almost not going to be denied, as they put on an offensive clinic of their own. The star was Connor Hill, who finished with 23 points and looked like a senior doing everything he could to prolong his career. At times, it looked like his range was unlimited. Perrion Callandret played perhaps the best game of his career, and gives them hope that they will have a great backcourt next year (along with Sekou Wiggs). Ark Mkrtchyan did his thing, as always. In the end, they just couldn't get the stops they needed. They were a fun team to watch, with a lot of offensive talent and the ability to raise their game against good opponents, but they just never found that elite level defensively.

-----

The Eagles opponent in the semifinals will be Sacramento State, who held off a pesky Portland State team to get the 70-60 win.

Portland State took care of the ball, and they were patient against the Sacramento State zone, but they just couldn't find enough good shots, as they were just 22/61 from the field. The Hornets were very disciplined in the zone, always staying in position and never overpursuing.

On the other end, the Hornets were powered by their starts. Dylan Garrity had 22 points and was 8/8 inside the arc, Mikh McKinney had 24 points, and Cody Demps finished with 13 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists. The trio combined for 55 of the Hornets 70 points, showing why they are arguably the best trio in the Big Sky.

For the Vikings, Gary Winston was excellent, as the senior finished with 26 points, but the Vikings had no balance in this game. Tiegbe Bamba and DaShaun Wiggins both had their moments, but nobody else was able to get anything done against the Hornets zone. In the end, Sac State won this game with their defense, which is not a phrase we would expect to write about them this year.

The Eagles won an entertaining affair, while the Hornets slowly strangled the Vikings into submission. In the end, both styles get you into the Big Sky semifinals. The Eagles win will get a few more headlines because it was more visually appealing, but the Hornets arguably looked better in their victory.

We'll get a matchup that many expected to see in the title game for much of the season. It will be an even matchup, as both teams split in the regular season. It will come down to the stars - Harvey and Jois on one side, McKinney and Garrity on the other. We are all in for a real treat!

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National Pub for Tyler Harvey

In the past couple of days, it seems like there's been a lot of national attention on Tyler Harvey for Eastern Washington. A sample of a couple pieces:

- Jeff Eisenberg of Yahoo wrote a long feature about him, including background on how he came to be at Eastern Washington after receiving no DI scholarship offers. It's an excellent article and well worth the read!

- John Gasaway of ESPN talks about how Harvey is one of the best scorers in the nation.

- Also, Kevin Pelton of ESPN talks about Harvey as an underrated draft prospect.

Pretty cool stuff!

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Tyler Harvey vs Mikh McKinney

Assuming that either Sacramento State or Eastern Washington win the Big Sky*, we can be pretty sure that the MVP of the league will be either Tyler Harvey (if EWU wins) or Mikh McKinney (if Sac State wins). That is just how these things go.

But, if the season ended today, regardless of whose team finishes slightly ahead of the other, who has been the better player? Or, if you had to start a team, who would you choose for this year? It's an interesting debate, because even though both are guards, they are very different players with different skillsets.

Harvey, as you likely know, is the leading scorer in the nation, at 24 points per game. It is not a fluke either... last year, he almost as good with similar usage. Since he first joined the lineup late in his freshman year, he has been a lethal shooter from downtown - he shot 43% from threes last year (on 8 attempts per game), and 49% this year (on 9 attempts per game). Those are borderline unbelievable numbers. Of course, this year he is also shooting well over 50% on twos (a big improvement from last year), and is almost automatic at the line while getting there often. Everything you want in a scorer, he has in his arsenal.

McKinney does more things well than Harvey, though he does not excel in any one area like Harvey does. It has been fun to watch him improve from year to year... he was an average guard as a sophomore, an all-conference candidate as a junior, and now, of course, one of the two best players in the conference as a senior. He is a good three-point shooter, though he doesn't necessarily inspire fear from the outside (though Weber State may agree to disagree). He is up to 41% from deep this year against all opponents. He is a good finisher at the rim, an area that has improved each of his three seasons. For the season, McKinney is shooting 54% from the floor, which is obviously fantastic for a guard. He is a better passer than Harvey, as his assist rate is fourth in the Big Sky. This year, his steal rate has also shot through the roof, and it's 11th in the country (he's averaging 2.7 steals per game).

Here's a quick and easy comparison of their numbers, weeded out to include only games against DI opponents (which is why some of the percentages may be slightly off from the paragraphs above - also, click to enlarge)):

What is the upshot of that graph? In short, Harvey is the better scorer - he is a better outside shooter with a ton more volume, and also does better at drawing fouls and getting freebies at the line. McKinney is certainly not a bad scorer in his own right, but more than anything he has a big edge in distributing the ball, and creating turnovers. Both guys take care of the ball extremely well, especially for how often they handle it (both have high usage rates).

The question on who is better, I think, comes down to personal opinion - it is easy to make a compelling case for either guy. Further each guy is suited well for his own team - the presence of Dylan Garrity as an elite shooter for Sac State allows McKinney to worry more about distributing, while the do-everything ability of Drew Brandon alongside Harvey allows him to be a great scorer.

Who would I take? If I had to choose, as of today, I think I'd take Tyler Harvey. His shooting ability just stretches defenses so much, which in a way helps his teammates offensively as much as McKinney's passing does (just in a different way). Also, I'm not sure Harvey doesn't have better distributing skills in him - he had a 26.3 Assist Rate as a freshman - only he doesn't need to do that as much because of the presence of Drew Brandon. Though McKinney's defensive chops make it tight too, I'd take Harvey and his elite scoring ability.

However, if you want to choose McKinney, I would certainly see the logic there, and I wouldn't argue strenuously. That he has made this a very legitimate debate is a testament to how good he has been.

I have put a poll on the left hand side of the page... would love to see what people think!

*There is a long way to go, obviously, but if I was a betting man and my options were either EWU/Sac State or the field, I'd take the former choice.

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Eastern Washington @ Idaho on Saturday Will Be Fun

In case you aren't aware, what could be the most entertaining game of the Big Sky season will be going down on Saturday night in Moscow, as Eastern Washington will travel to take on Idaho. Both teams are 2-0, but it will be a fun game even more so because both teams have been great offensively, and both play at a fast, fun to watch pace.

Eastern Washington has scored 1.11 PPP against DI opponents this year, which is 22nd in the nation, and first in the Big Sky. Idaho has scored 1.07 PPP against DI opponents this year, which is 55th in the country and second in the Big Sky.

Idaho games average 69.8 possessions per game, the 27th fastest pace in the country. EWU is not far behind at 68.3 possessions per game, 59th in the nation.

In short, this game's over/under would probably have to be at around the 170 mark before you would think about taking the under. KenPom projects an 86-83 EWU win, which, as you might guess, is a lot of points.

One key to the game could be the health of Drew Brandon, who played only seven minutes last week and has been battling back spasms all year. Idaho has their own excellent PG in senior Mike Scott, so the Eagles really need Brandon's distribution and rebounding ability.

The other key will be how they should the ball from outside... both teams can fill it up from deep, with EWU especially relying on the long ball. The Vandals will need to guard Tyler Harvey closely basically as soon as he crosses midcourt. On the other side, Connor Hill has been on fire the last few weeks for Idaho.

The game is at 8:05 on Saturday, and should be a great one. Besides, what else is there to do on a Saturday night?

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Looking at Thursday's Big Sky Winners

Big Sky conference season has finally arrived! After two months of interesting basketball, we have finally gotten to the really good stuff - conference play, which, of course, means everything in a conference like the Big Sky. For the opening night of games, let's just take a look at the six winners, and see how they won.

- Eastern Washington - In the marquee game of opening day, Eastern Washington used a 2nd half comeback to erase a late eight point deficit to beat Weber State at home (if I was talking about the teams that lost, I'd say Weber had a very impressive showing). Two days after I declared Tyler Harvey was the POY favorite (which is obvious, not a case of me going out on a limb), he was sensational. He scored 39 points, including hitting seven threes. With EWU trailing 75-71 late, he hit a big three (with an inch of space), and then Parker Kelly hit one on the next possessions, giving the Eagles a lead they didn't relinquish. They would have liked a more comfortable home win, but to battle back and beat the defending champions is a good start, especially considering if required contributions from guys like freshman Bodgan Bliznyuk, who had eight rebounds in 18 minutes.

But the star was Harvey, who is at times unguardable with his range and quick release.

- North Dakota - If North Dakota is going to compete for a conference tournament spot, this is the type of game they have to win - road games against the lower part of the conference. They did that here, surprisingly by not allowing MSU to get any easy baskets, as the Bobcats were just 7/27 on two-point shots. UND has struggled with interior defense and plays very guard-heavy lineups, so the way they won is a surprise in that respect. They also got a nice opener from transfer Carson Shanks, who is eligible now that we have reached the second semester. He scored an efficient 12 points, and could provide some frontcourt scoring that they have lacked.

- Idaho - ISU's zone defense has left them susceptible the past couple years to good outside shooting teams, and the Vandals were just that on Thursday. Idaho shot 12/23 from downtown, getting 32 points from Connor Hill. Another way that ISU can hurt you is on the offensive glass with rebounding machine Jeffrey Solarin, but big men Bira Seck and Ty Egbert made sure that wasn't an issue - Seck had 9 defensive rebounds in 21 minutes, while Egbert had 7 in 20. Idaho is playing good basketball right now.

- Portland State - It wasn't easy, but the Vikings held on for a 71-68 home win over Southern Utah, which shows two things - PSU might be falling closer to the third tier in the Big Sky than solidifying themselves in the second tier, and that the Thunderbirds relative non-conference success is carrying over to Big Sky play. The Vikings did not shoot the ball well, but their ability to get to the line coupled with SUU's generosity in sending teams there gave PSU 39 FT attempts, of which they made 28. Braxton Tucker did have a nice day for the Viks, scoring 16 points and snagging 6 rebounds,

- Montana - Martin Breunig and Jordan Gregory were excellent in his first conference game, but the real story was the defense for Montana, which had struggled in non-conference play. Northern Colorado is a good offensive team, but the Bears scored just 0.81 PPP on Thursday, and scored 33 points in the final 30 minutes of the game. Tevin Svihovec a nightmare game, scoring three points on 0/5 FG, and the Bears shot 37% for the game. It's only one game, but Montana has to be just as happy about how they won, finally getting a great defensive performance which has eluded them lately.

- Sacramento State - The Hornets got a very nice 78-73 win over Northern Arizona, made especially impressive because they scored 1.24 PPP against a solid NAU defense. They only took 13 threes, but made nine of them. Dylan Garrity was a driving force, as he had 26 points on just nine field goal attempts. They struggled keeping NAU off the offensive glass, and that is an issue, but they can score with anyone. Cody Demps (13), Eric Stuteville (16), and Zach Mills (12) all got in on the scoring action, which is important for them behind Garrity and Mikh McKinney.

Anything else you noticed?

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Conference Reset, Part 2

After taking a look at the teams on Monday, let's take a closer look at the players that could make up awards teams and award winners, as we head into conference play. These are my predictions for the first two all-conference teams.

First Team:
- Tyler Harvey, Eastern Washington - As we enter Big Sky play, Harvey looks like the favorite for the POY. He plays for the best team, and he has continued right where he left off last year as a dynamic scorer. He is averaging 22.8 PPG, but that only tells a little bit of the story. He is shooting a touch under 50% from three point range on the year, and doing it in nine attempts per game, which is almost ridiculous. He takes great care of the ball, and scores efficiently inside the arc as well. He is a star.
- Mikh McKinney, Sacramento State - I give him the slight nod over Garrity because he does more things well. He is a good distributor, and he is third in the league in Assist Rate. He has shot over 60% on two-pointers, and is a good enough outside shooter to keep you honest. He has also been a menace defensively, with the second best steal rate in the nation, swiping the ball 3.3 times per game.
- Venky Jois, Eastern Washington - Jois has cooled down a little after a scorching start, but he has shown a lot of improvement this year, averaging 19 and 8 per game. He is shooting over 60% from the floor, and has gotten better from the stripe. Though the total rebound number is a little inflated due to the fast pace of EWU, he is a good rebounder, and one of the best shot blockers in the conference. Jois does it all for the Eagles.
- Martin Breunig, Montana - Before the year, an insider told me that Breunig would be the best big man in the conference, and so far you could make the argument that is the case. His raw numbers of 16.7 PPG/6.4 RPG aren't as high as Jois, but he has been very good. He is shooting 64% from the floor, and 74% from the line. He's helped to turn around a lot of the rebounding troubles the Grizzlies have had the past couple years, and can block some shots as well. Foul trouble has limited his minutes quite a bit, but when he is on the floor, he's as good as any big man in the conference.
- Joel Bolomboy, Weber State - He hasn't been the offensive player we wanted him to be yet, shooting 44% on two-pointers against DI competition (he has feasted in two games against non-DI opponents), and hasn't rebounded it quite as well as his otherworldy rate from last year. But he still has the talent level to do that, and it should come together as the year goes on. No big man can match his athletic prowess.

Second Team:
- Dylan Garrity, Sacramento State - Garrity has really evolved in his career, but a playmaking freshman who led the conference in assists, into a senior who has to be one of the most feared shooters in the nation. He is a lethal weapon from the outside. He falls to the second team here because he has become more of simply a shooting specialist then he was in the past, but he could climb up to the first team.
- Mike Scott, Idaho - I have talked a lot about Scott this year, and he is a guy that has been efficient scoring 15.5 PPG (shooting 44% from three), while being one of the best distributors in the conference. He is second in the Big Sky in Assist Rate, which he has done while maintaining a minuscule turnover rate. He has been the most improved player in the conference.
- Drew Brandon, Eastern Washington - Brandon is the often forgotten third cog for EWU, a PG who does it all. Though not a great scorer (though he has been very efficient when he hasn't been shooting threes), he also averages 7 RPG from the PG position. Jim Hayford's offense needs a good PG, and Brandon has been that guy this year.
- Quinton Upshur, Northern Arizona - It's reasonable to wonder if we saw Upshur's peak last year, but he is a very productive guy that is capable of carrying their offense in some situations. Though not shooting the ball quite as well as last year, he gets a lot of respect from deep. One thing that could help him is if he can get a little better at the line, where is shooting just 59% this year, baffling for a guy with his shooting ability.
- Dominique Lee, Northern Colorado - Lee was excellent in a reserve role last year, but has been even better with increased minutes so far this year. He is super efficient, and has put up better rebounding numbers than anyone in the conference. He is a guy that brings a lot to the table, but doesn't take much off. He has to play the five spot more than you would like, but that doesn't diminish how good he has been.

Let's hear any snubs or your thoughts...

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Eastern Washington Shocks Indiana

For a long while, it seems as though the Big Sky has gotten close to some big wins against very good programs. On Monday night, it got one - as Eastern Washington went into Assembly Hall and beat Indiana 88-86. While Portland State's win over USC was big, it doesn't quite have as much cachet as EWU beating Indiana on the road, one of the blue blood programs of the sport.

The Eagles used a late 9-0 run to get the win, and ended Indiana's 43 game home winning streak against non-conference foes.

"We just never stopped believing," coach Jim Hayford said. "We really don't look at the scoreboard till there's three or four minutes left because that can go up and down and we just play through runs. That didn't happen overnight. These guys have developed a lot of confidence, growing up together the last two, three seasons."

Yesterday I wrote that EWU looked like the best team in the Big Sky so far, and they provided an exclamation point to that. They were 3-12 on the road last season, and are a young team that seems to have grown up very quickly.

While several guys contributing, there were three heroes for the Eagles, and they were exactly the guys you would expect. The leading scorer was Drew Brandon, who had 27 points on 10/16 FG, Always the stat sheet stuffer, the senior PG also had eight rebounds, four assists, and five steals. It was a career high for him, and back to back baskets by Brandon started their 9-0 run late.

Tyler Harvey was next in line with 25 points on 9/20 FG, including three treys. His ability to shoot and for the defense to have to account for him at all times opens up lanes for everyone else. One guy that gets more room is big man Venky Jois, who had a great day, finishing with a ridiculous stat line of 20 points, 14 rebounds, and 5 blocks. Already one of the best big men in the Big Sky, Jois has taken another step forward as a junior.

Entering this season, Eastern Washington was a team with a ton of talent and offensive potential, but we didn't know if they would make the leap. It's safe to say they have. With Jim Hayford around with a contract extension before the year, a unique ability to recruit and find talent, and a victory that will give it a lot of credibility in the college basketball world, Monday could be the day that Eastern Washington makes the leap and becomes a Big Sky contender with staying power.

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Eastern Washington Wins the First Game in College Basketball

In the first game of the college basketball season, Eastern Washington got off to a slow start against Texas Southern, trailing 26-18 late in the first half. A quick flurry gave them a 32-30 lead at the break, but it had the look of a close, hard-fought game.

Then the Eagles came out in the second half and broke the game open, leading by as many as 30 points en route to an 86-62 season-opening win.

Eastern Washington turned often to its familiar friend, the three-point shot, draining 15 of them by the end of the game. The leader there was Tyler Harvey, who did not miss a beat from last season, as he hit seven threes in this game, finishing with 21 points. Backcourt mate Drew Brandon had his typical all-around game, finishing with 10 points, 12 rebounds, 9 assists, and four steals. The backcourt was in midseason form.

The real difference, however, was the play of Venky Jois in the second half. After a nightmare start, where he was 0/6 from the field with three turnovers in the first half, he finished with 22 points on 11/18 FG, also pitching in seven rebounds and three blocks. Jois was relentless in attacking the hoop, and while that got him into trouble early, TSU had no answers for him late.

It was not all roses for the Eagles… much of their early points came in transition on threes, as they struggled in halfcourt offense, turning it over 10 times in the first 20 minutes and struggling to find good shots. But the negatives were clearly far outweighed by the positives in this game, as they flashed the explosive offense that has many thinking they could win the Big Sky.

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Eastern Washington Outlook

It's time to get ready for the Big Sky season again with some overviews of each team this month, and then eventually we'll get into more detailed looks at everything. We'll start with Eastern Washington, led by head coach Jim Hayford who got a contract extension in the offseason.

What They Lost: It looked like they might return everyone, but they did have a couple defections. The biggest was big man Martin Seiferth, who returned to Germany to play pro basketball. Seiferth was a solid rebounder, especially on the offensive glass where he grabbed 11.8% of offensive rebounds, a solid mark. He was also a good shot blocker, ranking in the top 125 nationally in block rate. He was capable on offense of getting putbacks and easy buckets as well. He was an outlier for EWU in that he was a plodder in an offense that wanted to run, but he gave them good production.

Forward Thomas Reuter is also not on the roster, though I am not sure what happened to him. In his two years, Reuter was a guy that could probably be described as a jack of all trades, master of none.

Who Returns: As judged by the minimal losses, EWU returns a lot of guys and a lot of talent, as they've been one of the youngest teams in the Big Sky the past two seasons. The most important among them is Tyler Harvey, who led the conference in scoring last year and is one of the most prolific shooters in the country. Forward Venky Jois didn't quite live up to his great freshman year, but is still an all-conference candidate as a guy that can do it all well - including rebound, block shots, pass the ball, and score inside.

A couple other notables are Parker Kelly and Ognjen Miljkovic. Kelly is still mostly a shooter at this point, but he is a very good one, making 36% of his threes on a lot of attempts, as well as being excellent at the foul line. Miljkovic had an up and down freshman year, but his talent is obvious. Though he needs to be a little more efficient scoring, the tools are there for him to be a big time player. Drew Brandon is a guy I haven't mentioned yet, but he is a nightly triple-double threat.

Newcomers: Their first signee was guard Will Ferris, who could push for time with his shooting ability, though a redshirt year seems possible. Sir Washington was a redshirt last year, and has good athletic ability as a two-guard.

Bogdan Bliznyuk continues the Eagles tradition of talented foreign big men (he is originally from Ukraine, though he appears to have lived in the USA most of his life), following guys like Jois and Miljkovic as versatile frontcourt players that get playing time right away. He can shoot outside as well, and should be a nice contributor.

Another newcomer is forward Kyle Reid, who was a highly rated JUCO forward out of California, averaging 14.8 points and 9.6 rebounds per game last year. He will join Bilznyuk to help make up for any loss of Seiferth, as the Eagles should have a deep and talented frontcourt.

General Outlook: There is no doubt that the Eagles are one of the most talented teams in the Big Sky, and should lead the conference in scoring. The only problem could be finding minutes for all the talent. Four of their five starters return and will be upperclassmen, they return some experience on the bench, and they have talented newcomers to fill in the gaps. As we'll see as we go through the teams, there will be a lot of bunching at the top, but EWU is a team within that bunch that could legitimately win the Big Sky, or finish fifth. They will be fun this year.

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The Rest of Friday Night's Big Sky Action

While I was at the Northern Colorado vs Colorado State game, four other Big Sky games were happening. Let's take a quick rundown at what else happened in the Big Sky on Friday night.

Eastern Washington 80, Boston University 68
If you are not familiar with the Boston program - they are solid. The Terriers are a legit America East contender this year, so for the Eagles to go win by 12 on a neutral court is an impressive feat. There are no shortage of eye-popping numbers for the Eagles:

- As a team, they shot 21-39 on twos, and 10/18 from three-point range. They turned it over 16 times, but that will get corrected. They can score the ball in bunches.
- Drew Brandon's stat line - 15 points, 12 rebounds, 7 assists. He is averaging over ten rebounds per game.. Oh yeah, he is their starting PG!
- Tyler Harvey drained five more threes tonight, giving him 20 makes through four games. He is a budding star in the Big Sky.
- Venky Jois is already a star for EWU, and he had 20 points and eight rebounds. After not making any threes last year, he had one in this game - adding that to his arsenal makes him that much more dangerous.
- Freshman Ognjen Miljkovic had 14 points and 6 rebounds in 26 minutes. It's an embarrassment of riches in terms of young talent for Jim Hayford right now.

EWU should be a scary team for the rest of the Big Sky to think about because they are so talented, but still so young. They are going to keep getting better and better, and they're already pretty darn good.

Montana State 59, Central Michigan 54
Road wins are never easy, and this one has to feel very good for the Bobcats. They clawed their way (no pun intended) to a victory in a defensive battle, winning despire shooting 21/54from the field and turning it over 12 times.  They won it with defense, which has been a struggle for them. They also won it thanks to the contributions of Terrell Brown off the bench. Brown had 23 points, hitting from the outside (3/7 3PA) and getting to the line (6/8). They will need those types of performances from different guys this year, as they don't have anyone they can count on to consistently carry the load.

The Bobcats were great on the defensive glass, especially Paul Egwuonwu (11 defensive rebounds). They held Central Michigan to just two offensive rebounds. That is getting things done.

Portland State 67, Loyola 63
The Vikings trailed by 14 points in the second half before coming back for a nice early-season win. They were sparked by 14 second half points each for Dre Winston and Aaron Moore, and another solid defensive effort. Moore finished with 24 points and 11 rebounds, shooting 9/14 from the floor. Winston was 5/7 from the floor and 6/7 from the stripe, scoring a hyper-efficient 16 points.

Last note... I mentioned earlier this week that Tim Douglas was playing it well but turning it over a bit too much. He turned that around quickly, with seven assists to one turnover. Very nice game for him.

San Francisco 75, Montana 74
I'm not sure anyone would have predicted this chain of events - Idaho State goes on the road to beat San Francisco, and days later, the Dons come into Missoula and take down Montana. Basketball is a funny game. While Jordan Gregory did play (and pretty well), the Grizzlies somehow allowed USF to shoot 30/55 from the field, AND grab 14 offensive rebounds. Put another way, the Dons grabbed 45% of available offensive rebounds in this game, which is bad for Montana. Kareem Jamar did everything he could - 25 points, 8 assists, 6 rebounds, 2 steals - but it wasn't enough. The Grizzlies offense looks ok right now (1.12 PPP, though ISU had 1.15 against the Dons), but their ceiling remains limited right now until they can get some type of production down low.

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Jim Hayford's Quotes on EWU Players

On Eastern Washington's website, one of my favorite things is that on each player's page, there is a quote from head coach Jim Hayford. It's usually a one or two sentence blurb on the player, and can give a good indication of how the coaching staff views them or what their role might be this season. I thought it might be interesting to post those quotes here, along with a few takeaways.

F Ognjen Miljkovic (Fr) - “Ognjen joins us after two years at one of the top high school programs in California at Bishop Montgomery High School. It is the same program from where we recruited Tyler Harvey from. We feel he is the type of player that will fit very well in our system. He is a big man who can shoot the three-point shot, but he has multiple offensive skills. Ognjen had a number of options of schools he could have chosen from, and we are excited he selected Eastern Washington.”

G Tyler Harvey (So) - “Tyler Harvey was the surprise of last year’s team. Now he will come in as a redshirt sophomore with three years of experience in the program and needs to validate the end of his freshman season. Tyler can shoot the ball from outside, he can score off the drive, and he is very respected by all his teammates. He is an outstanding young man that we are building our basketball program on.”

G Daniel Hill (So) - “Daniel Hill gives us depth in the backcourt, and he is an outstanding teammate. We look for Daniel to be a point guard in our system who gives us great shots and is able to lead our team while he is on the floor.”

F Danny Powell (Fr) - “Danny Powell redshirted last year as a freshman in our system. He is extremely talented and is capable of scoring inside and outside, off the dribble, facing the basket and with his back to the basket. I think he will bring us versatility in three positions. We are looking forward to Danny having an outstanding freshman season.”

G Parker Kelly (Jr) - “Parker is a team captain and he has the most experience of all of the players in the program. Both seasons Parker has been able to shoot over 40 percent from three-point-range. He had some very strong games at the conclusion of the conference season where he was scoring over 20 points. We need Parker to rebound more this year, and as his all-around game develops, he should have an outstanding junior year.”

G Sir Washington (Fr) - “Sir is a quality young man and a dynamic player. Sir will fit in well with our other young players to give us a foundation of five-year players in our program. This year he will concentrate on academic success and building physical strength.”

F Martin Seiferth (Jr) - “Martin returns as the leading field goal percentage shooter in the Big Sky, a top shot blocker and a top rebounder. As he is able to do those things consistently, he will prove to be a top big man in the Big Sky Conference. We are looking for Martin to have a consistent season as a frontcourt player for the Eagles.”

F Thomas Reuter (So) - “Thomas gained great experience last year. He had quality playing time as a freshman, and he had some standout games. The key for Thomas this year is to develop consistency. He can shoot the ball from the outside better than he did a year ago, and he will rebound better at his position. He has acclimated to a new country and to the U.S. college game. I expect him to have a much improved sophomore season.”

F Frederick Jorg (So) - “This year we will redshirt Fredrick Jörg. Fred has outstanding potential, and is committed to being the very best he can be. By redshirting him, it adds a year between Martin and him. That will be very helpful to our program, and to Fred his junior and senior years in terms of playing opportunity.”

G Drew Brandon (Jr) - “Drew comes to Eastern as one of the top junior college point guards on the West Coast. He came from a very successful program at Sierra College with an outstanding coach. What impresses us the most is that Drew is a three-dimensional player, meaning he can shoot the ball, he can drive the ball and he can pass the ball. Drew gives us great size at the point guard position.”

F Garrett Moon (Jr) - “Garrett redshirted last year in our program. He gives us great versatility and athleticism off the bench. Garrett is a defensive stopper, and he is a very capable rebounder. Garrett is well-liked by his teammates, and is respected for the hard work he brings every day.”

F Felix Von Hofe (Fr) - “Felix is a great shooter and solid all-around player. He has competed at the highest level for his country and is the most acclaimed international recruit we have signed. He is an excellent student and will be a great addition to our campus community.”

F Venky Jois (So) - “Venky returns as the Big Sky freshman of the year, a top rebounder in the conference, and an overall average of double digit scoring as a freshman. Venky taking the next step as a player is one of the key ingredients for us to take that next step as a team. He is a man of outstanding character. He is a team captain as a sophomore. I expect him to lead us to the next level of success in our program.”

Some thoughts:
- It should jump out at you how young the Eagles are. They have no seniors on the roster and only four juniors. They should be improved from last year, but still expect some growing pains. I expect that we will see them grow a lot as the year goes on, and be seen as a top four team heading into next season, similar to Northern Colorado this year.

- When Daniel Hill arrived, I thought he would be the PG of the future for the Eagles. However, he didn't really separate himself last year when he got the chance, and I suspect Drew Brandon will be the Eagles PG. In Hayford's system, the PG always has the chance to put up big numbers, so look for Brandon to do some nice things this season.

- Last year, Frederick Jorg was raw. He is big and fairly mobile for someone his size, but he needed to improve his skills. Unfortunately, there weren't many extra minutes to go around. That makes the decision to redshirt him a good one.

- There will be some strong shot blockers in the Big Sky this year, with two of the better ones residing in Cheney. Venky Jois (66 blocks) and Martin Seiferth (68 blocks) are both solid. After averaging 12 and 9 last year as a freshman, it will be very interesting to see what Jois can do for an encore.

- With guys like Danny Powell, Felix Von Hofe, and Ognjen Miljkovic, there will be no shortage of guys that can play the three or four spots alongside Jois and Seiferth. None of these guys are household names yet, but they will all make an impact by the team they are done. Any team in the conference would be thrilled with a stable of young, athletic forwards like the Eagles have, not even counting in the fact that all are freshman (Powell with a redshirt).

- I worry about their backcourt depth. Parker Kelly is a nice player, but he might be a little too one-dimensional to be a good starter on a really good team. He is a great shooter, but might be more suited for a role off the bench. That puts a lot of pressure on Tyler Harvey, though if Harvey can continue and build on what he did at the end of last season, he will be a really good player.

Any thoughts on EWU? Where do you peg them this season?

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