The Utah State Eastern men's basketball team suffered an 83-80 loss to the College of Southern Nevada on Wednesday in Henderson, Nevada, after the Coyotes hit a three-point shot with 15 seconds remaining, according to a November 12 report.
The Eagles' first road game of the season saw them struggle offensively in the first half, shooting 37% from the field and 28% from three-point range in the first 10 minutes. While defensive play helped Eastern secure an 18-14 lead halfway through the period, an 18-8 run by the Coyotes left the Eagles trailing 37-34 at halftime. Merrick Rillstone led Eastern with seven points and three rebounds during the first half.
In the second half, Southern Nevada built a lead of up to 13 points, but the Eagles rallied to tie the game at 80 with 42 seconds remaining. However, a three-pointer by the Coyotes with 15 seconds left decided the outcome.
Bryton Valdes finished the game with 18 points, including 12 points in the second half. Rillstone concluded with 17 points and six rebounds, while Ezias Steffen contributed 11 points. Although the Eagles were outrebounded 43-31, they forced 22 turnovers from CSN, which resulted in 28 points for USU Eastern.
The Eagles will next travel to Yuma, Arizona, for the Region 18/Region 1 Challenge. They are scheduled to face Arizona Western College on Friday at 7:00 p.m. and Eastern Arizona on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.
