USU Eastern secured a thrilling 87-80 victory over North Idaho College on Saturday afternoon inside the BDAC, delivering one of their most balanced and efficient performances of the season. The Eagles shot an impressive 57.7% from the field and 53.3% from beyond the arc, using precision shooting and a relentless team effort to hold off the Cardinals' late-game push.

Led by Mark Huber's 16 points, five assists, and three rebounds, the Eagles set the tone early, building a 52-40 lead at halftime. Forward Mark Reichner was equally effective, adding 16 points and seven rebounds while knocking down three of his five attempts from long range. Ryker Richards and Ike Palmer provided key contributions in the paint, each scoring 12 points. Palmer added eight rebounds and five assists, while Richards chipped in with four rebounds and a steal. Off the bench, Sevastian Rosado gave the Eagles a vital spark, scoring 13 points and sinking three three-pointers.

Despite North Idaho College's 19 rebounds, Eastern's defense disrupted the Cardinals' rhythm, holding them to just 38.6% shooting from the field. The Eagles forced NIC into tough looks all game, limiting standout scorer Deng Diew to 18 points on 7-of-19 shooting.

The Cardinals leaned on bench contributions, with Dace Pleasant scoring 13 points and Jeremiah Sibley adding 10. However, their struggles at the free-throw line, where they converted only 16 of 26 attempts, proved costly.

The Eagle's victory provides momentum as they head into a crucial stretch of the season. Eastern (11-6, 2-3) will look to build on this performance as they hit the road to face No. 1 Snow College (19-1, 5-0) on Thursday, January 23 at 7:00 p.m. in Ephraim.