The Utah State Eastern men's basketball team opened its 2026-27 season with a 94-86 victory over Western Wyoming College on Saturday at the Bunnell-Dmitrich Athletic Center, led by a game-high 23 points from Robbie Yates.
The Eagles opened the game with many opportunities offensively, eager to shoot the ball from the three-point line. A Robbie Yates three-point shot gave USUE a 10-7 lead in the first half. The Eagles continued to hold the lead until the 5:40 mark, when Western Wyoming tied the game at 31. Eastern proceeded to outscore the Mustangs by three points in the remainder of the half, taking a 46-43 lead into the halftime break.
Robbie Yates was USU Eastern's leading scorer in the first half, finishing with 12 points on 3-6 shooting from the three-point line. Stockton Blanchard also had 10 points at the break.
Western Wyoming tied the game after the half, but by the midpoint of the second half, the Eagles had built up an 18-point lead, their largest of the night. The Mustangs were able to cut Eastern's lead to single digits with under a minute remaining, but clutch free-throw shooting gave the Eagles a 94-86 win to open the season.
Robbie Yates finished with 23 points to lead Eastern. Yates shot 7-14 from the field and 6-11 from three-point range. Stockton Blanchard (15), Isaiah Reiser (14), and Ezias Steffen (11) each finished with double-digit points.
The Eagles forced 20 turnovers defensively which led to 23 Eastern points. USUE's bench stepped up in a big way, outscoring WWC's bench 43-12.
Next, the Eagles will welcome the Central Wyoming College Rustlers on Friday, Nov. 6. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 pm from the Bunnell-Dmitrich Athletic Center.
