CHENEY, Wash. — It's a battle of the eastern Washington men's basketball teams.
The two teams are going head-to-head in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament (NIT). Washington State is a number four seed; Eastern Washington is the unseeded, automatic qualifier for winning the Big Sky conference regular season title.
EWU basketball fans said anything can happen at Tuesday's game.
"It doesn't matter if you're in the Pac-12 or any other conference," sophomore Sadie Bacon said. "Anything is possible. Nothing is guaranteed."
As a former basketball player, Bacon said she goes to every game she can. If she can't make it to a game, she said she makes sure to tune in on TV.
"They’ve accomplished such great things," Bacon said. "Getting into this tournament. And it’s brought the whole school together I feel like. It’s so fun seeing everyone get so into this.”
EWU junior Alphonso Williams Jr. said Washington State should prepare for a tough game.
"We’re gonna to kill it," Williams Jr. said. "For real. WAZZU, look out. Eastern’s coming. Eags gonna fly high.”
The last time the Eags and Cougs battled it out was back in November 2022 at the Spokane Arena. Then, WSU beat EWU 82-56.
EWU students are hoping for a different outcome Tuesday night.
"We got a great set of guys this year that are playing really really well," senior Jamie Christner said. "I think it’s gonna be a great game.”
“This area is really known for Washington State and Gonzaga," senior Trey Turner explained. "So whenever we’re able to have a chance at Eastern Washington to put ourselves on a national stage and level, we try to do our best. I feel like the guys on the basketball team have done a great job with that this year.”
Eastern Washington is coming off a 22-10 season where at one point, the team was on an 18-game winning streak.
EWU and WSU are set to tip-off Tuesday at 8 p.m. at Beasley Coliseum.
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