CHENEY, Wash. (AP) -Branden Johnson and Carlos Taylor scored 13 points apiece and Montana State held Eastern Washington without a field goal during the final 6:11 in a 64-57 comeback victory on Thursday night.
Mecklen Davis added 11 points and Divaldo Mbunga 10 points and 9 rebounds for the Bobcats (13-8, 5-3 Big Sky), who rallied after trailing by 12 points in the opening half.
It was Montana State’s fourth consecutive win and made its record 2-0 against Eastern Washington this season.
Trey Gross and Brandon Moore led the Eagles (8-15, 3-6) with 12 points each. They lost for the fifth time in six games.
After overcoming a 21-9 deficit in the first half, Montana State got consecutive baskets from Johnson in the final 1:14, the last one giving the Bobcats a 62-57 lead with 26 seconds left to play.
Following a missed shot by Gross, Casey Durham sealed the Bobcats’ win with two free throws.
Eastern Washington took its early lead behind Moore, who scored 10 points in the first 10 minutes. The Eagles grabbed their biggest lead on Gary Gibson’s steal and dunk with 9:35 to go in the first half.
Montana State turned the ball over 11 times in its first 17 possessions and was held scoreless for a 6 1/2-minute stretch of the first half.
An inside basket by Davis with 6:35 left ended the drought and triggered a 12-3 spurt that pulled the Bobcats within 24-19 with 4:12 left in the first half.
Kellen Williams had 11 points and 10 rebounds for Eastern Washington, his ninth double-double of the season.
Eastern Washington played without leading scorer Adris DeLeon, who has the flu.
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