When it comes to college basketball, fans always need to be on the lookout for the next great mid-major program. There’s a chance the Eastern Washington Eagles could be that program that makes a splash on the big stage. Traditionally, there’s been little interest in the program, making it easy for fans to find cheap Eastern Washington basketball tickets. But in recent years, the Eagles have turned a corner, creating a demand for last-minute EWU tickets and putting the program in a position to reach new heights.

The Legend

Head coach William “Red” Reese is the most important figure in Eastern Washington basketball history. Outside of the years during World War II, Reese coached the Eagles from 1930 to 1964, compiling over 400 wins and a winning percentage of .610. His tenure included five appearances in the NAIA Tournament, with the Eagles advancing as far as the quarterfinals three times.

A Little Life

After many years as an NAIA and Division II program, Eastern Washington moved up to the Division I level in 1983. But it wasn’t until Ray Giacoletti took over as head coach in 2000 that the Eagles started working their way up the hierarchy in the Big Sky Conference. Under Giacoletti, EWU became one of the league’s top teams. The Eagles reached the NIT in 2003 and finally won the Big Sky regular-season and tournament championships in 2004, qualifying for the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history.

Now We’re Flying

When Giacoletti left after EWU’s triumphant 2004 season, the program dipped for a few years. But Jim Hayford was able to bring the program back. In 2015, the Eagles dominated the Big Sky and returned to the NCAA Tournament. EWU then received invitations to the CBI in each of the next three seasons, keeping them involved in postseason play. When Shantay Legans took the reins from Hayford in 2017, the Eagles didn’t miss a beat. Hagans brought Eastern Washington back to the top of the Big Sky in 2020, reasserting the Eagles as one of the conference’s elite programs.