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EWU’s Bliznyuk repeats, earns 4th Big Sky Player of the Week

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OGDEN, Utah (February 26, 2018– For the second-straight week and fourth time this season, Eastern Washington senior  Bogdan Bliznyuk has been tabbed the Big Sky Conference Ready Nutrition Player of the Week.

On Saturday, Bliznyuk became just the fifth player in the 55-year history of Big Sky men’s basketball to surpass 2,000 career points. The senior averaged 22.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.5 steals per game to lead Eastern Washington to its first road sweep in two yearsfollowing victories over Weber State and Idaho State.

The Lutsk, Ukraine, native sank 19 of his 35 shots (.543) and made both of his free throws, while also going 4-of-8 from behind the arc in his two outings.


His trey with 1:31 left against Idaho State gave Eastern the lead for good in the 74-69 win, and his two free throws with five seconds left clinched a 75-70 victory over Weber State to snap the nine-game winning streak of the Wildcats.

Against WSU, Bliznyuk went 11-for-21 (.524) from the floor to finish with 27 points, seven rebounds and a pair of assists. He concluded the week against Idaho State making 8-of-14 (.571) from the field to total 17 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two steals. He hit the 2,000 mark at ISU when he scored a pair of baskets in the first 3:08 of the game to help EWU open an early 9-2 lead.

In his final weeks competing for the Eagles, Bliznyuk is eyeing a couple records as he needs just 90 points to break the 24-year conference scoring record of 2,102 points set by Idaho’s Orlando Lightfoot in 1994. Bliznyuk enters the final week of the regular season having made 65 consecutive free throws dating back to EWU’s game at North Dakota on Dec. 31. The NCAA record for consecutive free throws made is 73 set by Villanova’s Gary Buchanan over a 21-game stretch during the 2000-01 season.

Other Nominees: Timmy Falls, Montana; Dwayne Morgan, Southern Utah; Holland Woods, Portland State; Ryan Richardson, Weber State; Nate Sherwood, Idaho; Bryce Fowler, Sacramento State; Jonah Radebaugh, Northern Colorado

2017-18 Big Sky Conference Players of the Week
Nov. 14 – Geno Crandall, North Dakota
Nov. 21 – Bryce Canda, Portland State
Nov. 28 – Deontae North, Portland State
Dec. 5 – Tyler Hall, Montana State
Dec. 12 – Holland Woods, Portland State
Dec. 19 – Bogdan Bliznyuk, Eastern Washington
Dec. 26 – Andre Spight, Northern Colorado
Jan. 2 – Justin Strings, Sacramento State
Jan. 8 – Jamar Akoh, Montana
Jan. 15 – Michael Oguine, Montana
Jan. 22 – Brayon Blake, Idaho
Jan. 29 – Bogdan Bliznyuk, Eastern Washington
Feb. 5 – Andre Spight, Northern Colorado
Feb. 12 – Zach Braxton, Weber State
Feb. 19 – Bogdan Bliznyuk, Eastern Washington
Feb. 26 – Bogdan Bliznyuk, Eastern Washington

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