Eastern Washington's men's basketball coaching staff has been taking a measured, deliberate approach to roster building this offseason—and for good reason. They simply aren't feeling the pressure.
"We already had a lot of pieces in place that we felt good about," said EWU associate head coach Ryan Lundgren. Now, after signing two more guards this week, Lundgren says the outlook is even brighter.
"The beauty of where we are at is we feel like we have a very good core, very balanced at every position, with a lot of talent and character in the locker room," he added.
The newest additions to the Eagles' 2026-27 squad are guards Tavi Jackson and Jalen Griffith—two players who bring different experiences but share a common goal: elevating the program.
Jackson, a 6-foot-2 guard from Las Vegas, has already logged two college seasons—first at Colorado State in 2023-24, then at Southern Utah in 2024-25. After coming off the bench for the Rams, he started 18 of 19 games for the Thunderbirds before an injury cut his season short. He spent the 2025-26 season recovering, but Lundgren confirmed he's now fully healthy.
"What he does best is rebound and defend, as good as he is offensively," Lundgren said of Jackson, who averaged 10.1 points per game at Southern Utah. "He's a really high-character kid."
While Lundgren had followed Jackson since high school, Griffith was a newer name on the Eagles' radar. The 5-foot-10 guard from Chicago entered the transfer portal on April 7—the first day players could officially do so—after spending the 2025-26 season as a junior at Western Michigan. He started 17 of 27 games, averaging 11.9 points and 3.4 assists per contest.
Griffith's move came after Western Michigan finished 10-21 overall and 4-14 in the Mid-American Conference, leading to the firing of head coach Dwayne Stephens on March 8. Before his time with the Broncos, Griffith played at Navarro College in Texas and Jacksonville University.
Lundgren acknowledged Griffith's smaller frame but pointed out that Eastern—and head coach Dan Monson throughout his career—has thrived with undersized guards. Last season's Isaiah Moses is a prime example, so Griffith's height wasn't a concern.
"He's a guy who can really put the ball in the basket but can also run the team as a guard as well," Lundgren said.
One key factor in EWU's patient approach: the program didn't lose any players to the transfer portal this offseason (aside from Andrew Cook, who had no remaining eligibility). That stability has allowed the coaching staff to be selective rather than scrambling.
With the addition of Jackson and Griffith—alongside earlier signee Jamil Miller—the Eagles are quietly building a roster that blends talent, experience, and character. And they're doing it on their own timeline.