fourth game in seven days, tonight's contest was not likely to be an easy one for the Eagles. Eastern used 64% shooting in the second half to down a scrappy Marywood team 74-72.

The first half saw both teams struggling to convert chances on the inside, but the Pacers had the better of things as Joe Buczko and Matt Johnson each scored in double figures without leaving the paint for a shot. Kevin Raab (6 points) and Dylan Lee (4 points) each came off the bench to give the Eagles an inside presence on the offensive end of the floor, but the Pacers continued to get looks around the basket and led 35-34 at the break. Both teams shot just over 40% for the first half.

The second half saw both teams looking to push the ball early, and resulted in some easy baskets in transition. The visiting Eagles looked to get the ball inside against the smaller Pacer backcourt, and were able to create several chances for three point plays from Lenny DiMaria, David Volpe, and Brent Williams. At the other end of the floor, Adam Wildasin found his range and hit for ten points in the second half, and Buczko continued to catch and finish around the rim.

Eastern shot 16 for 25 in the second half and committed just six turnovers. Even with the high production at the offensive end of the floor, the Eagles could only gather a single offensive rebound in the second half, and had the Pacers right at their heels all the way to the finish. After trailing by six at just two minutes into the second half, the Eagles responded with a 10-2 run over the next four minutes. Volpe scored a pair of baskets to fuel the Eastern run.

With just over thirteen minutes to play Volpe hit a three off a nice kickout from DiMaria. He then made a steal at midcourt and fired a blind pass to Brent Williams who converted the lay in to give the Eagles their biggest lead of the second half at the thirteen minute mark. The Pacers refused to go away, and two minutes later they tied the game at 56 on a three pointer from Jeff Moen.

DiMaria answered the three point shot when he finished an old fashioned three point play with a left handed lay in and a free throw. Volpe then scored on a baseline drive to push the Eagle lead back to five with nine minutes to play. Marywood answered with four straight on a pair of free throws and an inside bucket from Prince Blacknall, and the two teams would not be separated by more than four points the rest of the way.

A Williams three point play at the eight minute mark lifted the Eagles to a four point lead, but the Pacers immediately scored four straight to tie the game. After a DiMaria free throw put the game on an odd number and another inside basket from the senior lifted Eastern to a 67-64 lead, the Pacers responded with a 6-2 run to retake the lead with just over two and a half minutes to play.

Eastern responded with an inside basket from Malloy after a steal and a nice feed from Volpe. Moen dropped in a layup at the two minute mark to put the Pacers back up 72-71. Eastern then found DiMaria underneath again and the senior guard muscled in his twentieth point of the game to put the visitors up 73-72. The Eastern defense, which had struggled to generate stops all evening, buckled down late with three consecutive stops to overcome missed free throws late.

Coach Nadelhoffer said of the game, "It's always something up here. We went through a stretch where I didn't think we were ever going to get a stop. The guys made some big plays down the stretch and made the plays at the defensive end when we needed them. After a tough loss Saturday we needed to figure out a way to get a W here."

DiMaria led Eastern with 20 points, and Volpe scored 17. Matt Malloy had 12 points and six rebounds. The Eagles return home Thursday night against Immaculata.