ROSEMONT, Pa.--Eastern University Men's Basketball used stifling defense and inside scoring to beat the host Rosemont College Ravens 56-34 in a pre-break contest. Alex Nelson led the way for the Eagles with 23 points. Eastern (4-0) is unbeaten through four games for the first time since the school made the move to Division III.

With many students from both schools already on their way home for Thanksgiving break, the local game was missing a little bit of the edge it could have had with school still in session. The student bodies, however, were not all that was missing, as both teams struggled mightily from the perimeter. The two teams made just one of 29 three-point attempts on the evening.

With neither team hitting from the outside, the advantage in the game went to the visitors. Though he is probably oly 6-3, Nelson was able to find inside touches and finish around the rim.

"I couldn't shoot for anything from the outside," Nelson said afterwards, "so I went in close. Those shots are easier." Though none of his shots came without substantial defense, the sophomore forward connected on 11-15 from inside the arc. 

The Eagles built a commanding 27-13 lead at the intermission as Rosemont connected on only 5-25 from the floor through the first 20 minutes. Out of the intermission, the Ravens scratched back a point at a time and closed the deficit to 31-28 with ten and a half minutes left.

Over the next six minutes the Eagles turned up the intensity on defense and put the game away with a 23-5 run. Don Kaiser scored six points and provided a strong interior presence on defense during the run.

"Donny was big tonight," Nelson said, "he finished at the rim, and he had some huge rebounds." The coaches also expressed pleasure in seeing the junior center finding his way back into form after missing the 09-10 campaign with knee surgery. 

Eastern scored 36 points in the paint to just 14 for the Ravens, and in a game with nearly no transition baskets, the Eagles scored 15 points on second shots. Rosemont's Tremell Green scored ten points and was the only player other than Nelson to reach double figures in scoring for the game.

The Eagles are at Ursinus College on Sunday afternoon.