PURCHASE, N.Y.– Eastern University Women's Basketball rallied from a 8-point halftime deficit and beat the host Manhattanville College Valiants 64-62 in overtime. Emily Lavin scored 18 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to lead the Eagles.

Neither team led by more than four points through the first 15 minutes of hte game, but the Valiants closed out the first half on a 12-4 run and led 32-24 at the break. The Eagles shot only 9-of-29 (31%) from the floor and made only one 3-pointer in the defensive struggle. The Valiants, meanwhile, made 13-of-29 shots (44.8 %) from the floor and forced ten Eastern turnovers to build their halftime lead. Lavin had eight points at the intermission.

The Eagles briefly grabbed the lead when Taylor Price found Brianna Young-Harris in transition midway through the third period. Eastern again struggled to close out a period, and Manhattanville had a 50-45 lead after three periods.

The Valiant lead grew to seven when Kayleah McGuire hit a pair of free throws at the start of the of the fourth. Taylor Price ignited a 6-0 Eastern run with and inside basket. Kayla Holmes and Amber Anderson scored to cut the Manhattanville lead to 52-51, but the Eagles were unable to pull into the lead. 

McGuire hit a split a pair of free throws and then Brittany Deieso stole a ball and hit a 3-pointer to put the Valiants up five points with five minutes to play. Price then capped a long possession with her only 3-pointer of the game. The clutch delivery came after the Valiants committed three fouls, and the Eagles grabbed a pair of offensive rebounds.

Price split a pair of free throws to close within a point with two and a half minutes to play and Lavin put the Eagles up on a feed from Regie Robinson with two minutes left. While Eastern defense kept the Valiants from scoring, the Eagles missed several chances to pull increase the lead at the foul line. The Eagles shot a season-low 43.5 percent from the foul line and missed four free throws in the fourth quarter.

"We have been pretty good at the line all year," Head Coach Eric Houston said after the game, "but today we made things pretty difficult by not making our free throws. We found a way to get the win on the road."

The Eastern lead was two with under 20 seconds to play, but the Valiants had the ball. Lavin blocked the initial shot, but the rebound went right to a Manhattanville player on the other side of the basket for a layup. The Eagles had the final possession of regulation, but Lavin's layup attempt was turned away at the rim.

Amanda Riiff hit a 3-pointer on Eastern's opening possession, but the Valiants drew level with a free throw and a layup. The Eagles went up for good shen Robinson beat her defender at the top of the key and drove to the basket for a layup with a minute and a half to play.

The Valiants trailed by two with thirty seconds to play. Robinson appeared to steal the ball with 18 seconds left, but the officials called a jump ball, and the Valiants had another chance. Lavin blocked another inside attempt but was called for her fifth foul on the rebound with three seconds left.  The Valiants split a pair at the line and had to foul Price to try to get the ball back. Price split her free throws and the final full-court shot missed short and wide.

The win lifts the Eagles to 3-3 in the MAC Freedom and is the 12th win of the year. Eastern will finish the first round of games in the MAC Freedom with a home game against Delaware Valley on Wednesday.

Price finished with 12 points and 11 rebounds for her fourth double-double in the last five games.