ST. DAVIDS, Pa.– After snow delays pushed back the start by nearly forty minutes, it was only appropriate that Eastern University Men's Basketball and the visiting Rowan University Profs (5-4) should go into overtime. In his first game back from injury, Victor Peña scored seven of his team-high 21 points in the extra frame to lift Eastern (4-4) to a 97-92 win.

Neither team was able to take the game to more than a two-possession advantage at any point in a game that featured 13 lead changes. Eastern had a pair of six-point leads in the second half but were not able to stretch beyond that as on both occasions, the Profs answered on the next possession.

Peña put the Eagles up six with 3:39 left in regulation, but TJ Booth hit a pair of free throws to spark an 8-0 to put the Profs up 83-81 with a minute and a half to play. Antonio Chapman, who finished with 17 points, hit 4-of-4 free throws in the final 90 seconds and the Eagles came up with a late stop to force overtime. Austin James made a key play on the final possession to block a jumper by Nick DePersia as time was running out.

The Eagles went in to Peña for the first basket of the overtime, and Darius Washington put the Eagles up 90-85 with his fourth  3-pointer of the game. Washington finished with 19 points, seven rebounds, and three assists. All of those are career-high numbers for the junior guard. While the Profs battled back, the Eagles never relinquished the lead as Peña made 3-of-4 free throws and a field goal and Austin Duncan hit a pair from the line.

Washington set the tone early. He scored 10 points ina  70-second stretch. After hitting a pair of 3-pointers to turn an 8-4 deficit into a 10-8 lead, he answered a Rowan basket with a four-point play on a deep 3-pointer from the right wing.

The game stayed very tight through the first half, and both teams had technical fouls assessed after players got tangled near mid-court following a Chapman 3-pointer with a little over five minutes to play. Washington and Chapman each had three 3-pointers in the first half, but the Profs still led 43-42 at the break.

The Eagles had nine different players score in the second half.

"Having Victor back is huge for our team and program," Head Coach Eric McNelley said after the game. "It is a huge credit to our training staff and to his toughness that he is back. He has done all the work they have put in front of him in therapy and rehab to get back on the floor. He is our captain and an inside presence that opens up so much for us."

While Peña returned to the lineup, the Eagles drew another challenge as Anthony Concepcion missed the game with injury. McNelley pointed to the play of Chapman and Clifton Adams at the lead guard roles as a postiive that will need to continue to develop.

"They did a great job handling a lot of pressure from Rowan tonight," McNelley added. "They will only get better as they have more time with the ball in their hands. It was also great to see Darius grab seven rebounds." Eastern won the rebounding battle 46-33. All ten players who played had at least one rebound. Six Eastern players, led by Peña with nine, had at least four.

TJ Booth led Rowan with 27 points, and Nick DePersia had 20. 

The Eagles will have a very quick turnaround after tonight's win. They will play at Haverford Colelge at 1:00 pm tomorrow before flying to Miami for the Third Annual HoopMIA D3 Holiday Shootout.