MADISON, N.J.– Eastern University Men's Basketball used a 17-4 run midway through the second half to break open a close game at FDU-Florham. The Eagles shot 64.5 percent in the second half to earn a 77-65 win and secure a spot in the MAC Freedom Tournament for the first time since 2012.

"It is nice to know we are in, but we still have a long way to go," Head Coach Eric McNelley said. "We need to finish strong to accomplish our goals."

The Eagles led 29-21 in the first half and appeared to be gaining momentum, but FDU's Rajaan Dixon scored 12 points in the final three and half minutes to pull the Devils back into the game. Eastern held a 34-33 lead at the break.

The Eagles held the slim margin despite hitting only 15-of-39 shots (38.5 %) and only attempting two foul shots. The Devils also struggled from the floor, but led by Dixon's three 3-pointers, made up the difference from behind the arc and at the foul line.

The two teams started the second half on a torrid pace. Donte Ali led the hosts to on an 11-7 run in the first four minutes of the period. The Devils pushed out to a three-point lead and seemed to have solved the Eastern defense.

The two teams traded baskets until Austin James hit a 3-pointer in transition after a Victor Peña layup to give the Eagles a 50-48 lead. The Devils would tie the game three more times, but the MAC Freedom leading Eagles would not trail again in the game.

"It's huge for us every game," McNelley said of James' production off the bench. "It is all about his confidence, when he has that, he is one of the best shooters I've coached, and it opens up so many things for us."

Marquise Peel started a decisive 9-0 run with a layup off a pass from James. James hit his second 3-pointer of the half between a pair of Shaquan Turk drives to give the Eagles a commanding lead. Turk had 12 points and three assists in the final seven minutes of the game.

The Devils (6-16, 3-8 MAC Freedom) did not score consecutive baskets at any point in the second half.

"Our zones were not very effective today," McNelly said of the change in his team's defense over the final 12 minutes. "So we went back to our man-to-man and put good pressure on the ball and walled up at the rim. More importantly we held them to one shot."

The Devils made only four field goals in the final ten minutes of the game.

The Eagles, on the other hand, made 20-of-31 shots in the second half and grabbed five offensive rebounds. Peña was a handful on the boards and in the post. The sophomore center was 6-of-10 from the floor and grabbed half of his 16 rebounds in the second half.

Turk led the way with 22 points and five assists, and Peña had a massive double-double with 21 points and 16 rebounds, but McNelley pointed to the contribution of the players off his bench. Abraham Kurnick had 10 points and five rebounds, and James had eight points and four rebounds to lead a bench that outscored their counterparts from FDU, 27-16.

With Delaware Valley's loss at Manhattanville tonight, the Eagles (14-8, 9-2 MAC Freedom) are alone atop the league standings with three games to play.

The Eagles will host Manhattanville on Saturday before traveling to Delaware Valley on Tuesday.