CENTER VALLEY, Pa.– Eastern University Men's Basketball dropped a heartbreaking 71-70 decision at DeSales in an important MAC Freedom test. The Eagles (10-9, 5-3 MAC Freedom) had a shot to win, but Victor Peña's heavily contested lay-up rolled out as time expired.

The final ten minutes of regulation saw both teams scoring more from the foul line than they did from the floor. Both teams made only a pair of field goals in the final quarter of the game, but it was a tough 14 footer by DeSales senior Connor Jones with six seconds to play that proved to be the difference.

"We took a step forward in this game," Head Coach Eric McNelley said after the game. "We contested every shot on defense and stayed committed to working inside throughout. It was a very frustrating finish to the game."

The host Bulldogs (15-4, 6-2 MAC Freedom) scored ten of their final twelve points at the foul line.

The Eagles held a 66-60 lead with seven and a half minutes to play, but that lead evaporated as the Bulldogs made six in a row from the line. Antonio Chapman hit a tough shot in the lane to put the Eagles up a pair, and Victor Peña hit a pair of free throws on the next possession to put the Eagles up 70-66 with slightly less than four minutes to play.

The Eagles had a chance to stretch the lead to three in the final minute, but the DeSales defense held its ground and forced a shot clock violation. After a series of timeouts, the Bulldogs ran a play for what turned out to be the game-winner.

Eastern answered with a play to get the ball to midcoast for another timeout and then a play which got the ball to Peña at the rim. The junior forward went up against a strong physical contest and his shot rolled out.

Peña led the Eagles with 13 points. William Blet and Jordan Johnson each added 12 as the Eagles committed to going inside. Darius Washington had 10 and Austin James and Chapman each had nine.

"We executed the play we wanted to run at the buzzer," McNelley said. "It was a very frustrating way to lose."

Neither team led by more than seven points at any point in the game. With six players grabbing three or more rebounds, Eastern held a 36-to-31 edge on the boards.

Tracy Simsick scored a game-high 20 points and Kweku Dawson-Amoah added 19 to lead DeSales.

The loss drops the Eagles into the fourth spot in the MAC Freedom Standings with six games to play. Eastern will host Misericordia on Wednesday night in a game with massive ramifications in the league.