UNION, N.J.– Eastern University Women's Basketball rallied from a 21-point first-half deficit to turn the game into a single-possession game with two minutes to play in the Championship game of the Kean Classic against the Moravian College Greyhounds. The Eastern rally came up just short in a 61-58 loss.

How It Happened:
Moravian held a 22-7 lead at the end of a quarter and built that edge to 34-13 with three minutes to play in the first half. Brianna Young-Harris hit jumper to spark an 8-0 run to close the half. After only scoring two points through the first 17 minutes, Regie Robinson scored the final six points in the run.

The Greyhounds scored the first five points of the second half and the Moravian lead was 41-22 with six minutes to play in the third. Naomi Harris scored six points in an 8-1 burst to pull the Eagles to within 12 points.

The Eagles cut the deficit to less than ten points for the first time since the opening period on a 3-pointer from Jaelyn Harris and a pair of Robinson free throws for a 5-0 run with a little over a minute left in the third.

The Moravian lead stood at 51-39 with nine minutes left and it looked like the Greyhounds might race to an uncontested win. Moravian won last-year's game between the two teams at Lebanon Valley 67-38.

The Eagles had other plans. Jaelyn Harris hit a 3-pointer and a jumper, and Robinson scored on a pass from Da"Naziah Brown to close the gap. Brown then buried a 3-pointer from the left wing on a kick-out pass  from Robinson to pull the Eagles to within a basket with 5:51 on the clock.

The game stayed within a one-possession game for the final five minutes, but the Greyhounds were able to get enough stops and make enough free throws to hold off the Eagles for a three-point win.

Robinson continued her strong start to the year. She finished with 18 points, 15 rebounds, and five assists. The senior is now eight points from 1000 for her career.

Jaelyn Harris was 3-of-5 from 3-point range and 6-of-11 from the floor for 16 points.


Coach Houston Says:
"It took us to the fourth quarter to realize we can play with them. We missed some key free throws and they had too many chances from the line. They made theirs. I am happy we fought back and competed to pull it to one and a change to tie it up."

"We need to do a better job on the defensive glass. Second chance points killed us."

"We battled and competed to the end. I wish we saw that same level of confidence and aggressiveness for four quarters. We have a young team tand we will keep getting better."

"Regie played another outstanding game and Jae shot the ball very well. MaryKate McLaughlin stepped up with some really good minutes off the bench. She did a lot that did not show up in the stat sheet and scored four big points in the fourth quarter."

Up Next:
Eastern (3-1) will have another tough test at Messiah College on Tuesday night.