ST. DAVIDS, Pa.– Eastern University Men's Basketball used a strong defensive second half to pull away for the visitnig Albright College Lions (1-4) in a getaway day win before the Thanskgiving Break. Victor Peña and Michael Bowlers each posted double-doubles in the win.

The Eagles (3-1), playing in their fourth game in a week, returned from Tennessee early Monday morning. The travel might have had an impact on their shooting early. The Eagles made only 13-of-36 shots in the first half. Even with the offensive struggles, the Eagles held a  34-32 lead at the break. Darius Washington hit three 3-pointers in the first half. He and Bowlers had nine points and Peña had 11 points and 7 boards at the break. The Eagles led 17-7 with a little more than 13 minutes to play when the Lions started to dig in. Albright shot only 40% in the half, but their aggressive defense pushed the Eagles away from the basket and gave them transition opportunites after tunrovers.

The Lions tied the game in the final minute before Bowlers put Eastern up 34-32 with a strong move in the paint.

Albright's Sidney Brown hit a jumper to tie the game at 36 before the Eagles rode the hot hand of Austin Duncan for a 7-0 run. Duncan banked in a tough runner and then buried a 3-pointer on a good kick out pass from Peña. Draig Ruff finished the burst in transition after Duncan pulled downa  defensive rebound at the other end.

Albright answered with five in a row to pull within a basket with 12:53 to play.

On the next possession, Marquise Peel found Washington on a back door cut for an easy basket to start a 6-0 run for hte Eagles. Bowlers and Peña each scored in the run. The Eagles never let the lead drop below five points the rest of the way. The Eastern lead hit double-figures on a Bowlers basket from Washington with five left and hit 14 for the first time on a 30 footer from Washington on a kick-out from Peña.

Eastern was 4-of-8 from behind the arc in the second half and shot 45 percent from the floor. They scored 16 points in the paint in each half.

Peña finished with 17 points and 13 rebounds and Bowlers had 15 points and 14 rebounds. Duncan finished with 15 points and seven boards and Washington had a team-high 18 points to go with six rebounds and five assists.

Samuel Majekodunmi scored a game-high 26 points to lead the Lions.

The Eagles will be back at home on Monday Nov. 26 at 7:00 pm against Rutgers-Camden.