ST. DAVIDS, Pa.– Eastern University Men's Basketball rallied from an 11-point halftime deficit but saw a late lead slip away in the final minute in a 76-73 home loss to the visiting Delaware Valley Aggies (4-3, 2-0 MAC Freedom) in MAC Freedom play. The loss snaps a four-game winning streak for the Eagles.

Delaware Valley shot 18-of-28 (64.3%) and 6-of-9 from behind the arc to grab a 48-37 halftime edge. The Eagles (6-2, 1-1 MAC Freedom) shot well in the first frame as well. Led by by Victor Peña, who was 6-of-7 from the floor with a pair of 3-pointers, the Eagles shot 59.3 percent from the floor. Delaware Valley held a 13-10 edge on the glass, but there were not really a lot of rebounds to be had in the opening period.

Head Coach Eric McNelley challenged his squad to change their mentality at the defensive end of the floor for the second half, and the encouragement worked. The Aggies were only 7-of-26 from the floor after the intermission and made only 2-of-10 from behind the arc.

Eastern shot 15-of-31 from floor in the second half, but the rally happened at the defensive end. Delaware Valley did not get an offensive rebound in the second half. Stop by stop, the Eagles whittled into the Aggie lead. but Eastern still trailed by nine with eleven minutes to play. The defensive work finally resulted in an offensive burst.

Austin Duncan started a 13-0 run with a reverse lay-up in traffic. Peña then converted a pair of inside baskets around a blocked shot on the other end to close the gap to 58-55. Darius Washington tied the game at 58 with his only 3-pointer of the second half. Washington then put the Eagles up after Clifton Adams had a steal and a throw-ahead for a lay-up. Adams then capped the run with a put-back basket.

The Eastern lead stayed at four for only a few seconds as Del Val's Damian Washington converted a three-point play at the other end. The game stayed as one-possession game over the final seven-and-a-half minutes. Del Val's only baskets from the floor in the final seven minutes came on a pair of 3-pointers late in the shot clock.

The Eagles led 73-72 with less than a minute to play. After Lybrant Robinson made a pair at the line, Peña had to leave the game with injury. The Eagles pushed the ball into the lane for a shot at the game-winner, but Del Val forward André Butler wrestled the ball free and the Eagles were forced to foul. Darius Washington had a heave from 60 feet hit the back iron.

Washington led the Eagles with 23 points and four assists. Peña finished with 21 points and 10 rebounds and Michael Bowlers had 15 points. Adams finished the game with nine rebounds, eight assists, and four steals. Damien Washington scored 17 and Butler had 16 to lead the Aggies. 

Eastern will have a week for finals and then will play the next five games out of conference. They will play at Rowan on Saturday night.