FREDERICKSBURG, Va.– In a game that featured teams with sharply contrasting styles, Eastern University Men's Basketball made plays down the stretch to grind out a 79-76 win over the Washington & Lee University Generals in the opening game of the Hyatt Place Tip-off Tournaement hosted by the University of Mary Washington. Michael Bowlers finished with a game-high 24 points.

How It Happened:
The Generals (1-1) looked to space the floor, shoot quickly and from deep. The Eagles (3-1) look to force the opponent to defend for an entire possession clock and to build an offense from the inside out. Throughout the game, both teams looked to set the pace. Though the score wound up in the high 70's, the Eagles were able to keep the game at their pace and make enough plays down the stretch to pick up a big early season win.

The Eagles (3-1) led 59-50 on a Jaron Fairweather jumper with eight minutes to play, but the Generals hit two 3-pointers and inside basket in an 8-to-2 run over the next 100 seconds. Bowlers finished with a strong baseline move to bump the Eastern led back to five points with a little less than six minutes to play. The Generals cut the lead to three on two more occasions and each time the Eagles got an answer from William Blet to bump the lead back to five points. On the first, the 6'8 junior hit a 12-foot turnaround late in the shot clock. On the second one, he finished an easy look inside on a great extra pass from Clifton Adams. Blet finished the game with eight points, five rebounds, and two blocks.

The Washington and Lee answer this time came from distance. A William Brueggeman 3-pointer closed the gap to 67-65 with four minutes to play. The Generals made 7-of-13 from behind the arc in the second half and 12-of-29 overall.  Brueggeman was 6-of-10 and finished with 22 points.

Out of a timeout, Adams made a pair of free throws. After the Generals split a pair at the line, Adams slipped through the W & L defense for a lay-up to build the Eastern lead back to five points with 2:46 on the clock. After the Generals scored a put-back basket at one end, Bowlers battled for a Sam Gallardo miss and stuck it back to build another five-point edge. Bowlers then came up with a steal and Adams made it to the rim for his final basket of the game and a seven point lead with 102 secnds left. That lead, however, was not safe. Brueggeman hit a deep 3-pointer and then earned a steal and a lay-up on the press to close the lead back to two points with 1:23 on the clock.

Draig Ruff made a pair of free throws, but Brueggeman hit another 3-pointer from deep to close the gap to 77-76 with a minute to play. The Eagles worked an extended possession but could not cap it with a basket.

The Generals called timeout and looked to space the floor. Bowlers read the play perfectly and came up with his second steal of the half to earn possession back. Ruff split a pair, but the game was still in question with nearly eight seconds on the clock. An illegal screen gave the Eagles the ball back and Adams made a free throw with a second on the clock for the final margin.

Ruff and Adams joined Bowlers in double-figures for the Eagles. Ruff had six rebounds and three assists to go with his 13 points. Adams scored 12 points on 4-of-5 from the floor. The Eagles made only 4-of-11 3-pointers but were 28-of-47 inside the arc. Bowlers was 12-of-16.

Bowlers had 16 first-half points as the two teams were tied at 39 at halftime.

Coach Pruessner Says:
"It's been a point of emphasis all year to focus on the next possession. After the so-so performance we had on Thursday, it was great to see these guys put that behind them and focus on their 'next possession.' We were able to get a big win against a really good program in Washington & Lee!  From top to bottom, I thought the guys executed on both sides of floor.  Mike Bowlers looked like he returned to All- Conference form with his performance.  Our backcourt had a great night as well.  Even with a couple miscues, they kept their composure and made some big plays getting to the basket and making big free throws."

Up Next:
The Eagles play the host University of Mary Washington Eagles in Fredericksburg tomorrow at 3:00 pm. Mary Washington beat Merchant Marine 65-42.