ST. DAVIDS, Pa. – In a match-up with the No. 8 Messiah College Falcons, Eastern University Women's Basketball trailed 46-42 with four minutes to play, but they could not close the gap further as the visitors made their free throws down the stretch and pulled away to a 56-46 win. Minika Glenn scored a game-high 19 points to pace the Eagles in the loss.

How It Happened:
Though the Eagles gave away at least a couple inches at every spot on the floor, they stood toe-to-toe with the MAC Commonwealth favorites. With both teams committed at the defensive end and willing to extend possessions, neither team had much room to work early. After Glenn tied the game at 5-5 with a three pointer, the The Eagles (2-3) grabbed a short-lived 9-7 lead on an inside basket from Kay Wulah.

The Eagles had two more two-point leads in the opening frame, but each time the Falcons were able to close the gap and the first quarter ended with the score tied 13-13.

The second quarter proved to be the difference in the game. The Eagles went only 2-for-9 from the floor and Leah Springer scored eight points inside as the Falcons converted on 7-of-14 field goals to grab a 32-24 lead at halftime. The Falcons' leading scorer had 13 points, six rebounds, and three blocks in the first half.

While the Eastern offense struggled from the floor in the second, the Eagles made all six free throw attempts to stay within striking distance.

Both teams scored seven points in a defensive struggle in the third quarter.

Messiah grabbed the biggest lead of the game at 46-35 on a pair of Springer free throws with just less than seven minutes to play. After the Eagles missed a couple chances underneath, they got the ball back on a steal from Glenn and Da'Naziah Brown hit a 3-pointer from the wing to spark a 7-to-0 Eastern run. Brown finished the game with nine points, five rebounds, four steals, and a blocked shot.

Viki Kneis and Glenn capped the run with a pair of tough inside baskets. The Eagles had Messiah in scramble mode on the ensuing defensive possession, but junior guard Jayneisha Davis escaped a pair of traps and found Megan Zimmerman for a basket with two seconds on the shot clock.

After an empty possession at the other end, the Eagles were unable to secure a defensive rebound ona  pair of missed shots and the Falcons converted a pair at the foul line for a 50-42 lead with 2:36 to play.

The Messiah lead grew back to ten points before Haas converted a tough reverse lay-up from Glenn and Brown scored on another pass from Glenn to make it a two-possession game with 41 seconds to play. Messiah made all four free throws down the stretch for the final margin.

Though they shot only 18-of-61 from the floor and 3-of-19 from behind the arc, the Eagles were able to stay in the game to the end by holding the bigger Falcons to only seven second-chance points and limiting live-ball turnovers and transition. 

Springer led four Falcons in double-figures with 16 points. The senior forward added 11 rebounds and seven blocked shots. Davis was 3-for-8 from behind the arc and had 15.

Coach Houston Says:
"That was a very physical and competitive game. We are proud of the way our team competed and know that games like this will help us down the road."

Up Next:
The Eagles will have another test against a tough local opponent on Thursday. They will host Haverford College at 6:00 pm. The Fords (2-1) have not allowed a team to hit 60 points this year and actually lost a game when they held an opponent to 41.