ST. DAVIDS, Pa.– Darius Washington drained what turn-out to be a game-winning 3-pointer with seven seconds left, and Eastern University Men's Basketball held on for an 89-88 home win over the visiting Manhattanville College Valiants. The win, Eastern's seventh in the last eight games, secures a spot in the MAC Freedom Tournament for the third year in a row. Washington led the Eagles with 22 points and fellow senior Marquise Peel finished with a career-best 21 to pace the Eagles.

How It Happened:
The Valiants trailed 83-79 with three minutes to play, but a three-point play from Jake Dunn in transition, a lay-up from JoJo Cobbs and a 3-pointer from Mike Granda put the Valiants up 87-85 with 40 seconds to play. Granda, a sophomore guard hit 8-of-13 3-pointers and finished with a career-best 29 points. After Michael Bowlers split a pair from the line, the Eagles needed to foul to get the ball back.

Cobbs made the first and missed the second to set up the game-wining shot for Washington. Draig Ruff pulled down the rebound and pushed the ball up the floor. He ran past Washington and pitched the ball back. Washington took a sideways dribble to get a little space before letting go from 25 feet. It is Washington's 150th made 3-pointer as an Eagle.

The Valiants took a timeout to set up a play, but a contested jumper from Cobbs bounced off the rim as time expired.

The Game started with both teams hitting shots. The Eagles went inside and the Valiants went from outside. Eastern led 18-16 five minutes into the game. The Valiants had four 3-pointers in the opening burst. While all the Eastern points were either in the paint or from the line. Though the scoring slowed a little, that trend continued for the first half. While Manhattanville led 43-42 at the break. Eastern had 34 points in the paint and shot 54 percent from the floor. Bowlers had 14 points and Peel had 10.

Granda was 4-of-5 from distance in the first half and Sean Smith was 3-of-3. Smith led all scorers with 17 at halftime and Granda had 12.

The Valiants led 52-46 early in the second half before the Eagles turned the script with a 12-to-3 run. Ruff had a three-point play and Austin Duncan hit a 3-pointer on a good pass out of the post by Bowlers.

The Eagles grabbed their biggest lead at 72-64 midway through the half on Washington's second 3-pointer of the game, but the Valiants stayed in the game and took a 77-76 lead on a drive from Cobbs. Washington answered with his third 3-pointer off a pass from Peel before Peel hit a 14-foot jumper late in the shot clock for a four point edge. The teams traded points to set up the deciding run of the game.

Eastern shot 68 percent from the floor in the second half. Washington was 3-of-4 from behind the arc.

For the game, Smith and Granda led all scorers with 29. Cobbs was the only other Valiant in double-figures with 15.

Bowlers had 17 points, six rebounds, and five assists as he saw a variety of double-teams in the second half. Ruff finished with 12 points, four rebounds, two assists, and two steals.

Up Next:
With the DeSales win over Misericordia this afternoon, the four teams in the MAC Freedom Tournament are now known. DeSales has a one-game lead on Eastern with two games to play, but the Eagles won the first match-up of the season. Del Val and Wilkes are tied in third a game behind Eastern. Eastern hosts DeSales and Del Val hosts Wilkes on Tuesday. DeSales and DelVal play on the final Saturday of the season, while Eastern will be at Misericordia and Wilkes will play at FDU.

As one local professional put it. "Next week will decide where the Championship is played, and the following week will decide who wins it." Tuesday's men's game is scheduled for an 8 pm start.