HAVERFORD, Pa.– Eastern University Men's Basketball trailed the host Haverford College Fords 28-18 with four minutes to play in the first half. The Eagles (2-2) scored 27 of the next 31 points and went on to claim a 62-47 win. Jaron Fairweather and William Blet each scored 14 to lead the Eagles. 

The Fords (2-2) came into tonight's game averaging nearly a full point per possession with three players shooting right at 50 percent from deep, and the Eastern coaching staff knew that the Eagles would have to pressure the ball, control the defensive glass, and contest shots from the arc. 

While that plan was working through the first half, the Eastern offense was struggling to get on track. Sam Gallardo hit back-to-back 3-pointers early, but the Fords built a 17-10 lead with eight minutes left to play in the half. The Eagles cut that lead to three on inside baskets from Fairweather and David Bradley, but the Haverford lead swelled to 28-18 on a pair of 3-pointers from Charlie Mamlin on either side of a Kaeshawn Ward lay-up. Ward picked up the easy basket after a block at the other end by Fairweather created the transition chance.

Though the Eagles scored the final eight points of the half, the period ended on back-to-back empty possessions that included Blet picking up his first foul on an offensive foul. BLet had eight points, five rebounds, two assists, and a block in the first half. 

The Eastern run continued to start the second half. Draig Cooley finished a dish from Gallardo after Haverford missed a contested 3-pointer on its opening possession. Fairweather put hte Eagles up on a put-back basket with 18 minutes left. The Eastern run reached 16 before the Fords scored on a turn-around jumper from Harry Johnson over four and a half minutes into the second half. Ward answered that basket with a lay-up and a strip-and-score basket. 

The Eastern lead reached 13 when Terron Bacon flipped in a contested lay-up out of a time-out just after the midpoint of the second half. 

The hosts put together a quick 8-to-0 run and had the Eagles pushed outside late in the shot clock, but Bacon found Fairweather and the junior forward hit a tough 18-foot jumper to put the Eagles up seven with seven minutes left. The Eagles built the lead back to 11 and closed out the game. 

"We got after it on the defensive end," Head Coach Dan Pruessner said after the game. "I think we know we need to be more consistent at the offensive end, but I was really pleased with our intensity on defense today."

Eastern's defense limited the Fords to four second-chance points, forced 24 turnovers, and allowed only 5-of-21 shooting from behind the arc. Though they did not make a second-half 3-pointer and were 2-of-14 from behind the arc for the game, the Eagles shot 16-of-30 from the floor after intermission. Haverford went 7-of-23.

Eastern will be at Cabrini on Thursday night. As a reminder to fans hoping to attend the Eagle Road rivalry game, Cabrini requires spectators to wear face-coverings during all indoor athletic events.