ST. DAVIDS, Pa.– Eastern University Men's Basketball used stifling defensive pressure to claim a wire-to-wire 75-67 win over the visiting University of Scranton Royals. The Eagles (5-2) led 24-7 nearly 12 minutes into the game and stretched that lead to 20 points early in the second half on the way to their fourth-consecutive victory. William Blet led the way with 16 points and 12 rebounds, and Kaeshawn Ward had 14 points and a game-high six steals. 

Sam Gallardo missed the opening shot of the game, but the junior guard connected from distance for a 3-0 lead after Blet claimed the offensive rebound and fired a perfect pass. Draig Cooley scored inside and Blet hit a pair from the line before the visitors finally scored. Blet scored in close to make it 9-2, and Ward delivered a strip-and-score basket for an 11-2 edge and to force a Scranton timeout.

The Eastern lead grew to 19 late in the first half as Joshua Grant, Terron Bacon, and Gallardo each made a pair of 3-pointers in the first half. Bacon finished with nine points, and Grant had eight as the Eagles got 24 points off the bench in the win. Scranton finished the half on a 8-to-0 run.

The Eagles started the second half on a 10-to-4 run and kept the Royals at a distance for most of the second half, but an 8-to-0 run cut the Eastern lead to seven before Gallardo finished at the rim after a great move on the perimeter to restore order. Gallardo finished with 14 points and a game-high five assists.  

The Royals (3-3) entered play with three players, led by guard Jackson Danzig, averaging in double-figures. Danzig averaged 20 points an outing while shooting over 60 percent from the floor. The senior standout scored his first basket five minutes into the game and finished with only seven points on seven shots. 

"Jaron [Fairweather] did a great job on him tonight," Head Coach Dan Pruessner said after the game. "They run a lot of stuff through him, and Jaron kept him out of his spots and did not give him open looks. A lot of our steals come off that ball pressure."

The Eagles finished the night with 13 steals and forced the Royals into 20 turnovers. Eastern scored 24 points off turnovers and limited the Royals to 11 second-chance points. Tonight's win is the fourth time this season that the Eagles have won a game without trailing. 

Eastern is back in action on Saturday against MAC Commonwealth rival Messiah.