ST. DAVIDS, Pa.– Eastern University Men's Basketball went into tonight's return leg of the home-and-home MAC Commonwealth set against the Messiah University Falcons knowing they had to be better from the 3-point line than they were in Thursday's setback in Grantham. The Eagles improved on their performance, but shots from deep again proved to be the difference as the visiting Falcons hit 12-of-25 from behind the arc to escape with a 68-62 win. Kaeshawn Ward led the Eagles with 16 points and five steals.

The two teams were on the seesaw through a first half. The Eagles had a pair of four-point leads and the Falcons held a 30-25 lead after Matt Glogowski connected on his fourth 3-pointer of the game with a little less than six minutes left in the half.

The Eagles responded with a 5-to-0 run to tie the game at 30. Sam Gallardo had a free throw and a 3-pointer in the run. A Will Young IV 3-pointer gave the Falcons the lead that they would never relinquish.

While the Falcons were 7-of-15 from deep, the guests had a more difficult time inside. They converted just 7-of-20 inside the arc. Glogowski had 18 to lead all scorers at the break. Gallardo had 11 of his 15 points in the first half.

Through the second, Eastern stayed within striking distance, but it seemed every time they needed a big shot, a 3-pointer rolled around the rim and out. Down 48-42, the Eagles had three shots for the lead, the Eagles ran offense for three good shots, the first two rimmed out and the third was blocked. The Falcons converted with a deep corner 3-pointer from Michael Healy after a loose-ball scramble to go up nine points.

While the Falcons built the lead to as many as 12, the Eastern defense was able to get stops and steals to close the gap.  William Blet had a pair of blocks and grabbed a game-high 14 rebounds to help the Eagles to end possessions. Even so, the Eagles trailed 67-55 with three and a half minutes to play.

After a couple inside baskets, Blet hit a 3-pointer with a minute left to pull the Eagles to within five. Blet then forced a turnover on the sideline to give Eastern a chance to close the game to a one-possession game. The Messiah defense protected the inside and the Eagles were unable to convert. Glogowski made a final free throw to close out the scoring.

Blet finished with 13 points, and Jaron Fairweather added nine. The Falcons had eight players score, but Glogowski and Young scored 42 of the team's 68 points. Both Messiah senior post players made four 3-pointers in the game. Glogowski add 12 rebounds.

The Eagles honored senior manager Nicky Marrollo before the game.