ST. DAVIDS, Pa.– Coming into today's match-up with MAC Commonwealth co-leader Hood, Eastern Men's Basketball had started the same line-up all 11 games. Down three starters, the short-handed Eagles jumped to a big lead and held off late Blazer rally to run their winning streak to nine in a row with a83-77 win. First-year guard Davin Hernandez tallied a career-high 26 points, and Kaeshawn Ward finished one assist short of a triple-double as the Eagles (10-2, 5-0 MAC Commonwealth) moved to the top of the league table. 

Hood (7-5, 4-1)scored the first basket of the game, a 3-pointer from Chris Smalls, but the undersized Eagles answered with a 24-2 run to grab control early. Six different Eastern players scored in the 7-minute stretch. Senior guard Terron Bacon had a 3-pointer, a four-point play, and a lay-up and Hernandez scored five of his points in the run. Kevin Reeves, who finished with eight points and 11 rebounds in his first start, also had a three-point play in the burst. 

The Blazers found their feet and closed the gap to 24-13, but the Eagles kept the edge in double figures with a pair of Hernandez free throws and a 3-pointer from Reeves. As the half progressed, Hernandez emerged as the go-to guy. The Miami native was 4-of-5 from behind the arc in the final five and a half minutes of the half. He was 6-of-7 from the floor with 19 to lead all scorers at the break. He came into today's game with 17 points in ten games. 

As a team, the Eagles were 9-of-18 from behind the arc and held the Blazers to 9-of-30 shooting on the way to a 48-30 lead. Ward had only four points, but the sophomore point guard did not have a turnover and had seven rebounds and eight assists. Mason Wang led the Blazers with 12 points at the break.

"Kae and Josh [Grant] did a great job on their guards," Head Coach Dan Pruessner said after the game. 
 "That was a big key for us. We did a great job getting over screens and contesting. They [Mason and Evan Wang] made some tough shots, but we were able to play with them because we made them take tough shots. I was really pleased with the way we rebounded as a group. Kae, Kevin, and Jaron [Fairweather] all had double-figure rebounds. We won the rebounding battle despite not having our top two rebounders in the game."

The Eagles built their biggest edge of the game when a Ward 3-pointer with 17 minutes left put them up 58-35. The Blazers answered with a 13-0 run to close the gap to 10 in less than three minutes of clock time. Fairweather made a huge play to stop the run. The junior forward drew the defense and dropped a perfect pass to Alejandro Martinez for a shot at the rim. ON the next possession Fairweather found an open Hernandez to push the lead back to 15 points. 

Mason Wang made an incredible three-point play that appeared to give the Blazers some momentum, but Hernandez again had the answer. His seventh made 3-pointer tied him for fourth on the Eastern single-game list and is the most since Bobby Black hit seven against Maryland Bible in in 2006. 

Hood briefly cut the Eastern lead to nine, but the Eagles got an inside hoop from Reeves, a 3-pointer from Ward, and jumper from Martinez for a quick 7-0 run to build the lead to 14 with under six minutes left to play. 

"Our guys showed really good composure down the stretch," Pruessner added. "We looked to push when it was on, but were solid and patient if the opportunities were not there. They are used to creating some chaos with their pressure, but Kae and Josh did a really nice job protecting the ball and the lead."

Even with good composure and patience the Eagles still had their hands full with Mason and Evan Wang. 
Hood's senior guards either scored or assisted on the final 22 points for the Blazers. Mason Wang finished with 33 points, six assists, and six rebounds. His brother Evan finished with 19 points. 

Ward was 6-of-12 from the floor with three 3-pointers for 18 points. He added 10 rebounds and nine assists, two steals, and a block. He did not have a turnover. Fairweather had ten points, 11 rebounds, four assists, and a block. 

The Eagles made enough free throws down the stretch to secure the win. The 10-2 start is the best Men's Basketball start since the University joined NCAA Division III. 

Eastern is slated to travel to Albright next Wednesday.