GETTYSBURG, Pa.– Eastern University Men's Basketball overcame a slow start to earn an 83-70 win over Wilson College in the opening round of the Gettysburg College Tip-off Classic. The Eagles (2-0) used a 55-27 run through the middle of the game to pull away to a 22-point lead with 12 minutes to play. Thirteen different Eastern players scored in the win.
Down 17-9 with 12 minutes to play in the first half, the Eagles got a three-point play from
Kevin Reeves and a 3-pointer from Olise Oyeka to close the gap to a single basket. The Phoenix scored an inside basket before Reeves scored a pair of baskets in a 6-to-0 run to give the Eagles their first lead of the contest at 21-19.
Nick Mate scored his first collegiate basket in the middle of that burst.
The Phoenix (0-1) scored two hoops in a row for a brief lead before Reeves put the Eagles up for good with a three-point play. The Eagles led 42-35 at half. Eastern shot 45.7 % from the floor and made 4-of-8 from 3-point range in the first half. Reeves had 10 of his 12 points in the first half.
The Eagles scored the first 11 points of the second half to grab control of the game. After going without a turnover for the opening five minutes of the second half, the Eagles had 13 down the stretch. The Eagles shot 55 percent from the floor and held a 17-to-14 edge in rebounds.
Reeves led the Eagles with 12 points on only eight shots.
Sam Gallardo scored 11 points and
Olutobi Akinbayo added 10 points.
"We found a way to get through some tough minutes and get the result," Head Coach
Dan Pruessner said after the contest. "But we know that we will need to play with better discipline and efficiency to get where we want to go this year."
The Eagles will play Wilkes University in the Championship match tomorrow.
