YORK, Pa.– Four months after being picked last in the MAC Commonwealth Pre-Season Poll, Eastern University Men's Basketball secured the MAC Commonwealth Regular-Season title with an 84-75 win at York College. Jaron Fairweather led five Eagles in double figures with 24 points, and William Blet became the 34th player in program history to reach the 1000-point plateau.

Fairweather took over the game late in the first half. The Eagles led 19-15 with 11 minutes to play. The junior defensive specialist scored 18 points and was a perfect 8-for-8 from the floor to help the Eagles to a 48-30 lead at the break. Eastern shot 61 percent from the floor and had just three turnovers before the intermission.

The Eastern lead grew to 21 on a Fairweather 3-pointer two minutes into the second half, but as the Spartans found their shooting range, the Eagles were unable to stretch the advantage.

Blet got involved on offense in the early part of the second half. The fifth-year post player came into the game needing 11 points to reach the 1000 point mark. He sat much of the first half with foul trouble and had just three points at the break. He scored on the first two possessions of the second half, the second came on a dunk after a good feed from Sam Gallardo. With seven points in the book, the pressure seemed to lift. He hit a 3-pointer, his third of the year and ninth of his career to get within a point of the milestone.

When his 15-foot elbow-jumper splashed through the net with 12 minutes to play, the entire Eastern bench exploded. The Eastern lead was 19.

Blet now has 1001 career points to go with 614 rebounds, and 139 blocks in 94 games. 

York, the preseason favorites, ground into the lead, but the Eagles found answers. Josh Grant and Davin Hernandez each hit important baskets to restore 15-point leads, but the tension was made real when York used an 8-to-0 run to pull within seven with six minutes to play.

The Eastern defense dug in and slowed the Spartans enough. Grant made a pair of free throws after a Fairweather block sprung a transition chance. The Spartans cut the Eastern lead to eight four times in the final three minutes, but Fairweather and Sam Gallardo made free throws down the stretch to secure the win. Fairweather finished 10-of-11 from the floor with three 3-pointers. He grabbed three rebound and had a pair of  blocked shots. Blet finished with 12 points, four rebounds, and a block, Draig Cooley had ten points, five rebounds, and four assists, and Kaeshawn Ward finished with 12 points, four assists and no turnovers.

Gallardo has averaged over 15 points per game in his nine games since the calendar changed. He scored 16 tonight and had three steals, He is leading the MAC Commonwealth in 3-point field goal percentage.

"Defensively we executed the game plan great," Head Coach Dan Pruessner said after the game. "I couldn't be more proud of how our guys locked in this week at practice. We had some points of emphasis both offensively and defensively. We hit those points really well. Jaron was phenomenal. He spent a lot of time on their best player at the one end and still went 10-of-11 at the other."

"Sam got us going at the beginning of the game," he continued. "Kae was great in ball screens all night. My assistant coaches did a great job finding and teaching a lot of these adjustments during the week. They have been unbelievable all year. I think each player would agree that we have an amazing group of assistants. They need to get a lot of credit for our success this year.

The Eagles (19-4, 14-2) needed the win to secure the top seed as the Hood College Blazers completed their regular season with an 87-78 win at Alvernia. Eastern is the top seed based on head-to-head results. The Eagles handed the Blazers their only two league losses this year.


The 19 wins are the most by an Eastern Men's Basketball team since the University joined the NCAA. Eastern went 20-13 in the program's final season as an NAIA school. The 1987-88 team that is in Eastern's Hall of Honor went 30-6.

Eastern is ranked second in the region. The Eagles will host the winner of Monday's game between York and Lebanon Valley on Wednesday at 7:30. Hood will be the second seed and host Albright. Alvernia is the third seed and will host Widener, and Messiah hosts Stevenson in the four-five game.