ST. DAVIDS, Pa.– Eastern University Men's Basketball saw a late rally come up just short as the visiting Alvernia University Golden Wolves made six of their seven free throws in the final minute to secure a 75-71 MAC Commonwealth win. The Eagles (8-8, 1-4) stayed in the game throughout despite shooting less than 40 percent from the floor and making only 6-of-21 from behind the arc. Arkese Claiborne led the Eagles with 17 and DaRon Sherman added 14.

Though they held a 37-33 lead at halftime, the Eagles trailed 58-48 with ten minutes to play. Davin Hernandez sparked an 8-0 run with a cath-and-shoot 3-pointer from the corner and a traditional three-point play on the next possession. Though the Golden Wolves (10-6, 3-2) briefly bumped the lead back to six points, the game was played as a one possession game for most of the final four minutes.

After an Olise Onyeka dunk had the Eagles to within two with three and a half minutes to play, the Eagles got a stop with a good defensive sequence and had a couple chances to tie. Claiborne's lay-up attempt rolled out and Zubair Lee got fouled after the offensive rebound. Lee, who finished with 16 rebounds, had missed a good bit of time in the half while being treated for injury. HIs free throw attempts both rimmed out, but the Eagles put together another strong stand at the other end. Lee had two close attempts with very physical pressure rim out, and Eastern retained possession trailing 67-65 with just over two minutes to play. Sherman's lay-up attempt rimmed out, but the sophomore guard grabbed his own rebound and was fouled on the follow up. He split a pair at the line, but the Eagles had another chance to take the lead after Onyeka and Hernandez each blocked Alvernia shots.

Lee had a first chance to put the Eagles up, but his 14-footer rimmed out. After Alvernia guard Robert Cottrell missed the front end of a one-and-one, the Eagles got a second chance to go up. Sherman went hard through contact to the rim, but his shot rimmed out and the visitors gathered the rebound. Jakob Kelly pushed the Alvernia lead to 69-66 with a deliberate drive and effective finish under pressure. After Sherman's lay-up missed with 38 seconds left, the Eagles were forced to foul and chase the game. Cottrell made all six of his free throws in the final 40 seconds to secure the win. 

The Eagles came into the game averaging nearly 30 free throw attempts per game, which was second in the country, and they were shooting a reasonable 68.5 percent. In this game, they made only 13-of-21. Alvernia made 14-of-16 in the game. The Golden Wolves shoot better than 76 percent as a team.

The Eagles took the lead to halftime on the strength of a couple good offensive spurts and stellar rebounding from Lee. He had 10 points and 13 rebounds at half. The Golden wolves shot 12-of-34 from the floor and had only two live-ball offensive rebounds. Claiborne also had 10 points at the break.

Nick Mate and Davin Hernandez each scored 10 points off the bench as the Eagles put five guys in double-figures. Jacob Stout and Robert Mullan each hit 4-of-8 from deep. Stout finished with 12 and Mullan had 16. 

The fourth-straight loss has the Eagles looking up at the top half of the league with two games to play in the first round of the season. They will play at Messiah University on Saturday against a Falcons team that picked up its first league win of the year with an 87-76 home win over Widener tonight.