ST. DAVIDS, Pa.– Despite leading for nearly the entire game, Eastern University Men's Basketball (8-4,1-0) needed some late heroics to hold off the visiting Stevenson University Mustangs and claim a 72-70 win in the MAC Commonwealth opener for both sides. In the final 90 seconds, DaRon Sherman had an assist, a steal, a pair of clutch free throws, and a blocked shot to help the Eagles secure the win.

Up two with eleven minutes to play, the Eagles seemed to break the game open with a 9-to-2 run fueled by bench scoring and defensive stops. Even though the Eagles made only 2-of-9 shots in the burst,  AJ WIlliams scored six points and Brian Jackson split a pair from the line to put the home team up 65-56. Eastern had four shots to stretch that lead to double-figures in the next ninety seconds, but the Mustangs held their ground and started their comeback on a floater from Joey Lutz, that counted after a bang-bang block/ charge decision against Nick Mate. Lutz missed the free throw, but the Mustangs found a little momentum.

Arkese Claiborne split a pair at the line before Stevenson guard Ronald Ayers hit a tough 3-pointer. Olise Onyeka tipped home a Zubair Lee miss to briefly restore a seven point edge, but the Mustangs scored in transition to spark a nine-point run. They took the lead on Ayers' third 3-pointer of the game. His two long-range efforts in the burst were the only made 3-pointers of the second half by either team. Both teams made four 3-pointers in the first half.

In the possession after the Ayers basket, Sherman took the baseline and found Onyeka for a short shot and a 70-69 lead. The Eagles earned a stop at the other end, but the Eagles could not stretch the lead late in the clock and the visitors had a chance to play for the win with no shot clock. Stevenson attacked late and Sherman came away with the ball. He made both foul shots at the other end.

When the Eagles elected to foul rather than give up a 3-pointer, the strategy nearly backfired when Ayers missed the second half of the one-and-one and the Mustangs tapped the ball out to the top of the key. Sherman blocked away what would have been a game-winner just before the buzzer went.

Onyeka finished with 17 points and Zubair Lee had 15 points and 10 rebounds. Claiborne had 12 points and eight rebounds, and Sherman finished with six points, eight rebounds, three steals, and four assists. The Eagles made only 7-of-32 from the floor (21.9 percent) and were 0-for-4 from behind the arc in the second half.

Mason Jones and Lutz led four Mustangs in double-figures with 15 points. Stevenson shot 44 percent for the game but made only 6-of-12 free throws.

The Mustangs (6-6, 0-1) scored the first six points of the game before Sherman banked in a 12-footer to start an 11-to-0 Eastern run. The Mustangs tied the score at 11 and at 18 and briefly led 31-30 and 33-32, but the Eagles closed out the Eagles outscored Stevenson 16-to-8 over the final four minutes to lead 8-41 at the intermission. Eastern made 20-of-35 from the floor in the half. Josh Harris and Davin Hernandez each scored five points off the bench in the opening frame.

"We got good contributions from our bench tonight." Head Coach Dan Pruessner said after the game. "Davin, AJ, Josh, and Connor Fleet all gave us good minutes and energy. Winning in the league is not something we take for granted. Every game is a battle. We know there are things we need to do to get better, but it is good to start out 1-0."

Since losing three times to the Mustangs in 2021, the Eagles have won seven straight in the series with only one of those wins being by more than ten points.

Eastern is at York College on Saturday. The Spartans (8-4, 1-0), who return most of their squad from last year, opened their league slate with a decisive 80-58 win at Alvernia (8-4, 0-1).