ST. DAVIDS, Pa.—In the team's home opener, Eastern University Men's Basketball (2-1) made enough plays to hold off a hungry Dickinson Devil and emerge with a 84-78 win.
Olise Onyeka led four Eastern players in double figures with 18, but fellow senior
Nick Mate was a difference-maker with five 3-pointers for 15 points off the bench.
"We are a better team when Nick is aggressive and looking for his shot," Head Coach
Dan Pruessner said after the game. "His ability to space the floor creates opportunities for our post players and our other guards."
The Devils (0-3) came into the game with losses to Mount Union and Montclair State, but in both those losses they played without senior guard Isaiah Edmond. Edmond averaged nearly 12 points per game last year and was in the starting line-up tonight.
"Five being in the game made their guys a lot better." Pruessner added. "Early in the year, you don't have a lot of film, so you go on what you have. He gave them a guy who could get into the middle of our defense and cause problems." Edmond finished with 15 points and four assists.
Dickinson led 9-8 when Mate hit his first shot of the day. The Miami native made two more long-range efforts int he next three minutes to put the Eagles up 20-14, and then Onyeka scored back-to-back baskets for a double-digit lead.
After a Dickinson 3-pointer, the Eagles got basket from
Josh Harris, Anthony williams, and
DaRon Sherman to build a 13-point lead.
Though the Eagles never trailed, the lead was more often than not a single-digit advantage. With a 10-to-2 run, the Devils cut the eastern lead to 34-32 before Mate hit his fourth 3-pointer of the half to stop the run with two minutes on the clock.
Connor Fleet scored twice int he last two minutes of the half for a 41-34 advantage. TheEagles shot 48.5 percent from the floor and held a slight rebounding edge. Mate led all scorers with 12 points and Cole Cosby had 11 at the break for the visitors.
Fueled in part by their success at the foul line, Dickinson cut the Eastern lead to a single point with 13 minutes left. The Devils made their first 23 foul shots
Eastern again had an answer. Fleet and Onyeka each scored four points in a 10-to-2 run over a two minute stretch to put Eastern up 61-52. The Eagles then answered a five-point Dickinson burst with a 10-point response. Fleet and Mate each hit from deep and Onyeka and
Dejuan Taylor each scored from inside.
The Devils did not quit and cut the Eastern lead to four on a 3-pointer with 32 seconds left. Onyeka split two sets of free throws to secure the final margin. The Eagles were a solid 24-of-31 (77.4 %) from the foul line for the game.
"We looked a little young late," Pruessner added. "We will work through our end-game situations to make sure we are better closing things out, but it was a good win. To get two guys off the bench in double-figures (Mate and Taylor) is big for us."
Fleet had 17 points and Sherman and Williams each had eight. Dickinson's freshman guard Jacob Pichay finished with a game-high 21.
Eastern will play at Rider on Saturday at 7:00 pm before returning to Division III competition with a game at Gwynedd Mercy on Wednesday.
On a scheduling note, Eastern's Nov. 22 home game against Johns Hopkins is currently scheduled for 2:00 pm. Should Eastern Football be at home for an NCAA Game that day, that time will be shfted. Eastern Football has qualified for the NCAA Tournament and has put in to host. That Schedule will be announced this Sunday.
