SALISBURY, Md.— In yet another tough road test, Eastern University Men's Basketball led in the second half at Salisbury University, but the host Gulls (3-5) used a 12-to-4 run around the midpoint of the second half to pull ahead, and the Eagles were never able to close the gap in a 71-63 loss.
Olise Onyeka led the Eagles with 17 points and 11 rebounds,
While the Eagles were in the game throughout, their inability to convert from behind the arc or from the free throw line kept them from finding a rally. Connor Fllet hit a pair of 3-pointers early in the second half, but that was it from distance for the Eagles. They hit just 2-for-22 for the game. While the final free throw numbers look just mediocre, the 17-for-27 final total looks a lot better with the Eagles making their final five shots from the line.
The Eagles (2-5) trailed 44-39 with just under 13 minutes left before
Nick Mate made two-of-three foul shots to spark a 9-to-0 run The Gulls drew level on a 3-pointer and an a single free throw before the Eagles grabbed their final lead of the game on a
Mason Lewis lay-up with seven minutes to play.
After the Gulls drew level, Onyeka missed the front end of a one-and-one, and the hosts capitalized with an inside basket. After Salisbury went up 54-50 on another inside basket, the Eagles tied the game with two scores from
Mason Lewis.
The final five minutes, however, belonged to the hosts. Salisbury made 3-of-5 from the floor and 11-of-15 from the line to outscore the Eagles 17-9 over the stretch. The Eagles made just 2-of-7 from the floor and had three turnovers while chasing the game.
Eastern made just 22-of-61 from the floor in the contest. The Eagles converted 11 offensive rebounds into 11 second-chance points, but the host Gulls had a 17-14 edge in points off turnovers.
Fleet finished with 14 points and
Dejuan Taylor had 10.
The Eagles are slated to play Penn State Scranton on Saturday, but with Eastern hosting a noon NCAA Football game, that game -time is currently unknown.
The Eagles and Gulls will meet again in the opening round of the Randolph-Macon Tournament just before New Year's.
