CHESTER, Pa.— In the team's first road test in the league, Eastern University Men's Basketball came up just short in 79-77 overtime loss at Widener. The host Pride scored the final four points of regulation and the first six points of overtime to secure the win the first installment of the Battle of the Blue Route.
Olise Onyeka had 23 points and 14 rebounds for his fifth-consecutive double-double, but the Pride bench players made 7-of-12 from behind the arc to keep Widener in the game until the end.
Neither team had a double-digit edge at any point in a game that saw the lead change hands 14 times.
Early in the game, the Eagles (4-10, 1-2) built a five-point edge by going inside. Onyeka and
Dejuan Taylor helped the Eagles to a 20-to-12 edge in the pain through the first half. Onyeka led all scorers with 13 at the half, but Widener hit five shots from deep, including three in the final two-and-a-half minutes to lead 38-35 at the intermission.
That edge from behind the arc would continue to hold, as the Pride (5-9, 2-1) made 11-of-29 overall and Eastern hit just 4-of-20. The Eagles led more than they trailed in the second half, but they were never able to stretch the edge past five.
Bryson Spruell put the Eagles up 63-61 with 7:04 to play, but the Eagles went three possessions without a point, and the Pride led 67-63 with less than five minutes left.
After
Connor Fleet made a pair of free throws,
Mason Lewis tied the game with an inside basket with under four minutes to play. The Eagles retook the lead on a three-point play from Taylor with two-and-a-half minutes left and the lead grew to four when Fleet converted and and-one chance with a minute left.
The Pride scored on their final two possessions in regulation, and Fleet's contested lay-up at the buzzer rimmed out.
After Widener built its biggest lead of the game early in overtime, Onyeka scored a pair of inside baskets. The Eagles had a chance to tie after a steal from Lewis, but the Pride answered back with a late steal to secure the win.
Taylor finished the game with 19 points and seven rebounds and Fleet had 12 points and five assists. Myles Bright led Widener with 21 points. Widener's bench scored 34 points in the game.
Eastern is at Stevenson for another critical road test in the league on Saturday. The Mustangs (9-5, 1-2) fell to Hood in Owings Mills this evening.
