MIDDLETOWN, Pa. — Eastern University Men's Basketball shot 53 percent from the floor and won the rebounding battle on the way to an 88-64 season-opening win over St. Joseph's Brooklyn on the opening night of the Penn State Harrisburg Tip-Off Classic.
Dejuan Taylor finished with a game-high 20 points on 8-of-13 shooting.
While the Eagles (1-0) built their game plan around Taylor inside, the ball moved and eight different Eagles scored on the way to a 38-25 halftime lead. A 13-to-0 run over a three-and-a-half minute stretch put the Eagles up 26-12.
Mason Lewis and
Bryson Spruell each scored five points in the burst. Taylor had seven points at halftime and five other players had five points.
Though the Eagles were only 5-of-17 from deep, they grabbed six offensive rebounds and scored eight second-chance points.
After half, the Eagles found success in the paint and made their way to the foul line. The lead grew to 28 before the Bears scored the final four points. Lewis, Spruell,
Kai Gatson, and
Connor Fleet all scored in double-figures. The Eagles made 13-of-19 shots inside the paint and never saw the lead dip into single figures.
Eastern will play Penn State Harrisburg for the Tournament title tomorrow. Harrisburg beat Immaculata, 78-61 in the first game.
