ST. DAVIDS, Pa. — It was not easy. Eastern University Men's Basketball (7-12, 4-5) picked up a huge 85-83 overtime win to claim the home side of the battle of the Blue Route over the visiting Widener University Pride to keep post-season hopes alive. Olise Onyeka finished with 23 points, 15 rebounds, five blocked shots, four assists, and two steals to lead the Eagles in a game that featured 18 lead changes.

Onyeka put the Eagles up 73-72 on a put-back basket with 1:18 left in regulation. The Eagles then endured a lengthy defensive set that included a Widener gaining possession on a held ball on the rebound of a desperation shot at the end of the shot clock. The Pride ultimately earned a pair of shots from the line for a chance to take the lead with 34 seconds left. With the home crowd as loud as it has been all year, both shots rimmed out.

DaRon Sherman hit the front end of a one-and-one, but his second shot rimmed out and the Eagles had to defend with a two-point lead. Widener guard Jay-Nelly Reyes made a pair of free throws to tie the game with 10 seconds left and the Eagles missed on a chance for a game-winner.

The two teams went to overtime when they met in mid-January as well. The Pride emerged with a 79-77 win in that game.

Overtime did not start well for the Eagles this time either. The Pride won the tip and scored the first two baskets. After Sherman agin split a pair on a one-and-on, the Eagles earned two more stops before Onyeka tied the game at 78 with his third 3-pointer of the game with just under two minutes to play.

On the ensuing Widener possession, Onyeka helped off his man to block a shot from Widener guard Miles Bright, and the Eagles went up one on another Sherman free throw. Bright, who scored 39 against Hood on Saturday, had an answer with a slick drive and finish to give the guests an 80-79 lead with a minute to play.

Against excellent defense Connor Fleet Muscled in a short floater to put the Eagles up. With Onyeka providing a hard contest, Bright missed a lay-up at the other end. After Onyeka gathered his 15th rebound of the day, Fleet hit two from the line. Sherman then hit two more for an 85-80 lead with seven seconds on the clock. Bright hit a 3-pointer with four tenths left to close the gap to two.

"Our guys had to play really hard." Head Coach Dan Pruessner said after the game. " In the first half, we did not get any scoring from guards, but Dejuan on O were able to establish inside and keep the game close. Mason was amazing tonight. He spent a lot of time on Bright. He only scored two points, but 11 big rebounds, four blocked shots, and just always being around the ball."

At halftime, Onyeka had 16 and Taylor had 13, Bright had not scored, and the two teams were tied at 33. The Eagles led 8-2 early and were up 10-5 with 14 minutes left before a five minute drought had them down 17-10. The pendulum swung the other way as the Eagles posted their own 12-0 run the ultimately turned into a 19-to-3 Eastern run.

That nine-point edge, however, did not last. A 13-to-2 Widener run put the guests up 33-31 before Onyeka finished a put-back to tie the score.  He finished the game with six offensive rebounds and helped the Eagles to a 52-32 edge on the glass.

While the first half featured big swings, the second half was toe-to-toe the entire way. Neither team had a four-point lead until Widener went up 66-62 with six minutes to play. Nick Mate answered immediately with a deep 3-pointer to close the gap to single possession.

Reyes answered with a lay-up over an outstretched Onyeka before Fleet tied the game with another deep 3-pointer. Mate then made a 30-footer for the lead. With Widener working hard to take away the inside game. the Eagles got 12 points from Fleet and 11 from Sherman in as the Eagles hit six 3-pointers in the second half.

"Nick hitting those two from deep really opened the game in the second half," Pruessner continued. "We are definitely at our best when we get our inside guys going, but we need to be able to space the floor to make that happen."

Both teams shot 50 percent from the floor in the second half, and it seemed every big shot had a big answer.

For Onyeka, the 23 points is a season high and one point shy of his 24 points at Hood last year. He has 12 double-doubles this year. Sherman finished with fifteen points and eight rebounds and Fleet had 18 points. Taylor matched his season high with 19. Kori Segich and Bright each had 17 to lead Widener.

The win put the Eagles within a game of Alvernia in the MAC Standings and means that Widener will not have a head-to-head tiebreaker if the two teams would be tied for a play-off spot. Alvernia picked up a win at York tonight.

The Eagles host Stevenson at 3:00 pm on Saturday.