After Corey Copeland and Bryan Nadelhoffer scored consecutive baskets to open a 4-0 Eastern lead, the Cavaliers hit from inside and out on a 10-0 run sparked by five points from Jeff Dailey. The Eagles used foul shots from Chris McMonagle and Lenny DiMaria to cut the deficit to 11-9, but the visitors then gradually built their lead on the strength of solid foul shooting and three pointers from Dailey and Colin Fitzgerald. The Cavaliers shot 18-22 from the foul line in the opening frame and built their advantage to 41-25 with just over four minutes left.
Down sixteen, Ben Easley powered home a three point play to spark a 15-3 run to close the half. DiMaria hit three field goals and two free throws in the run and found fellow sophomore Joe Manzo open in the corner for a deep three to close the half down 44-40.
Cabrini, who struggled handling the ball late in the half, was led by Dailey’s 13 at the break. Senior Anthony Bennett scored seven and picked up ten first half rebounds. DiMaria led the Eagles with eleven first half points and Easley picked up nine in just under eight minutes of play.
Eastern Coach Matt Nadelhoffer said of the first half, “Down sixteen, I told the guys, we just have to get this under ten by half. When we cut it to ten I told the guys if we could cut it to six we would be in great shape. When Joe hit that bomb from the corner to cut it to four I was almost in disbelief. We gave them way too many points with silly fouls in the first half, but we were able to use defensive aggressiveness to get back in the game and that carried us into the second half. Ben was huge for us today.”
Second half action began with the Cavs pushing their advantage back to 6 before Corey Copeland twice found Bobby Black for short shots in transition. Cabrini answered right back with buckets from Jim Good and Fitzgerald before DiMaria sparked a 10-2 Eagle run with four field goals in two minutes. The Cavaliers countered with a 7-0 run of their own to reclaim a 61-56 advantage before Easley again returned to the lineup to ignite a 13-4 Eastern run with seven points in a minute and a half.
Over the final eight minutes of the game, the fresher Eastern players executed and hit their free throws to outscored their opposites 27-14 to move to 9-4 overall and 4-2 in the league. Cabrini falls to 6-7 and 3-4 in the PAC.
DiMaria picked up a game high 28 points, and Easley, who transferred in at semester, picked up 16 points on just nine shots in 13 minutes. Randy Reid led five Cavaliers in double figures with 18, and Bennett chipped in with 15 points and a game high 11 rebounds. Eastern returns to action 8:00 pm Monday night at Arcadia.