The Runnin Royals thought they led by a score of 48-45. The scoreboard showed 46-46. After a lengthy break in the action, the officials said the score was 46-45 in favor of EMU. Instead of getting hung up on what they felt was a bucket the officials missed, the Royals declared the issue a moot point by erupting on an 18-8 streak, grabbing a 64-53 lead enroute to a 97-89 victory.

For Eastern Mennonite, it was a good way to handle a heated issue, by taking it out on the floor. During the discussion on the game, the officials corrected an Averett three pointer to be a two pointer. But they also took two points away from what the Runnin Royals thought they had.

EMU responded by breaking open a back-and-forth game and leading over the final 16 minutes to get the win.

Averett scored the first six points of the game, which opened the Don Glick Classic at Bridgewater College. But <strong>Todd Phillips</strong> (Waynesboro, Va./Waynesboro) used a three-point play to cap an 8-0 run putting EMU ahead 10-9.

The teams went back and forth in the first half, with the Cougars again holding a five-point edge and the Runnin Royals leading by as many as four.

At halftime, EMU was ahead 38-36. The men shot just 41% in the first 20 minutes, were outrebounded 27-17, and were just 7-for-21 from the free throw line.

But the second-half spurt gave Eastern Mennonite the lead for good, as they lead by 11 points three different times.

The Cougars got within 83-79 with 3:14 to play in the high-scoring second half, but back-to-back three pointers from <strong>Andrew Thorne</strong> (Front Royal, Va./Skyline) and <strong>D.J. Hinson</strong> (Newport News, Va./Menchville) pushed the lead back up to 10 points with 2:11 remaining.

Averett couldn't get closer than six down the stretch as EMU claimed the win.

The Runnin Royals made the difference in the game by hitting 7 of 15 three pointers and 20 of 28 free throws in the second half. EMU finished at 41% from long range in the game, and went 27-for-49 from the stripe. The 49 free throw attempts tied a school record set against Emory & Henry on Jan. 26, 2008.

The game featured 35 fouls for Averett and 27 for EMU. Three players fouled out and seven others finished with four fouls in a game which got increasingly heated in the late minutes.

Phillips led the way with 23 points on 8-for-14 shooting. Hinson found his shooting touch and finished with 19. Both totals were season highs.

<strong>Eli Crawford</strong> (Staunton, Va./R.E. Lee) had 13 points and six assists, all in the second half. He finished 11-15 from the free throw line.

<strong>George Johnson</strong> (Richmond, Va./Miller School) had 16 points and three steals. He also missed his first free throw of the season during the game, after making his first 24 attempts. Johnson is now 29-30 for the year.

<strong>Orie Pancione</strong> (Augusta, WV/Hampshire) had a game high 10 rebounds, including five on the offensive end.

The men forced 21 turnovers while only committing nine of their own.

Averett's Kenny Hart (Suffolk, Va./Nansemond River) led all scorers with 35 points.

Eastern Mennonite ups its record to 7-1 with the win. The Cougars slip to 1-7. The Runnin Royals play again Sunday at 2:00pm against Bluefield to wrap up their play at the Don Glick Classic.