HARRISONBURG, VA --- EMU's basketball men did enough to get the win Tuesday night at home, getting past the Virginia University of Lynchburg by a final of 76-69.  The Runnin Royals improve to 6-3 in their final home game of the first half of the season.

They head to Frederick, Md., this weekend for a tournament hosted by Hood College.  The men play at 6:00pm on Saturday, taking on Piedmont College.  Note the corrected start time, which is earlier than previously listed.  The Royals will play either Frostburg State or the host Blazers on Sunday.

It was a cold start against the Dragon, now 1-12, in Tuesday night's win.  David Falk (Madison, Va./Madison County) hit a single free throw 38 seconds in but then neither team scored until the 15:51 mark.  VUL had their biggest lead at five points, and the Royals returned fire and grabbed a seven-point lead.

Two more free throws from Falk eventually got Eastern Mennonite to their biggest lead of the night at 34-24 with 1:14 left in the half.  But the Dragon scored the final six points of the half to get within 34-30 at the break.

After VUL locked up the score at 34-34 early in the second, the Royals rattled off a 14-4 run to go back up by 10 points at 48-38.  But EMU couldn't build any momentum and watched as their visitors again came back and tied the score at 59-59.

The men finally got a handful of defensive stands to trigger a 9-0 run, vaulting them back in front at 72-65 with 2:47 to go.  The Dragon got within three points, before Falk landed the knockout blow on a massive alley-oop dunk from James Williams (Capitol Heights, Md./Archbishop Carroll) with 36 seconds left.  Williams added a pair of free throws for the final 76-69 margin.

EMU set a new season high by shooting 54.7% from the floor.  They also had a season high 22 turnovers with a -12 turnover margin.  VUL shot just 37.8%, but had 16 offensive boards, as the turnovers and second chance points helped them stay in the game.

Falk was good for his fifth straight double double with 18 points, 15 rebounds and four blocks. Ryan Yates (Alexandria, Va./T.C. Williams) also hit for a double double, totaling 18 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and three steals.

Williams had one of his best games of the season with 12 points and a season best seven assists.  Woody Furbush (Bridgeton, N.J./Salem) gave a great effort of the bench with 10 points and three offensive rebounds.

Hakeem Anthony led VUL with 24 points and three assists.