ST. DAVIDS (PA) – Delaware Valley College shot 50 percent from the field, including 57.7 percent in the second half, as the Aggies pulled away to a 94-83 victory over host Eastern University in a Freedom Conference match-up.

The Aggies improved to 11-8 overall, 6-2 and tied with DeSales University for second place in the Freedom with six league games remaining. Both are one game behind Misericordia University and the Cougars nearly lost to last place FDU-Florham before winning in overtime. For Eastern, Saturday's setback dropped the squad to 7-12 and 3-5.

Delaware Valley hit 29 of its 58 shots on the afternoon, including a red-hot 15-for-26 in the second half as the Aggies outscored the Eagles, 55-45, in those final 20 minutes. They also went to the foul line 40 times (28 in the second half) and connected on 30 of them (22 in the second half) with many coming at the end when Eastern was trying to get back in the game. Delaware Valley held a 41-33 advantage on the boards and turned the ball over just six times.

There were five ties and 11 lead changes in the first half as both teams were 14-for-32 from the field. Eastern hit three more shots from beyond the arc but the Aggies connected on twice as many free throws. Neither team led by more than and Delaware Valley took a slim, 39-38 lead into the intermission.

The Aggies never lost the advantage in the second half despite the back and forth pace in the first five minutes of the stanza. A three-point play by Malcom Garrison pulled Eastern to within three, 52-49, with 14:36 to go. Delaware Valley scored eight of the next 10 for a nine-point lead, but the Eagles got it back to six, 64-58, after a pair of free throws from Austin Carroll at the midway point.

However, the Aggies took charge from there as Barry Brockington went inside for a three-point play and Zach Sibel followed his own miss with a layup. Francis Arnold then drove inside and to the hoop for a 7-0 run and a 71-58 lead with 8:38 to go.

Delaware Valley upped the lead to 14 on four separate occasions and were still up 13, 81-68, with 2:09 remaining. The Eagles refused to go away and they made it a two-possession game at 88-83 after a 3-pointer by Austin James with 51 seconds left. Nick Sullivan was fouled two ticks later and the Aggies senior swished both attempts for a seven-point lead. Eastern missed two chances at the other end and Chris Moran hit two free throws with 38 seconds left. Sullivan added two more seven seconds later for the 94-83 win.

Arnold was 7-for-12 from the field (3-for-6 from 3-point land) and 8-for-12 from the foul line for a game-high 25 points. The senior also added eight rebounds, four assists and three steals in 39 minutes of action. Moran had a double-double with 17 points and 11 boards while Sullivan and Zach Sly had 12 and 11 points respectively. Jose Ortiz came off the bench and provided a spark with nine points, four assists and three rebounds in just 13 minutes of action.

Austin Carroll led Eastern with 18 points. Shaquan Turk and Tarek Hamzeh followed with 15 and 14 points respectively.