ST.DAVIDS (PA) – In a battle of first-place teams to end the first half of Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom play, it was host Eastern University that shot 55.8 percent from the field and notched an 84-62 victory over Delaware Valley University.

The Eagles improved to 11-7 overall and 6-1 in league action while the defending MAC Freedom champion Aggies slipped to 10-8 and 5-2. They are alone in second place, one game ahead of DeSales University and Misericordia University.

Eastern was on fire all evening as it connected on 32 of 58 shots from the field, including a 10-for-17 (58.8%) showing from 3-point land. The Eagles were even deadlier in the opening 20 minutes as they were from 17-for-28 (60.7%) from the perimeter and hit seven of their nine (77.8%) long-distance attempts.

DelVal scored seven of the game's first nine points on two inside baskets from Tyrea Williams and a trey from Andre' Butler. Eastern quickly answered to tie it and the two went back and forth for the next three minutes and they were deadlocked at 12-12 with 15:30 remaining.

From there, the Eagles went on a 24-9 run over a nine-minute stretch to take command. The Aggies did score 13 of the next 18, including seven from Tyliek Kimbrough and four from Williams, but Eastern eventually took a 43-34 advantage into halftime.

After the teams exchanged buckets to begin the second stanza, the Eagles sprinted out on a 17-7 spurt for a 19-point advantage. DelVal never got closer than 14 the rest of the way.

Austin James came off the bench to hit a trio of 3-pointers and pace Eastern with 18 points. Shaquan Turk and Lincoln Holley contributed 16 and 14 points respectively while Victor Pena hit double digits as well with 10 points.

Williams, a 6-foot-7 center hit 10 of 11 shots from the field as the senior finished with a career-high 21 points. He also added nine rebounds and two blocked shots before fouling out. Alex Matsinye added 19 points and eight boards while Kimbrough notched nine points, six rebounds, six assists and three steals. Butler, the reigning MAC Freedom Player of the Week, scored seven points in the setback.

DelVal will begin the second half of conference play on Saturday, January 28 (4 p.m.) when it hosts Wilkes University.