HARRISONBURG, Va. – The Eastern Mennonite University men's basketball team suffered their third straight loss of the season 84-73 against Roanoke College. The Royals fought back from a 14-point halftime deficit and outscored the Maroons in the second half, but it would not be enough to take them to victory.

The first half was all Roanoke (10-8, 4-7) after EMU led 15-14 with 13:48 remaining. Roanoke used a 12-0 run to push the lead to nine points 26-17 on three treys by Jamiel Allen. They would extend their lead to 18 points as Kevinn Hunter scored seven of his game-high 21 points during the stretch. With a 39-21 deficit to overcome, the Royals 8-2 run cut the lead to 12 with 4:00 remaining on the clock in the first half. The late charge by EMU was stymied as RC went into the half up by 14 points.

EMU (4-13, 2-8) came out hot after shooting a cold 33% in the first half. A 14-2 run by the Royals would cut the Maroons lead to two points. Roanoke quickly pushed the lead back to five points, but EMU's pressure defense cut the lead to one point 57-56. A Maroon turnover and a lay-up by Jason Sager (Edinburg, Va./Central) would give EMU the lead for the first time since the first half.

The teams would battle back-and-forth taking the lead and relinquishing the lead until Roanoke hit two straight from downtown and never looked back. EMU had a chance to cut the deficit to one point with under four minutes remaining but could not capitalize on the Maroon miscue. Mike Culen (Winchester, Va./James Wood) came alive with one of his three treys to cut Roanoke's lead to two points. EMU would end the game missing their last seven shots and RC would emerge with the victory 84-73.

Jared Butler ended with 17 points for Roanoke. Joe Milton chipped in ten points and a team-high six rebounds.

Sager led the way for EMU with 17 points and 10 rebounds his seventh double-double of the season. E.J. Arrington (Staunton, Va./Stuarts Draft) added 15 points and eight rebounds. Sager and Arrington combined for 11 assists recording 6 and 5, respectively. Culen chipped 13 points while Jason Lentz (Diana, W.Va./Webster County) missed a double-double with nine points and ten rebounds. Culen also added six assists.

EMU returns to action on the road January 31 to take on nationally ranked Hampden-Sydney. The return home to host Lynchburg on February 2 and then host nationally ranked Randolph-Macon.