Michael Oblitey sank two crucial free throws in the final seconds of overtime as the Bridgewater College Eagles defeated the Eastern Mennonite University men's basketball team 84-83 Saturday night in Nininger Hall in Bridgewater, Va.

"That was probably the hardest, most gutwrenching loss of my head coaching career," explained a somber Kirby Dean following the Royals loss. "Our kids played their guts out for the full 45 minutes and we just missed a couple of plays at the end that cost us."

The loss drops EMU to 3-3 overall on the season and 0-1 in the Old Dominion Atheltic Conference while Bridgewater improves to 5-1 overall and 1-0 in the conference. Both teams will now head into Christmas Break with the Royals returning to action on Saturday, January 5, as they take on Averett University at 5:30 p.m.

It was an up and down game for both teams with the Royals struggling on offense in the first half as they shot only 38 percent (14-of-36) from the field. Bridgewater was also fighting through their own shooting woes as the Eagles also shot 38 percent (12-of-31) with the lead changing hands 11 times in the first half.

Senior Brad Parkes (Winchester, Va./James Wood) and Corey Bailey (Centreville, Va./Brentsville District) each led the team with eight points with freshman D.J. Hinson (Virginia Beach, Va./Tallwood) chipping in another five points off the bench for EMU.

The second half proved to be a mirror image of the games first 20 minutes as both teams again fought for control of the contest with the Royals reaching a lead of at least four points a total of four different times in the half.

EMU seemed to gain an advantage late in the half as the Eagles forced Parkes to the line. Parkes stroked all six of his free throw attempts with his final two shots dancing around the rim but falling in to give the Royals a four point cushion with 18 ticks on the clock.

Bridgewater subbed in four new players off the bench with Jay Strotman dropping a bucket to cut the Royal lead to two (75-73). A costly turnover by EMU gave the Eagles another shot with Trawick hitting his two free throw attempts to tie the game at 75. Senior guard Jered Lyons (Takoma Park, Md./St. Johns at Prospect Hall) launched a final attempt from behind the arc in the last few seconds but the ball rolled off the rim to send the game into overtime.

In the extra frame the Royals fell behind early by five points to the Eagles with 3:01 left on the clock before a layup by Bailey followed by a couple of free throws from the 6'7" center put EMU up by one.

BC's Andrew Cathlin followed with a basket of his own with EMU freshman guard George Johnson (Richmond, Va./Miller School) drained his own bucket as the lead went back to the visiting Royals with 15 seconds on the clock. A close play on the defensive end gave the Eagles two opportunities from the candy strip with Oblitey hitting both attempts in the games final seconds to give BC the win.

Parkes finished with a team high 25 points and 13 rebounds for the double-double with Bailey adding 11 boards and three blocked shots. Sophomore Jason Rutschman (Troutville, Va./Lord Botetourt) had nine points off the bench for EMU with Lyons leading the squad with seven assists.

Four Eagles scored in double figures with Oblitey leading the pack with 16 points and 10 boards.

"Bridgewater made some great plays at the end and had good pressure on us," added Dean. "It's a tough loss to swallow with Brad Parkes doing what he always does in putting up solid numbers across the board and Jason Rutschman giving us a huge boost off the bench. We just couldn't get the one or two plays in the end that would have given us the win."