The Eastern Mennonite University men's basketball team followed the women's team and will head back to Harrisonburg, Va., with an 81-55 non-conference win after the Royals defeated Shenandoah University Wednesday night in Winchester, Va.

EMU improves to 3-0 on the season while Shenandoah drops to 0-2. The three straight wins to start the year is the best start for the men's program since the 1997-98 Royals went 3-0 and eventually closed out the season with a program best 16-9 overall record.

On Tuesday, November 18, the EMU women's basketball team defeated Mary Baldwin College in Stuanton, Va., by the score of 81-55. The men's team did not want to be outdone as Old Dominion Athletic Conference Player of the Week Todd Phillips (Waynesboro, Va./Waynesboro) led the team with 15 points scored and seven steals. Orie Pancione (Augusta, WVa./Hampshire) poured in 13 points in 29 minutes of play while George Johnson (Richmond, Va./Miller School) added 10 points.

Shenandoah was paced by Chris Schrader who led all scorers with 19 points including a team best eight rebounds. Kevin Kline had 10 points and a pair of steals.

The first points of the game came almost a minute into the contest as Shenandoah went up on a bucket by Schrader. EMU responded with a jumper by Pancione to tie the game with the visiting team then claiming the lead on a long ball by Johnson (5-2). The Royals held that lead for almost six minutes before Schrader and Kline helped tie the game at 13 all. The next two minutes featured three ties before a jumper by Pancione put EMU up 19-17 (9:45 remaining).

A 6-0 run instigated by baskets from LeRoger Parrish (Danville, Va./Tunstall) and Phillips pushed the Royal lead to eight with EMU taking a 10 point lead into the break (42-32).

The second half was all Royals as Pacione scored eight points while Rashawn Hannah (Woodbridge, Va./Forest Park) had seven points in the frame. EMU went up 21 on a basket by Parrish with 11 minutes remaining before increasing their lead to as much as 28 points.

Parrish finished with six points. Austin Twine (Dublin, Va./Pulaski Co.) had six points and five steals in the win.

EMU will now compete in the Don Glick Classic as the Royals head down to Bridgewater, Va., to take on Davenport University on Saturday, November 22, at 8 p.m.