Corey Bailey (Centreville, Va./Brentsville District) made his first and second points of the night count as the Eastern Mennonite University men's basketball team needed both free throws from the senior center late in the second half as the Royals held on for a 71-70 conference win over the Eagles.

EMU is now 8-12 overall and 4-9 in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference with the loss dropping the Eagles to 11-8 on the season and 6-7 in the conferernce.

Senior forward Brad Parkes (Winchester, Va./James Wood) led the team with 18 points as three other Royals reached double figures in the game. Sophomore guard Austin Twine (Dublin, Va./Pulaski Co.) and freshman wing D.J. Hinson (Newport News, Va./Menchville) each had 12 points for EMU which returns the favor after the Royals fell by one point to the Eagles back on December 15, in Nininger Hall.

Dominick Trawick had a team high 16 points for BC with Michael Oblitey adding another 15 points for the Eagles.

The Royals held the lead for most of the first half with EMU going up by seven with 6:41 remaining on a three-pointer from Parkes. BC responded with a layup from Justin Reavis with EMU following suit on a bucket from freshman wing Todd Phillips (Waynesboro, Va./Waynesboro). The two teams continued to exchange baskets with Bridgewater moving to four points of tying the Royals as the half drew to a close.

Trawick scored 11 points in the first frame for BC with the Eagles shooting only 34 percent from the floor. EMU did not fare any better from around the basket as the Royals shot 37 percent with Parkes adding 10 points along with another five points from senior guard Jered Lyons (Takoma Park, Md./St. Johns at Prospect Hall).

The Royals held a lead for the first seven minutes of the second half before the Eagles began to surge forward with Trawick, Oblitey, and Robert Rice helping to tie the game at 43. Following an EMU timeout, Bridgewater took a three point lead on a layup by Strotman (10:40 on clock). Parkes and freshman guard George Johnson (Richmond, Va./Miller School) helped give EMU the lead back with baskets on the Royals next two possessions with the lead growing to five on a spin-around finger-roll layup in the paint from Phillips (8:34 remaining).

EMU continued to hold the lead until the final minute of the game as the Eagles stormed back to tie the game with Trawick adding his 15th and 16th points on a layup following an EMU turnover with 1:16 to go. The Royals got the ball back and Parkes hit a turnaround jumper to put the home team up by two. BC charged down the court but turned the ball over, giving the Royals the momentum. Following a Bridgewater foul, Bailey hit both free throw attempts with the final ball bouncing off the back of the rim and dropping in as EMU saw their lead increase to four with 10 seconds remaining. The Eagles again drove down the court with Andrew Cathlin dropping a three-pointer to put BC down by only one. The Royals were unable to get the next two free throws to fall but the Eagles last ditch attempt to take the game did not materialize as the full court pass rolled out of bounds just as time expired to seal the win for EMU.

Bailey had a team high 10 rebounds with Lyons adding 10 points off the bench for EMU. Phillips finished with six points including three rebounds and three assists.

Cathlin had 14 points with Strotman adding another 10 points for BC.

EMU shot 75 percent from the free throw line compared to 53 percent for Bridgewater with the Eagles holding a slight 38-36 edge in rebounds.

The Royals will stay at home as they host the Marlins of Virginia Wesleyan on Wednesday, February 13, for a 7 p.m. ODAC game.