BOX SCORE

St. David's, PA (January 30, 2010) – For the second straight year the DeSales University men's basketball team couldn't get anything going on the offensive end at Eastern University, scoring just 56 points on Saturday in a 61-56 loss to the Eagles in Freedom Conference action on a snowy afternoon in the Philadelphia area.

The loss is the first for the Bulldogs in Freedom Conference play and snaps a seven-game winning streak as DSU falls to 14-5 overall and 7-1 in the Freedom. The Eagles improve to 9-10 overall and 5-3 in the Freedom with the win. DeSales, who scored just 42 points in its game last season at Eastern, entered the game shooting 46.6 percent but shot just 40.0 percent from the field in both halves helping Eastern pull off the upset.

DeSales opened up a 12-8 lead at the 10:23 mark on a lay-up from freshman Sean McPaul (Jackson, NJ/St. Rose) but then went cold from the field as Eastern used a 16-5 run over the next eight minutes to build a 24-17 lead with just over two minutes to play. During that stretch, the Bulldogs went 2-for-9 from the field and committed three turnovers.

A three by senior Darnell Braswell (Allentown, PA/William Allen) pulled DeSales within three as Braswell and junior Nicholas Rossignoli (Reading, PA/Reading Central Catholic) combined to score nine points over the final two minutes to get the Bulldogs within four at the break.

DSU scored the first four points of the second half to tie the game at 30 but Eastern quickly answered with four straight of its own to re-take the four-point lead. A three-pointer from senior Rob Schubach (Center Valley, PA/Southern Lehigh) ignited a quick 7-0 run featuring consecutive lay-ups from freshman Brett Moyer (Souderton, PA/Christopher Dock) as the Bulldogs took a three-point edge, 37-34, at the 12:48 mark.

From that point however DeSales struggled to score once again as Eastern used a 15-3 run over the next six and a half minutes to build a nine-point lead (49-40) that saw the Bulldogs go just 1-for-7 with six turnovers.

Braswell again ended the run with a three-pointer as the two teams traded baskets over the next few minutes. After two free throws from Braswell at the 3:25 mark, senior Matt Zwetolitz (Whitehall, PA/Whitehall) hit a pull-up jumper and junior Brian Hunter (Allentown, PA/Emmaus) converted an off-balance lay-up to get DeSales within three with 1:34 left on the clock.

A defensive stop on the other end saw DeSales with the ball and a chance to tie but a Braswell three from the right wing was in and out and Martin Soaries hit two free throws on the other end to ice the game.

Braswell was once again outstanding in the loss, recording his fourth double-double of the season with 21 points and 11 rebounds as the lone Bulldog in double digits. Senior Jim Malatesta (Warminster, PA/Archbishop Wood) and Schubach added seven points in the loss.

Collin Whipple was the hero for the Eagles, scoring 18 points off the bench to lead Eastern. Soaries added 14 points to also reach double figures.

The Bulldogs will return to action on Wednesday when they travel to Manhattanville College for a Freedom Conference game beginning at 8:00 pm.