GLASSBORO, N.J. (Interstat) — Visiting Eastern built a 40-31 halftime lead and withstood a second-half Rowan rally for a 78-75 men’s NCAA Division III victory Wednesday at Esbjornson Gymnasium. The attendance was 462. Eastern improved to 2-1, while Rowan fell to 1-1. Rowan outscored Eastern 44-38 after halftime but could not complete the comeback.

Rowan opened the scoring on CJ Mundell’s 3-pointer, but Bryson Spruell answered from deep. Dejuan Taylor and Mason Lewis scored inside, and Justin Ezeukwu hit a 3-pointer to put Eastern ahead 10-7. Cairo Rivera dunked and Khamai Orange converted a tip-in before Ife Okebiorun’s layup gave Rowan a 13-10 lead. Eastern responded with Beegie Gordon’s pullup, Connor Fleet’s stepback 3-pointer and layups by Josh Fadahunsi and Michael Wallace. Wallace’s jumper off a turnover made it 21-15, and after Liech Kong hit a 3-pointer for Rowan, Taylor scored inside and Wallace made two free throws. Tygee Clark hit a 3-pointer, Gordon connected again from deep and Eastern took a 31-23 lead. Rowan closed the half with Kong’s layup, two Rivera free throws and James Johns’ 3-pointer, but Wallace’s layup and two free throws sent Eastern into halftime ahead 40-31.

Eastern led by 11 early in the second half after Taylor opened the scoring with a layup. Ife Okebiorun made a dunk and a layup, and Skip Burton’s tip-in and layup helped Rowan trim the deficit. Johns hit 3-pointers, Orange scored inside and Mundell’s layup tied the game at 61 with 7:22 remaining. Eastern answered with seven straight points on Ezeukwu’s 3-pointer, two Fleet free throws and a Wallace layup. After Rowan closed to 70-68, Eastern got free throws from Fleet and Taylor and a pair from Lewis to hold a 75-70 lead with 1:14 left. Johns made a 3-pointer with about a minute remaining to cut the margin to 75-73. Kong made two free throws with 12.7 seconds left to bring Rowan within one, but Ezeukwu made a free throw with 10.7 seconds left and Fadahunsi added one with 1.6 seconds remaining to seal it.

Kong had 11 points, eight rebounds and a block for Rowan. Mundell added 10 points, eight rebounds and three assists. Taylor had 17 points, four rebounds and an assist for Eastern. Wallace had 12 points, three rebounds and an assist. Orange contributed 12 points, six rebounds, two assists and a block for Rowan. Rivera had 10 points, two rebounds, five assists and two blocks. Ezeukwu scored 13 points and grabbed three rebounds. Lewis had five points, 10 rebounds and a block. Fadahunsi had five points, seven rebounds and an assist. Johns scored 16 points and grabbed three rebounds.

Eastern shot 24-for-54 from the floor, 7-for-19 from 3-point range and 23-for-31 from the free-throw line. The Eagles had 12 offensive rebounds, four assists, three blocks, 20 turnovers and 21 fouls. They scored 78 points on 77 possessions for an offensive rating of 101.7. Rowan shot 28-for-68 overall, 6-for-20 from beyond the arc and 13-for-21 at the line. The Profs had 13 offensive rebounds, 13 assists, four blocks, 10 turnovers and 23 fouls. Rowan scored 75 points on 75 possessions for an offensive rating of 100.0. Eastern next plays at Muhlenberg, and Rowan hosts Delaware Valley.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Rowan 77, Eastern 74, and its ELO system gave Rowan an 82.3 percent probability to win.