RADNOR, PA – The Cavaliers erased a 17 point first half lead to briefly grab a lead midway through the second half, but could not sustain it, as the Cabrini men's basketball team fell to the Eastern Eagles tonight at Nerney Field House in the season-opener for both teams.

Senior Anthony Wright-Downing led the Blue and White with 29 points, six rebounds and a career best seven steals. Sophomore DJ Smith added 20 points off the bench, connecting on 6-12 from three point range.

The Eagles came out on fire, connecting on better than 70% of their first half field goal attempts, including 7-12 from beyond the three point arc. Back to back triples by senior Darius Washington gave Eastern its first double-digit lead with 12:48 left in the stanza.

Cabrini pulled within 36-27 late in the half, but the Eagles used a late 10-2 run to extend their lead to a game-high 17 points in the final minute of the half.

The Cavaliers had few answers in the first half, as they trailed 46-31 at the break. The team shot just .297 from the field in the first half and connected on just two of its 14 three point attempts.

Cabrini found its rhythm as the second half began. The Cavaliers used a stifling defensive effort and a 23-8 second half run to even the score a t54 on a pair of Smith free throws.

Ninety seconds later, the Cavaliers took their first lead of the game at 57-56 on a Wright-Downing lay-up. Sophomore Trey Smith hit the senior for another bucket after a pair of Eastern free throws, to return the lead to the Blue and White.

It would be Cabrini's last lead, as Eastern responded with an 11-0 run over the next two minutes to rebuild its 10 point cushion with 6:44 to play.

Eastern's lead swung between 5-9 points over the final minutes of the game, with the Cavaliers pulling within four points with 2:39 to play.

The Blue and White made its second half comeback on the strength of much better shooting, as the club shot .423 after the break, including 6-13 from deep and 12-15 from the charity stripe.

On the other end of the floor, Cabrini held Eastern to just 9-25 from the field after the break, including 1-9 from three point range. The Cavaliers also forced 11 of its 25 turnovers in the second half and converted them into 12 points.

Freshman Voshon Mack chipped in with nine points in his collegiate debut, while seniors DeVahnté Mosley and Ivan Robinson combined for 13 points in their returns from injury.  

Washington led the Eagles with 21 points and nine rebounds, while classmate Victor Peña paired 19 points and nine boards, hitting 11-14 from the free throw line.

The Cavaliers will head to Rochester, NY this weekend, as they compete in the Chuck REnsler Tournament at the University of Rochester Cabrini will open the two-day event against Baldwin-Wallace University (1-0) on Friday at 3pm.