Preseason polling ranked the and the in the (ODAC).

The men play their first conference game Nov. 29 at Randolph and the women host Lynchburg Nov. 24.

A for men’s only, women’s only or a combo of all men’s and women’s home games are offered. EMU’s home games routinely host large crowds, with an average of 393 fans for the women’s games, a statistic that leading the ODAC and puts EMU 39th in the nation among D-III teams. The men averaged 757 for their games, third in the ODAC and 28th out of 417 D-III team s in the nation.

Fans will definitely want to cheer the women on at home:  the Royals (88-22 over the past four years) also take a 30-game home winning streak into this season, with a 54-49 setback against Elizabethtown on Jan. 7, 2013, standing as their last loss in Yoder Arena.

Rheinheimer back for senior campaign

Despite the loss of five seniors, the ODAC’s coaches aren’t expecting much of a fall off for EMU’s women.

Eastern Mennonite, riding a string of three straight NCAA Tournament appearances, received three first-place votes and totaled 106 points in the voting.  Lynchburg College earned six first-place votes and 114 total points to claim the top spot.

The Royals had a nice postseason run in 2014-15, earning a thrilling win over LaRoche in the NCAA First Round before falling to eventual national champion Thomas More. Coach claimed his third straight and fourth overall ODAC Coach of the Year award

The Royals return three starters, including the ODAC Player of the Year and All-America forward (Manheim, Pa./Lancaster Mennonite).  A 5-10 senior, Rheinheimer scored 20.0 points with 7.8 rebounds per game last year. She was named ODAC Player of the Year and was a D3hoops.com All-America Fourth Team honoree. She was recently named to the D3hoops.com Preseason All-America First Team.

The women also return senior point guard (Conestoga, Pa./Penn Manor) (2.3ppg, 4.1rpg, 2.2apg) and sophomore guard/forward (Covington, Va./Covington) (6.3ppg, 2.0rpg).

Jones twins lead young squad

As could be expected, the ODAC coaches see that EMU’s basketball men have some rebuilding to do.  A year after finishing fourth in the standings, the Runnin Royals were tabbed to finish eighth in the nation’s toughest conference.

“Our goal is to improve every game no matter what happens,” said coach , the 2010 ODAC Coach of the Year.  “Our kids are mature enough to understand that we’re in a really, really tough league, but if we can keep everyone together, we can be one of the best teams in the league again, and probably sooner rather than later.”

Eastern Mennonite returns just six men from last year’s roster, all sophomores.  Including All-ODAC performers David Falk and Marcel Crump, the men lost six seniors from a 17-10 squad.  Five of them started during the postseason run into the ODAC Semifinals.

(Charles Town, W.V./Washington) started 14 games as a freshman in 2014-15, and was fifth on the team with a 7.6 scoring average.  He shot 36.2% from three-point range and scored in double figures in ten games.  His twin brother, (Charles Town, W.V./Washington), expects to elevate after being the backup point guard last year.  (Warrenton, Va./Kettle Run) shot a team-best 40.0% from outside and averaged 3.8 points per game.

The Runnin’ Royals open the new year Saturday, Nov. 14, hosting Virginia University of Lynchburg 30 minutes following the completion of the women’s game, or approximately 6:30 p.m.  The men play just two games in Yoder Arena over the first semester.  They also play at D-I James Madison University on Tuesday, Nov. 24.

Winter 2015 held some uncertain moments for the Eastern Mennonite men’s and women’s basketball teams, but both squads are expected to be a force in the upcoming Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) tournament, which begins February 27 in Salem, Virginia at the Salem Civic Center.

Lady Royals Powerhouse Record Includes Home Winning Streak of 30 Games

The EMU women’s basketball team closed regular season play out in February 2015 by solidifying their first place ranking in the ODAC. The team’s overall record is 21-3 (15-1 conference) as of February 26, 2015.

That powerhouse record includes a home winning streak of 30 games: their last loss in Yoder Arena occurred over two seasons ago in January 2013.

In early January, the Lady Royals’ versatile forward  earned her second spot on the Team of the Week and by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA). This is the first season that the USBWA is recognizing national players of the week from Division III.

In February Rheinhemer was named one of five in nation to the Capital One Academic All-America First Team. A member of the EMU , Rheinheimer holds a 3.96 GPA in the university’s well-respected , along with a minor in .

Men’s Team Seeded No. 4 in Tourney

The Runnin Royals have gathered a number of career records and personal honors even after battling through a tough non-conference and ODAC schedule.

The team has a record of 16-9 overall (9-7 conference) as of February 26, 2015.

The men clinched the No. 4 seed with an .

Some of the honors accrued this season were for senior , who was named ODAC Player of the Week after collecting double doubles during dramatic wins in mid-January.  

As of Feb. 22 the 6-6 center is ranked third in the nation for rebounds per game. Falk is , having logged 192 throughout the regular season. He is currently ranked . (More info: )

, was named Royal Athlete of the Week on January 22 after he went multiple games hitting 100 percent of his attempts from the free throw line.

Runnin Royals’ starting point guard  earned the Royal Athlete of the Week honor when he logged career bests of 18 points and nine assists.

“I like setting my teammates up to score,” said Williams, a senior from Capitol Heights, Md.  “When I give an assist I feel like I scored the bucket myself.”

Tournament Game Info in Salem, Va.

Check out the ODAC website for live stats and video for postseason games yet to be played, and scores and game reports from completed games.

Men’s basketball: 

Women’s basketball:

Games are played at the Salem Civic Center in Salem, Virginia.

EMU entered the day tied with Randolph, Hampden-Sydney and Bridgewater for fourth in the league standings, but all three of them lost. The men now have a win over each of those teams muddled in the middle of the ODAC pack.

The visiting WildCats, hamstrung with a healthy roster lacking in height, executed their game plan as designed, shutting down EMU’s All-ODAC big man,  (Madison, Va./Madison County), by swarming him with defenders every time he touched the ball. Randolph also got back on defense after every shot attempt, resulting in a halfcourt game with a combined two offensive rebounds and six fastbreak points. How would the up-tempo Royals handle that type of a game?

Eastern Mennonite responded by running their offensive sets and finding the open man. They shot 12-of-23 from the floor in the first half, including 6-10 from outside, to take a 36-34 lead into halftime, thanks to an inside jumper from  (Richmond, Va./Highland Springs) in the closing seconds. Randolph was almost a mirror image, shooting 12-for-25 with 5-10 from three point range.

The second half was just as tight until the WildCats scored nine straight points to build their largest lead of the day at 52-43 with 11:19 to go. Behind some hot shooting from freshman  (Charles Town, W.V./Washington), the Royals stormed back to within four points, but Randolph wouldn’t give up the lead.

The visitors matched EMU shot-for-shot, leaving the lead between four and seven points until the game hit a pivotal moment with 5:04 remaining. With EMU on offense, Falk jumped to gain possession of a loose ball. As he came down and turned, he collided with a Randolph defender and was whistled for elbowing and tagged with his fourth foul.

The home crowd sat in disbelief and Coach Kirby Dean was livid. The WildCats calmly went into their offensive set, drew a foul and connected on both free throws to put the lead back at 64-57. The five Royals on the floor, however, decided it was their time.

 (Alexandria, Va./T.C. Williams) hit a jumper to trigger a run. Falk swatted a shot to start a fastbreak, which Yates converted to slice the deficit to 64-61. After a defensive stand,  (Capitol Heights, Md./Archbishop Carroll) found Jones for another three ball, this time knotting the score at 64-64 with 2:52 left and igniting the home crowd. After another big block from Falk, EMU’s big man hit a jumper in the paint to put EMU in front for the first time since the 17:31 mark.

Randolph looked rattled and turned the ball over on their next two possessions, leading to a knockout punch from Williams. The point guard sliced into the lane for the hoop and harm, converting a three-point play to push the lead to 69-64 with 16.1 seconds left. Williams’ effort capped a decisive 12-0 run, as the Royals clamped down Randolph for a stretch of 4:34 in the final five minutes of the game.

The final seconds were packed with WildCat layups and EMU free throws, but the men went 3-4 from the stripe to seal the key 72-68 win.

The teams combined to shoot 50 percent from the floor and 54 percent from long range. Eastern Mennonite was 24-47 in shooting, including a season-best 10-17 from three. Randolph shot 24-49 overall and 10-20 from outside. The Royals made the difference up in quantity at the free throw line, hitting 14-21 compared to 10-11 for the visitors.

Jones made Randolph pay for every open look he got, burying 6-of-7 three pointers for a career high 22 points. Williams picked his moments and was 6-6 from the free throw line for 14 points. Yates hit a trio of threes and added 13 points.

Falk had a game high nine rebounds and three blocks. Crump turned into a distributor with a career high eight assists. He previous best was four handouts.

Reid Jacoby led a balanced Randolph attack with 14 points, as he hit four treys. Zach Desgain had 13 points, six assists and five rebounds. Jason Eddie added 12 counters.

The Runnin Royals are now 12-5 overall and 5-3 in the ODAC. Randolph slips to 10-7 and 4-4. EMU stays at home on Wednesday to host Shenandoah, who just earned their first ODAC win of the season in an overtime effort over Hampden-Sydney.

The two teams will meet again in Bridgewater on Feb. 18, the second-to-last game of the regular season.

The visiting Eagles made a quick start, with big man Logan Seacrist hitting a pair of three pointers and All-ODAC forward Ed Reddick putting in nine points on the way to a 25-10 lead at the 9:08 mark.

EMU then scored on their next five possessions to trim a few points off the deficit, and the men caught fire over the final minutes of the half.  (Capitol Heights, Md./Archbishop Carroll) connected on a pair of free throws with 2:45 remaining which triggered a 7-2 run. The Royals were within 35-29 at halftime and the late surge carried over into the second.

Over the opening 1:29 of the final frame, EMU made three shots while Bridgewater was saddled with two turnovers and a missed jumper.  (Charles Town, W.V./Washington) drilled a triple to cap the 7-0 spurt, giving Eastern Mennonite their first lead of the night at 36-35.  It also highlighted a massive 26-10 swing, erasing BC’s early lead.

The edge stayed around two or three possessions until a prolonged 8-0 run by Bridgewater flipped the visitors back in front, 53-51 with 7:26 to play. The teams traded leads for the next two minutes until two free throws from BC put them on top 60-58 with 4:58 left.

A massive alley-oop dunk then signaled the beginning of the end for the Eagles. On EMU’s next possession, Williams drove into the lane and drew a double team. He floated a high pass which  (Madison, Va./Madison County) threw down to erupt the home crowd and start a decisive 11-0 run.

Over the next 2:22, each of EMU’s five starters scored in the paint, while Bridgewater came up empty. Finally with 1:17 remaining, Williams made a free throw to end the run, giving the men a commanding 69-60 lead.

The Eagles turned to fouling, but the Royals were up to the task. The men sank all eight of their attempts from the stripe over the final 48 seconds to win by their biggest margin of the night, 77-67.

Eastern Mennonite dominated the second half, shooting 48 percent to BC’s 31 percent to out-score their rivals 48-32. For the game they had a 40-to-37 percent shooting edge and won the battle of the boards, 48-41.

All five of EMU’s starters scored in double figures, as they were good for 74 of the team’s 77 points.  (Richmond, Va./Highland Springs) had a team high 17 points and was 7-7 from the free throw line.  Falk charted another double double with 18 rebounds (including eight offensive), 14 points and three blocks.

Williams ���Ի��� (Alexandria, Va./T.C. Williams) each scored 15 points, while Jones tallied 13.

BC’s Reddick finished with 24 points, 11 rebounds and a game high four assists. Seacrist came in with 12 points and Kyle Welty knocked in 11.

Eastern Mennonite improves to 10-4 with the win while Bridgewater slides to 8-6. Both teams are now 3-2 in the ODAC.

The Royals are on the road this Saturday, playing at Hampden-Sydney at 2 p.m.

The teams played a back-and-forth first half until the host Hornets ended the period on a 13-6 streak to lead 41-34 at the break. Eastern Mennonite shot just 36 percent over the opening 20 minutes.

That trend changed quickly in the second. (Richmond, Va./Highland Springs) hit back-to-back three pointers to give EMU the lead, and center  (Madison, Va./Madison County) converted a three point play to cap a 14-0 run which put the men in front 53-45. Crump had 10 points during the game-changing stretch.

The Royals then heated up from outside, as  (Charles Town, W.V./Washington) nailed back-to-back triples to push the edge to 63-50.  Eastern Mennonite led by as many as 15 before Shenandoah started their comeback over the final five minutes.

A 12-1 run sliced the lead to 75-71 with 1:57 to play.  (Alexandria, Va./T.C. Williams) had a big answer, however, as his layup changed the momentum and put the edge back at six points. That took the air out of SU’s sails and the Royals closed on a 6-2 run, including four free throws, to earn the 10-point win.

EMU out-shot their hosts 43-to-38 percent, and also shot a season-best 10-19 for 53 percent from three point range. The men grabbed 23 offensive rebounds en route to a 56-36 domination of the glass.

Yates led a balanced attack with 18 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. Crump finished with 16 counters. Falk had 13 points and a season-high 18 boards. Jones hit four triples and charted 14 points.

Jared Carithers led the Hornets with 23 points while Malcolm Clark added 18 points, seven rebounds, six steals and four assists.

Eastern Mennonite improves to 9-3 on the season, including 2-1 in the ODAC, while Shenandoah slides to 1-11 and 0-3. The Royals return home on Saturday for their first game in Yoder Arena since Dec. 16. They host surprising Lynchburg College at 7 p.m. At 8-4, LC hasn’t lost a game by more than four points this season.

The win over the Bobcats (6-4) gives Eastern Mennonite a quality win over a Capital Athletic Conference team who had already beaten two ODAC teams: nationally ranked Randolph-Macon and Randolph College.

The men took a bit to get their offense in gear and gave up back-to-back threes to quickly fall into a 6-0 hole. Their largest deficit was eight points, where it still sat at 26-18 with 8:29 to go in the half.

 (Capitol Heights, Md./Archbishop Carroll) buried a three pointer to get the Royals rolling, however, ���Ի��� (Front Royal, Va./Warren County) then scored six of EMU’s next eight points as they came roaring back. A  (Richmond, Va./Highland Springs) layup gave the men their first lead of the night at 33-31 with 3:59 showing.  In all Eastern Mennonite ended the first period on a 22-11 run to take a 40-37 edge into halftime.

 (Charles Town, WVa./Washington) nailed a pair of triples to open the second as the Royals extended their lead to 47-39. The Bobcats eventually snuck back to within three points at 55-52, but EMU turned on the defense to hold FSU scoreless for the next six minutes.

By the time Crump threw down a dunk to cap a 13-0 run, the men had their biggest lead of the night at 68-52 with 3:33 to play. The outcome was never in doubt from that point, as Eastern Mennonite won their third straight game.

The Royals had a sizable shooting advantage, hitting 45.3 percent of their attempts compared to just 36.5 percent for the Bobcats.  The men were also 7-19 from long range compared to 6-25 for FSU. The free throw line was again a deciding factor, as EMU was 22-38 while Frostburg State rarely visited the stripe and finished 8-11.

Crump scored a season high 23 to lead all scorers. He also charted his second double double of the season with 12 rebounds as he was named the MVP of the Rotary of Frederick Holiday Classic. Crump averaged 20.0 points 8.5 rebounds for the weekend.

Jones finished with a career high 16 points and he hit four three pointers. The freshman was also named to the All-Tournament Team as he averaged 12.5 points and hit 7-of-16 treys in the two games.

 (Madison, Va./Madison County) was good for nine points and nine rebounds while (Alexandria, Va./T.C. Williams) racked up eight assists with seven boards. Williams scored nine times while Steele finished with eight.

Breon Powell led Frostburg State with 14 points and seven rebounds. Nick Smoot also scored 14, while Jabari Kamau had 12 and seven.

After playing seven games over the first 21 days of December, Eastern Mennonite has an extended break for the holidays. The Royals won’t play again until traveling to Shenandoah on Jan. 7, a break of 17 days.

EMU finished the Don Glick Classic with a 1-1 mark and wrap-up the weekend with a 5-3 record overall. Milligan, who received votes in the National Athletic Intercollegiate Association National Poll this week, slipped to 10-4 on the year with losses to EMU and Bridgewater College.

Eastern Mennonite and Milligan were locked in a tight first half until  (Alexandria, Va./T. C. Williams) kick-started a late run which put the Royals up 40-32 at halftime. The senior scored 11 points, including nine in a row, in an 18-10 run which broke a 22-all tie.

But led by Mickey Woods, the Buffaloes came stampeding back in the second.  At one point he hit back-to-back three pointers near the end of a 25-16 run, which gave Milligan a 57-56 lead just six minutes into the final frame. The Tennessee team had their biggest lead at 74-68 after a James Songster three ball with 7:22 to play.

The Royals took over from there. The men held their opponents scoreless for nearly four minutes, scoring nine unanswered during the stretch.  (Richmond, Va./Highland Springs) capped the surge with a three-point play, putting EMU in front 77-74 with 4:09 to go.

Woods hit another three pointer to tie things back up. Yates converted a three-point play of his own to give the men a little breathing room at 82-79 with 2:40 left, but the teams continued trading points. Morgan McLeod hit a jumper to pull the Buffaloes back within one with 1:39 to go, as EMU led 84-83.

Both teams came up empty on their next possessions, but Crump rebounded his own missed shot with 34 seconds remaining to keep the Royals in charge. A quick foul put  (Charles Town, WVa./Washington) at the line, and the freshman hit both free throws to push the edge to three. Woods missed a three ball ���Ի��� (Madison, Va./Madison County) essentially sealed it by grabbing the rebound, getting fouled and then hitting both free throws with eight seconds left. Milligan missed a quick three and let Jones run out the time as he grabbed the final rebound.

Although EMU struggled to slow down the Buffaloes, they out-shot them 52.6-to-45.2 percent. Milligan his eight three pointers, but the men repeatedly got to the foul line to keep the edge. They were 24-40 from the stripe compared to 19-29 for MC.

Yates finished off a multi-faceted night with 22 points, eight rebounds, five steals and three assists. Falk hit a double double with 20 points and 13 rebounds while Crump added 17 counters. Jones scored nine in his second-straight start while  (Capitol Heights, Md./Archbishop Carroll) added four assists.

Woods led all players with 31 points, including 6-of-9 shooting from outside.  Julian Bailey had 14 points and 13 rebounds off the bench.

“We have a lot of good players,” explained the Runnin Royals’ 12th-year mentor.  “As long as no one cares whose stats look gaudy at the end of the night, I think we’ll end up in the winner’s circle. If the only agenda is us winning games, I like our chances.”

What does that mean?  The sky could be the limit, but for starters the men must concentrate on the Old Dominion Athletic Conference.  Eastern Mennonite has two ODAC regular season titles to their claim, but they have never won the ODAC Tournament in the 37 years of the league’s existence. In fact, the Royals have only played in one title game, finishing as runner-up in 1983. EMU also has only one NCAA National Tournament bid in program history, going to the Elite Eight in 2010.

The men were picked in a tie for third in this year’s ODAC Preseason Poll, showing them a lot of respect in one of the nation’s top men’s basketball conferences.

“I think it’s about right,” Dean admitted. “There is so much parity that there is a wide range of where you could finish based on all sorts of variables. I think we have four teams in the league that could legitimately make an NCAA Tournament run. If we don’t gel and don’t find chemistry we could finish below that. But if we do, we know we could compete with those guys above us, because we did last year.”

EMU rode a six-game winning streak into the ODAC Semifinals last spring, closing with a record of 17-11, including 10-6 in ODAC play. It was just the fourth time in program history the men charted double digits in conference wins.  Wing  is the only significant loss from last year’s squad, although the two-time All-ODAC player and 1000-point scorer will be tough to replace.

“RJ had a really, really good career,” said Dean. “One area where we might really miss him is late in games.  He made a lot of plays in the last two or three minutes of games. He was not afraid to be the goat, and if you are not afraid to be the goat then you might be the hero. But I think we have a few guys who are anxious to step into that role.”

The Runnin Royals return seven seniors, including two All-ODAC players, from a team which finished second in the league with a shooting percentage of 46.6%.  Headlining that crew is 6-6 center  (Madison, Va./Madison County), who averaged 14.1 points, 13.4 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game. He led the nation in rebounding and set EMU and ODAC records for rebounds in game and EMU marks for rebounds in a season, blocks in a season and blocks in a career as he was named All-ODAC First Team, VaSID All-State First Team and D3hoops.com All-South Region Third Team.

And Dean thinks his big man got better.

“David actually got in the gym this summer and worked on his game with an ex-D-I assistant coach,” he said. “You’ll see a much more offensively skilled athlete.  He won’t have to dunk to make a bucket.”

The other All-ODAC returner is 6-4 wing  (Richmond, Va./Highland Springs). In his first season after transferring from D-II Virginia Union to EMU, Crump was second in the ODAC in free throws and came in fourth in scoring with 17.0 points per game. He added 4.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists and was named All-ODAC Second Team.

Other returning starters include 6-2 guard  (Capitol Heights, Md./Archbishop Carroll) with his 8.3 points and 2.5 assists on 50.0% shooting and 6-4 sophomore  (Frederick, Md./Tuscarora), averaging 3.9 points. Deceptively, 6-7  (Alexandria, Va./T.C. Williams) finished last year by coming off the bench but will start again as a senior. He averaged 14.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.6 steals, and will likely play at the top of EMU’s high pressure defense with his disruptive wingspan.

Dean also praised Yates as a team leader.

“Ryan is a hard-working player,” he said, “as hard as I’ve had in a long time. He gets in the gym and works. He’s very confident now and aggressive and he is making plays he could not make as a freshman.  I think he’ll have a really big year.”

Being one of only two teams in the conference to bring back multiple All-ODAC performers (Falk and Crump) is just the tip of the iceberg for the Royals.

“Obviously it’s a really good starting point to have back the best big man in the conference and arguably in the country, along with one of the top slashing players in the ODAC,” explained Dean. “They complement each other really well. But it doesn’t stop there. James and Ryan are the same level of players, they just haven’t received the recognition. There are going to be four guys out there who aren’t afraid to have the ball in their hands and aren’t afraid to make a play.”

Eastern Mennonite returns 11 players from last year’s team, and each of them played in at least 18 games. Energetic 6-2 senior  (Bridgeton, N.J./Salem) with his 3.9 points and 3.1 rebounds is the only other returner to play 10 or more minutes per game. In all, the men bring back 82.5% of their offense.

Dean said the momentum from last year’s strong finish visibly carried over to this season.

“I think it created a confidence level,” he said. “It created a lot of momentum for the offseason, if anything, and led to people having a really good summer and being really anxious to come back and finish what we started the second half of last year.”

As if the host of experience wasn’t enough, Eastern Mennonite brought in a bounty of athleticism in an eight-man freshmen class. The result could be the most stacked depth chart in program history.

“I don’t think there is any question this is the most talented freshman class I’ve had in my 12 years,” Dean explained. “The class that ended going to the Elite Eight may have been slightly more top heavy with talent, but when you consider this class one though eight, this class is more talented. They have a chance to be a really special class. One thing they have to understand is that not everyone will be in the rotation as freshman simply because of our upperclassmen and what spots they play. But if they wait their turn they’ll have a chance to do some really special things.”

As Dean prepared this year’s schedule, he made sure his men would be pushed with a challenging non-conference slate to prepare them for the rigorous ODAC Tournament. As part of that, EMU will play four, two-day classics or tourneys.

“We needed as many D-III regional games as we could get,” said Dean. “It was a problem for us in the past and it’s a problem around the ODAC. People are familiar with the level of the ODAC and sometimes people shy away from playing us.  Playing all those weekend tourneys won’t hurt us. It will help us if anything as we get used to the ‘win and advance’ mentality.”

The Runnin Royals open the year by hosting one of those weekends in the EMU Tip-Off Classic. With the NCAA’s official start of the season on Nov. 15, the men are hosting their classic on Saturday and Sunday of this coming weekend.

Eastern Mennonite opens against Ferrum Saturday at 7:00pm, before taking on St. Mary’s (Md.) Sunday at 4 p.m. Rival Bridgewater College will play a game before the Royals each day.

EMU has now won four of their last five games. They entered the day tied with three other teams for fifth place in the conference, and took over sole possession of the spot as two of the other teams (Hampden-Sydney and Randolph) lost and the third (Bridgewater) didn’t play. The Eagles had their game at Virginia Wesleyan postponed to Thursday.

The EMU men led by as many as nine points early in the game before Shenandoah went ahead and took a 35-32 cushion into the locker rooms. Just minutes into the second, however, the Royals established control. David Falk (Madison, Va./Madison) capped a 7-0 run with a dunk, putting the men up 43-39.

It was a tie game with 10 minutes left, as SU locked up the score at 50-50 with a 7-0 run. But the Royals responded with five straight to go back in front. They would keep the lead the rest of the game.

Kwa McDonald (Frederick, Md./Tuscarora) buried a pair of three pointers during a key 7-0 run, bumping EMU’s lead back up to 64-55 with 5:28 to play. After a Shenandoah free throw, Sims hit a jumper for the biggest lead of the night, 66-56.

The Hornets got within six points at 70-64 with 2:33 to play, but Crump answered with a layup to steady the ship. The men then hit 6-of-8 free throws over the final 50 seconds of play to seal the win.

Eastern Mennonite had a 41-34 rebounding advantage in the game, but simply out-shot their opponents. The men hit 52.9 percent of their shots, their third-highest total of the season, while Shenandoah had a pedestrian mark of 42.6 percent.

Crump set a new career high by pouring in 35 points on 12-18 shooting. The junior earned 19 trips to the free throw line, which set a new EMU program record for free throws attempted. He finished 10-19 from the stripe.

Sims provided the great 1-2 scoring punch with Crump, and put in 21 of his own points. McDonald finished with nine off the bench. James Williams (Capitol Heights, Md./Archbishop Carroll) added seven points and seven rebounds, while Falk led all players with 10 boards.

Avery Green, the ODAC’s leading scorer, led Shenandoah with 40 points, but no other Hornet scored more than seven.

The Royals are back at home this weekend, hosting Roanoke Saturday night at 7 p.m. EMU topped the Maroons 81-79 in overtime when the two met on Dec. 7 in Salem.

EMU has now won nine of the last ten meetings between the two rivals, including the last four.  They meet again Feb. 19 in Bridgewater.

The first half was all defense, as the Royals held the biggest lead at five points and the two teams combined to shoot 19-of-50 from the floor for 38%.  Eastern Mennonite was up at the break, 26-25.

Bridgewater used a 9-2 run in the second to turn a tie game into a 43-36 lead with 12:07 to go.  Then the defenses again dominated, as only one point was scored over the next three minutes.  Finally Sims assisted (Alexandria, Va./T.C. Williams) on a three ball to trim BC’s lead to 43-40 with 9:04 remaining.

Ed Reddick made a layup for the Eagles, but the Royals kept coming.  (Richmond, Va./Highland Springs) hit a pair of free throws to keep it a three-point game.  Then Sims took over.  The wing made a single free throw to cut it to 45-43 with 7:38 left.  After a defensive stop, Sims grabbed the rebounded and canned a three pointer to push EMU in front.

He drilled another three pointer with 3:31 remaining to build the lead to 53-49.  Moments later, Sims hit back-to-back shots to give the men their biggest lead of the night at 59-51 with just 1:34 on the clock.  The defense kept BC at bay from there, clinching the eight-point win.

Eastern Mennonite out-shot the Eagles 47% to 31% in the decisive second half.  For the game, the men had a 41% to 35% edge.  They were also 5-12 from three point range, compared to 1-8 for BC, which made up for losing the rebounding battle, 36-33.  Bridgewater had 15 offensive boards.

Sims finished with a team high 16 points to go with six rebounds.  He scored 14 of EMU’s 20 points over the final 7:38, going 4-for-4 from the floor and 4-for-6 from the free throw line.  He had scored a total of 12 points over EMU’s previous three games, all losses.

Crump and (Capitol Heights, Md./Archbishop Carroll) each added 14 counters, with Crump handing out three assists.  Center (Madison, Va./Madison) was limited by foul trouble in the first half and finished with eight rebounds and six points.

Reddick led all scorers with 22 points.  Tavis Stapleton added 15 points and nine rebounds for the Eagles.

After breaking a three-game losing skid, Eastern Mennonite will look to pick up some momentum when they head to Emory & Henry this Saturday.  Game time is 2 p.m.

VUL earned control of the opening tip, but (Madison, Va./Madison) blocked their shot and (Fort Washington, Md./Friendly) put the Royals on the board with a three pointer from the right corner.  The duo then combined to score EMU’s first 19 points, helping the men to a 21-11 lead.

The Dragons got within four points, before a late surge gave the Royals a 41-27 cushion at intermission.

A 9-0 run early in the second pushed the edge to 52-32, with Eastern Mennonite’s biggest lead coming at 69-42 with 8:48 left to play. The men got careless from there, allowing the Dragons to finish on a 28-9 run for a surprisingly close final score.

EMU shot 43 percent to the floor, compared to 36 percent for Virginia-Lynchburg. The men’s biggest advantage came from long range, where they hit 6-of-15, compared to 2-for-12 for the Dragons.

Falk was unstoppable, as he charted his sixth double double by halftime and finished with 20 points, 16 rebounds and five blocked shots. Sims hit a pair of triples and scored 16.  (Richmond, Va./Highland Springs) came in with 12 points, nine rebounds and four assists.

Lakuan McPhaul led Virginia-Lynchburg with 24 points and four steals.

The Royals play three games next week, starting with Goucher College at home on Monday.  Game time is 7 p.m.

The Royals scored a quick four points to start the game and led by as many as 12 over the opening 20 minutes. But Roanoke scored the final 10 points of the period to get within 41-39 at intermission.

The teams traded leads in the second, before EMU held the Maroons without a field goal for the final five minutes of regulation.

With 5:04 left, Roanoke led 69-63.  The Royals sputtered their comeback attempt by missing their next four free throws, but then got an 8-0 run going when Yates hit a layup with 3:45 to go. (Richmond, Va./Highland Springs) connected on a pair of free throws, and (Madison, Va./Madison) tied the game with a bucket with 2:10 left.

After another RC miss, (Fort Washington, Md./Friendly) cut inside and put the Royals in front, 71-69 with 1:37 on the clock, getting an assist from Crump.

In a wild finish to regulation, the teams combined for six missed shots, three offensive rebounds and three turnovers over the next 94 seconds. The Maroons finally tied the score at 71-71 when Julian Ramirez made two free throws. Sims missed a last-second jumper and the game went into OT.

EMU scored first in the extra session before Roanoke skipped in front by as many as three points. A 5-0 spurt put the Royals back in front, capped by a Crump jumper with 1:01 to go made it 79-77.

Ethan Humphries tied it back up for the home team, hitting a layup with 37 left. But Yates hit the game-winner with five ticks showing, producing the final 81-79 margin. The Maroons missed a three pointer at the buzzer, giving the men their first ODAC win.

The Royals shot 48.5% from the floor, including 4-for-6 in overtime, but they kept the game close by going just 13-25 from the free throw line. Roanoke finished at 44.0% and 10-17 from the stripe.

Crump had a career game as he topped all scorers with 30 points, including three assists, three rebounds and two steals. The junior shot 10-14 from the floor and made 10 of his 11 free throws. Crump becomes the third Royal to score 30 in a game over the past four years. No one has scored more than 30 since it was done four times during the 2009-10 season.

Yates was the only other Royal in double figures as he finished with 18 counters.

Sims tallied nine points. Falk played in foul trouble much of the game, but still had 10 rebounds and three blocked shots. Freshman (Bristow, Va./Patriot) added nine points off the bench.

Andrew Daniels led Roanoke with 20 points. Daniel Eacho added 18 points and 10 rebounds.

Eastern Mennonite has a few days off for final exams. They next play at the Don Glick Classic hosted by Bridgewater College next weekend. The Royals take on Virginia Intermont at 6:00pm on Friday, followed by Final Four team North Central (Ill.) next Saturday at 2:00pm.

“Our overall numbers are down, but I think we’ll actually play more guys,” said Dean.  “I think 11 or 12 of our guys are going to play minutes, so you could make the argument that we’re deeper.  And talent-wise it probably is.  We’re going to run more and shoot a lot more threes.”

EMU’s roster is only 14 deep in 2013-14, after starting with 18 or more in previous years.

Headlining the returners is the lone senior, (Fort Washington, Md./Friendly), an All-ODAC Third Team selection last year.  The 6-5 wing was second on the team and 11th in the ODAC in scoring as a junior with 13.6 points.  The stat-stuffer added 3.9 rebounds and team highs of 2.2 assists and 1.7 steals.

(Capitol Heights, Md./Archbishop Carroll) took over a starting role late last season, and the 6-2 junior has become a step quicker and will look for more minutes in the guard court.  He scored 5.0 points a game last year and quietly shot 48% from long range.  Junior (Madison, Va./Madison) steps into the starting position down low, as the 6-6 big man was good for 7.2 points and 5.5 rebounds last year.  He was also tied for second in the ODAC last season with 1.7 blocks per game.

Wing (Alexandria, Va./T.C. Williams) started 13 games last year, and brings back his 6-7 frame along with 6.8 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.2 steals.  Other returning juniors are 6-2 (Bridgeton, N.J./Salem), 6-6 (Damascus, Md./Damascus) and 6-4 (Prince George, Va./Prince George).

Dean said that group has really stepped up their game this year.

“That junior class is where I’ve seen the most improvement,” he said.  “Woody is ready to give us some level of production, and all of those guys look like they’ve made some really good improvements.”

The junior class will not only help replace the points lost from last year’s team, but also the intangibles, especially from four-year players Andrew Thorne and Owen Longacre.

“I think other guys were influenced by playing with them, and think I’ve seen that already,” Dean said of losing Thorne and Longacre.  “Ryan Yates has been more vocal and has stepped into a leadership role.  And when you’re one of the hardest workers like he is, people are a little more apt to listen to you even if it’s kind of critical.  But it will be hard to replace those guys.”

Eastern Mennonite also adds two junior transfers, (Lancaster, Pa./Hempfield) and (Richmond, Va./Highland Springs).  The 6-4 Yoder averaged 8.1 points in two years at D-III Messiah College (2009-11) before coming to Harrisonburg last year; however, he tore an ACL in his first practice last fall and missed the season.  Crump, another 6-4 wing, scored 5.7 points at D-II Virginia Union last year.  Dean had high praise for both players.

“We would have won 18 or 20 games last year if Chris wouldn’t have gotten injured, he’s that good of a shooter,” explained Dean.  “But he does more than just that, he can jump, he can run and he’s very competitive.  And Marcel is on par with Andrew Thorne athletically.  He instantly becomes one of the best athletes in our league.  If he gets a handle on what Drew brought competitively he’ll be better than him.”

Although there are no sophomores on the team this year, a recruiting class of five talented freshmen expects to see playing time as well: 6-1 (Columbiana, Ohio/Salem), 6-2 (Bristow, Va./Patriot), 6-4 (Charlottesville, Va./Albemarle), 6-4 (Frederick, Md./Tuscarora), and 6-3 (Upper Marlboro, Md./Dr. Henry A. Wise Jr.).

“I think all of the freshmen are going to play,” explained Dean.  “Kwa and EJ are at positions of need, so that will increase their minutes.  But all of those guys are physically and mentally ready to make some contributions now.”

The Runnin Royals lost five of the nine men in their regular rotation last year, and replacing all the minutes, points and rebounds will take some time to figure out in 2013-14.

“I think it’s going to have to be a collective effort from a bunch of different guys,” Dean explained.  “I don’t think we have one guy who will night in and night out be our leading scorer.  But any of starting five, and even our sixth man, could be a leading scorer on any given night.  We’ll be hard to scout because on any given night any of those guys could really hurt you.  By spreading things out we can overcome that loss.”

The Runnin Royals open their season on the road, playing at a tip-off tournament hosted by Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Va., this Saturday and Sunday.  Their first game is against Staten Island, and it will be the first of nine contests against a team which qualified for the NCAA National Tournament last spring.

While Dean knows that his schedule will be a big challenge for a team still getting used to each other, he also knows it could work as a positive.

“It can work for you or against you,” he said.  “If it kills your confidence to lose to really good teams, then it hurts, but if you can be competitive and steal a couple of wins your guys could look around and say, ‘we could play with anybody.’  I make sure the guys understand the level of competition they are playing against.  I’ll expect to go in and win.  And a lot of times a middle of the pack ODAC is a really good team.  Hopefully that helps us.”

As usual, the Old Dominion Athletic Conference expects to be one of the toughest, most-balanced leagues in the nation.  But with only seven of the 18 All-ODAC honorees from last year returning around the conference, 2013-14 has potential to produce a lot of upheaval.

“I think that’s one of the advantages of playing the hard schedule that we’re playing, because we’ll be more ready for the ODAC season,” said Dean.  “It could come down to a possession here and a possession there.  And a game here and a game there could be the difference between finishing 3rd or 4th or 11th or 12th.”

Dean knows his way around the ODAC, as this year he will coach his 11th season, equaling him with his predecessor, Tom Baker, as the longest-tenured Eastern Mennonite men’s basketball coaches.  As the holder of four of the ten .500-or-better seasons in program history, Dean also has the most wins in men’s history with a career record of 134-129.

He has one regular season ODAC title, as well as the program’s only national tournament appearance.  He hopes this year’s team can peak at the right time to make their own mark.

“I just hope that whatever our ceiling is, about the first of February we’re reaching it,” said Dean.  “If that’s the case, then I don’t think anything is off the table.  You don’t want to be ridiculously optimistic, and so I don’t think we’re ready at this moment to be the regular season champs.  But I think by mid-February we could be ready to be the ODAC Tournament champs.”

The Runnin Royals finished with a record of 15-12 including 7-9 for eighth in the ODAC.  EMU won at Washington and Lee in the first round of the ODAC Tournament before falling to top-seeded Virginia Wesleyan in the quarterfinals.

After opening this year at the tip-off tourney at Mary Washington, and a non-conference game at Elizabethtown on Nov. 20, the men have their home opener against ODAC opponent Lynchburg on Saturday, Nov. 23.