Mary Baldwin senior forward Vernon Fraley poured in a game-high 20 points, hitting 9 of 10 field goal attempts, and shared team-high rebounding honors with seven, but a late six-point surge by host Eastern Mennonite was the difference in Sunday's 73-70 men's basketball victory over the Fighting Squirrels.

Sophomores Logan Barbour (14 pts.) and Zach Sloan (11 pts.) also contributed for MBU.  Junior Luke Ogle shared team-high rebounding honors with Fraley, each with seven, as the visitors held a 35-28 advantage on the glass.

The teams battled back and forth in the first half, with MBU securing the largest lead of the opening 20 minutes, 30-26, on a Barbour three point goal.  Barbour dropped in three of the Fighting Squirrels long-range shots in the game.  But EMU bounced back to finish the half with a 35-34 advantage.

The Royals, which were led by Jazen Walker (16 points) and Aviwe Mahlong (14 pts.), broke open a tight game in the last six minutes with a six-point surge, building a 68-61 lead with 3:52 left on two Aaron Brooks free throws.   MBU closed the gap to 70-68 on a Barbour layup in the final minute, but the hosts hit three free throws down the stretch to secure the win.

After a break for the holidays, the Fighting Squirrels return to action with four road games before playing again at the PAC.  The stretch starts with a neutral-site game against Geneva College in the first round of a tournament at Juniata College on Dec. 29.