OWINGS MILLS, Md. – In the MAC Commonwealth opener for both teams, the Stevenson University men's basketball team dropped an 80-74 decision to Eastern on Wednesday night.
 
The Mustangs (6-6, 0-1 MAC Commonwealth) got 19 points from Cameron Smith and 17 points from Rasheed Cooley in the loss, while Joey Lutz scored 15 off the bench and Ronald Ayers added in 12. Smith had a team-high eight rebounds.
 
Eastern (9-3, 1-0 MAC Commonwealth) got 17 points each from Jaron Fairweather and Zubair Lee in the win, with Kaeshawn Ward getting 13 and Nick Mate netting 12.
 
Fairweather and Lee each had a double-double with Fairweather getting 11 rebounds and Lee taking ten caroms. Ward dished out six assists.
 
Stevenson led by as much as ten in the first half, as a three-point play by Lutz with 7:41 left gave the Mustangs a 26-16 lead. Leading 29-23, Eastern would go on a 8-2 run to tie the score at 31-all with 59 seconds left on a three-pointer by Mate.
 
Another Mate three, with just 38 seconds left, gave the Eagles a 34-31 lead.
 
Leading 35-32 at intermission, Eastern saw Stevenson jump back in front 42-41 on a jumper by Cooley.
 
Knotted at 51-all, a three-pointer by Mick with 12:17 left in the half gave Eastern the lead for good at 54-53. Stevenson would get back within three at 54-53, but, got no closer.
 
Stevenson makes the trek to Widener to take on the 15^th-ranked Pride on Saturday.