Harrisonburg, VA – The Southern Virginia University men's basketball team improved to 5-2 on the season with a 76-66 victory over Eastern Mennonite University, fueled by a dominant second-half performance.

The game began as a tight contest, with the Royals holding a slim lead early. Eastern Mennonite extended their advantage to as much as nine points in the first 15 minutes, only for the Knights to mount a comeback, tying the game at 31 behind a strong push. Key contributions from DJ Green, Luc Devore, and Tillman Johnson kept the Knights in the fight.

Eastern Mennonite managed to gain momentum late in the half, pushing ahead by five points. However, two free throws from Eli Ballstaedt just before the break trimmed the deficit to 36-33.

The Knights struggled with their shooting in the opening frame, hitting just 40% from the field and 11.1% (1-9) from three-point range. Meanwhile, the Royals capitalized from beyond the arc, going 7-16 (43.8%) and shooting 42% overall. Despite the shooting disparity, Southern Virginia stayed competitive thanks to their defensive intensity, leading in both steals and rebounds in the half.

Southern Virginia came out of the locker room with renewed energy. DJ Green opened the half with a three-pointer to tie the game and followed it with a layup to give the Knights the lead. Contributions from Johnson and Christian Goode helped the Knights build an eight-point advantage.

During a pivotal 10-minute stretch in the second half, the Knights showcased discipline and control, committing just one turnover compared to the Royals' seven. This careful play allowed Southern Virginia to extend their lead.

Late-game heroics from Green and Ballstaedt pushed the lead to 13 points with six minutes remaining. The Knights' offense hit its stride in crunch time, sealing the game with clutch execution to secure the 76-66 victory.

Tyler Kartchner led all scorers with 18 points on an efficient 7-10 shooting, adding five rebounds and a block.

DJ Green followed with 14 points, while Eli Ballstaedt and Christian Goode chipped in 13 points each.

The victory marks the Knights' seventh consecutive win over the Royals.

Southern Virginia will take on Division I opponent Coastal Carolina University in an exhibition matchup before returning home on Saturday, December 14, for a 4:00 PM game.

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