WINCHESTER, Va. - No. 3 Eastern Mennonite used a big run midway through the second half to key an 85-71 non-conference men's basketball victory over host Shenandoah University Monday evening.

With Shenandoah (0-1) leading 62-61 with 7:22 to play following a Eugene Edwards layup, Eastern Mennonite scored the game's next 10 points in just 48 seconds to take the lead for good.

Senior Todd Phillips, a first team pre-season All-American, keyed this run by making a steal in the backcourt and drawing an intentional foul on the Hornets Mitch Dudley.

Phillips made the most of the opportunity by making both free throws and then canning a 3-pointer after EMU kept possession on the intentional foul call.

From this point on, Shenandoah could get no closer than six points.

The spurt ended a battle in which the two teams traded the lead eight times and were tied on seven other occasions.

Eastern Mennonite had looked to pull away earlier in the second, leading by nine after Josh Mallory '3' at the 10:50 mark, but SU answered by going on a 12-2 run of its own that ended with the Edwards layup.

In the first half, the margin was even closer, as both teams were within three points of each other until EMU scored the final three points of the stanza to take a 33-29 lead at the half.

Two quick Royals buckets to start the second pushed the advantage to eight before Shenandoah was able to go on a run of its own.

George Johnson led the victors with 17 points; he was one of five players in double figures for EMU.

Dudley had 16 points and a game-high 18 rebounds for the Hornets with classmate Kevin Kline adding 14 points.

Shenandoah outrebounded EMU 42-35, but committed 30 turnovers that led to 36 Eastern Mennonite points.

SU continues its run of top three opponents with No. 2 Randolph-Macon on Friday at 8 p.m. This game is part of the opening round of the Gettysburg Tournament.

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