BRIDGEWATER, Va. - Bridgewater College hit 51 percent of its shots in the first half to open up a 42-21 lead and the Eagles coasted the rest of the way to a 72-49 victory over Susquehanna University in the season-opener at Nininger Hall.

Bridgewater jumped out to a quick 5-0 lead on a three-point play by Jake Johnson (Round Hill, Va./Loudoun Valley) and a layup by Justin Brake (Greenville, Va./Riverheads) and the Eagles never trailed.

After the Crusaders cut the lead to 8-4, Bridgewater scored six straight points to take its first double-digit lead at 14-4. That was the start of a 9-1 run that put the Eagles on top 17-5. By the end of the half, Bridgewater had increased its lead to 21 points, doubling the score in the Crusaders, 42-21.

"I was pleased with the way the guys came out to start the game. From the opening tip with had good energy and intensity at the defensive end of the court," Bridgewater second-year coach Don Burgess said. "We did a good job on the boards, we outrebounded them by 15, and we kept the defensive intensity up the entire game."

Bridgewater's shooting percentage dropped off in the second half, but the defensive effort stayed solid. After holding Susquehanna to just 26.9 percent shooting in the first half, the Eagles limited the visitors to just 34.4 percent in the second half of play.

Senior guard Dominic Trawick (Manassas, Va./Osbourn Park) led the Eagles with a game-high 20 points and senior backcourt mate D.J. Billups Logan, N.J./Kingsway Regional) added 13 points and a team-high five assists. Johnson scored nine points, all in the first half and Brake added seven in his first career start.

Fran Brzyski (Jamison, Pa./Archbishop Wood Catholic) led Susquehanna with eight points.

"I thought our starting five did an outstanding job to start the game," Burgess said. "Justin Brake plays with so much energy on the defensive end and I think our other guys feed off that. That's why he's in the starting lineup."

The Eagles also received solid contributions off the bench. Kyle Hammond (Bluefield, W.Va./Bluefield) scored six points and grabbed three boards and Lyndon Humphries (Staunton, Va./Riverheads) added four points and four rebounds in his first action at the college level.

"I thought our guys coming off the bench did a great job of going in and maintaining the intensity level. Lyndon, Kyle, Drew Maynard, Meat (Mark Gibbs), Russell White, Rick (Maloney) - all those guys gave us some good minutes."

The Eagles return to action next weekend when they host the annual BC/Don Glick Classic. Action begins Saturday at 6:00 p.m. when Eastern Mennonite plays Averett followed by the Eagles hosting Wesley.

Sunday, EMU plays Wesley at 2:00 p.m. with BC and Averett meeting in the final game.