BRIDGEWATER, Va. - Eastern Mennonite wiped out a four-point halftime deficit by controlling play in the second half to defeat Bridgewater College, 80-49, Wednesday evening in ODAC action.

The Eagles held the upper hand for most of the first half, leading by as many as nine points. Bridgewater built its lead by controlling the boards by a 27-15 margin in the first 20 minutes.

Bridgewater used a 13-4 spurt midway through the first half to take its biggest lead. With the score tied at 9-9, Ronnie Thomas scored in the paint to put the Eagles on top.

Thomas then added a runner in the lane and two free throws to give the Eagles a 15-9 lead. Aaron Adams then worked the paint for a layup to push the margin to eight before R.J. Sims hit a jumper to break the EMU drought. Bridgewater's Benaiah Wise answered with a 3-pointer and the Eagles led 22-13 with 6:24 left in the first half.

A Thomas 3-pointer gave the Eagles a 28-20 lead with 2:51 left in the half, but the Royals finished the first half with a 7-4 run to cut the lead to 31-27 at the break.

The second half was all EMU. The Royals broke the game open with a 15-0 spurt, turning a 37-37 tie into a 52-37 lead. The Royals shot 60 percent from the field in the second half while holding the Eagles to just 27 percent. EMU also took over the glass, outrebounding the Eagles 28-15 in the final 20 minutes.

Adams led the Eagles with 16 points and Thomas added 14. Ed Reddick finished with eight points and a team-high 10 rebounds.

Sims led five EMU players in double digits with 12 points while Andrew Thorne just missed a double-double with 10 points and nine boards.

The Eagles fall to 4-12 overall and 1-6 in the ODAC. EMU is now 7-9, 2-5 in the ODAC.

Bridgewater is back in action Saturday afternoon at Roanoke College.