Box Score MIDDLETOWN, PA – The St. Joseph's University, New York (Brooklyn) men's basketball team opened their 2026-27 season Saturday night, falling to the Eagles of Eastern University, 88-64, on the first night of action at the Penn State Harrisburg Tip-Off Classic.
The Bears were paced by sophomore guard Justin Munson (Middle Village, N.Y.), who had 14 points, seven rebounds, and four assists on the evening. Junior forward Austin Wrynn (Port Washington, N.Y.) connected on eight of his 13 shots and led the team in scoring with 16.
The two teams were mostly level through the first part of the game's first half. Eastern University maintained an edge throughout, but the Bears hovered close. A jump shot by junior Colin Mills (White Plains, N.Y.) brought St. Joseph's (Brooklyn) to within one, 12-13, with over 12 minutes remaining in the opening half and, as the teams figured one another out, there was an expectation the back and forth would continue. The Eagles then soared ahead on a 13-0 run over the next four minutes of game time and spread their lead to 14, 26-12. St. Joseph's (Brooklyn) held ground from that point on, with Wrynn's activity off the bench providing early stability and energy. Eastern, though, managed to keep their comfortable lead heading into the halftime break. The Eagles were up 38-25 at the end of the first.
In the second half, the Eagles' scoring picked up more. They connected on nearly 60 percent of their shot attempts after halftime, doubled the Bears in three-point makes during the period, and held St. Joseph's (Brooklyn) out of their offense on the other end. Led by sophomore Kai Gaston, Eastern University stole the ball away eight times in the second half alone (and had 13 overall), keeping the Bears from establishing the rhythm needed to mount a comeback. Eastern stretched their lead further and to its peak, 88-60, before they held on for the 88-64 victory over St. Joseph's (Brooklyn).
Senior forward Dejuan Taylor led the Eagles and all scorers on the night with 20 points, to which he added five rebounds. Gaston, junior Connor Fleet, senior Bryson Spruell, and junior Mason Lewis were the other Eagles who scored in double digits.
St. Joseph's (Brooklyn) will have a chance to bounce back in their second game of the Penn State Harrisburg Tip-Off Classic. The Bears play the Mighty Macs of Immaculata University tomorrow, November 8, to kick off the final day of tournament action. Tip-off in the Capital Union Building on the campus of Penn State Harrisburg will be at 1:00 p.m.
