September has come and gone, October is moving along at a rapid pace, and the start of basketball season is right around the corner. Basketball at Eastern has a distinct atmosphere. The gym risers are tightly packed with students, staff, and members of the community. The student section is rowdy every game, with fans from other sports teams coming out to support basketball.
The men’s season officially gets underway with the Gettysburg Tip-Off Tournament on Nov. 7 and 8. On Nov. 7, the Eagles face Randolph-Macon College. The Eagles have never faced the Yellow Jackets before, so this should be a fun matchup that you can catch on EagleVision. The second game of the tournament will be against either Gettysburg or Wilson, depending on how the first round goes.
In total, the Eagles have 12 non-conference matchups before opening their conference schedule against York College on Jan. 7 in The Nest. Since joining the MAC Commonwealth in 2020, York College is 4–5 against Eastern, so historically, the Eagles have the winning record. In the games they lost to York, all were within 12-point margins, so the Eagles have fared quite well against the Spartans.
Looking ahead, Eastern’s toughest opponent will most likely be Messiah University. Messiah has always been a tough matchup for the Eagles in any sport. The all-time record is 25–29, meaning Messiah holds the slight edge, but Eastern always puts up a fight against the Falcons. In their last matchup in February, the Eagles took it to the Falcons and won by a final score of 86–65.
As the season gets underway, many players are excited to grow closer with their teammates. Eastern forward AJ Williams said that bonding with his teammates and facing strong competition are what he’s most excited for this season.
“I think we will be pretty successful. We’ll definitely face some bumps and bruises due to the competition we face, but as long as we stay committed to one another, we’re capable of making some noise in the MAC and nationally,” said Williams on how the team looks this year.
Turning to the women’s side, the Eagles finished last year with a 2–23 overall record and 1–13 in the MAC Commonwealth. The women’s team starts off their season with a matchup against Lancaster Bible College, a team the Eagles have beaten six times. It would be great to start the year on a high note after a challenging season.
Like the men, the women also have a weekend series to start the year. On Saturday, Nov.15, the Eagles face Roanoke College, and on Nov. 16, they play Hollins University. Both games will be held in Salem, Virginia. The Eagles have 11 non-conference matchups before hosting York College for their conference opener on Jan. 7 at The Nest.
The women’s team also features several dual-sport athletes. 2025 marked the inaugural season for Eastern Flag Football, and after the basketball season ended, multiple players joined the new team. Perhaps the basketball team can build off the flag football program’s success in 2025.
Both basketball programs are exciting to watch, and with fierce competition up ahead, there are sure to memorable games students won’t want to miss.