Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
Northern Illinois
Bowler Scores Career-High 32 at Northern Illinois
2/26/2006 8:44:11 PM | Men's Basketball
Eagles Drop 94-61 decision versus the Huskies
DeKALB, Ill. -- Senior John Bowler poured in a career-high 32 points on 13-of-25 shooting, but an overall lack of offensive firepower proved disastrous for the Eastern Michigan University men’s basketball team here Sunday afternoon on senior day at the NIU Convocation Center.
The visiting Eagles were held to 25 first-half points, trailing 46-25, at intermission, and Northern Illinois went on to out score Eastern, 48-36, in the second half as the Huskies posted a 94-61 victory.
Eastern (6-19; 2-14) shot just 38.7 for the game (24-of-62) while Northern Illinois was making 52.4 percent of its shots (33-of-63). Eastern was also slowed by turnovers, committing 18 miscues which lead to 20 NIU points.
Northern Illinois opened the game with a basketball by Anthony Maestranzi to make it 2-0 just 30 seconds into the contest. A layup by sophomore Nick Freer promptly tied the game at 2, but Maestranzi followed it up with a three-point field goal to give the Huskies a lead it would never relinquish.
Northern used a 17-3 run over the next three minutes to make the score 22-5 with 15 minutes still remaining in the period. Eastern would cut the deficit to 12, 24-12, on a Danny McElhinny trey at the 12:43 mark. The lead would remain between 13 and 18 points until with 5:19 showing on the clock, NIU would use another big run of 13-0 to ballon the lead to 26, 46-20.
The Eagles were able to chip away to get the score back to 21, 46-25, as the teams headed to the locker room at the half.
Following the intermission the Eagles used a quick 4-0 spurt to cut it to 17, 46-29, but that would be as close as EMU would get as Northern Illinois coasted to the 33-point victory.
Bowler was the lone Eagle to reach double figures in points with 32, sophomore James Matthews was the next highest scorer with eight points. Freshman guard Carlos Medlock added six points and three assists while Freer scored six points.
Northern Illinois (15-10; 10-6) was led by Todd Peterson with a 22 points. Maestranzi scored 15 for the Huskeis and Quintan Lipkins added 12.
The Eagles return to action Wednesday, March 1, traveling to Mt. Pleasant, Mich. for a 7 p.m. tip-off versus instate rival Central Michigan.
