Box Score
YPSILANTI, Mich. — Sophomore point-guard Carlos Medlock (Detroit, Mich.-Murray Wright) knocked down two clutch free-throws with 16 seconds left in regulation to lead the Eastern Michigan University men’s basketball team to a 63-62 Mid-American Conference West Division victory over Northern Illinois University here Wednesday night in the Convocation Center. The victory marks only the third time EMU (6-9, 1-1 MAC) has defeated NIU (4-10, 1-1 MAC) over the last 15 games between the two schools.
With the score tied at 61-61 and 34 seconds left in the game, NIU guard Mike McKinney hit the first of two free-throws to give the Huskies a 62-61 lead. McKinney then missed the second free throw and freshman forward Brandon Bowdry (Taylor, Mich.-Truman) hauled in the rebound and fed the ball to Medlock who was then fouled by NIU’s Ryan Paradise, his fifth foul of the game, with 16 seconds left. Medlock calmly sank both charity tosses for the one-point EMU lead.
Northern then pushed the ball up court but Mike McKinney’s runner in the lane bounced off the rim and Eastern’s Jesse Bunkley (Detroit, Mich.-CMA-Mott C.C.) hauled in the rebound and the Eagles held the ball as the horn sounded.
EMU was led by Medlock with 15 points, going a perfect 4-of 4 from the free-throw line while connecting on 5-of-10 shots from the field. Bunkley chipped in with nine points. Senior forward Chris Knaub (South Bend, Ind.-St. Joseph-Jacksonville (Texas) J.C.) led the Eagles on the glass notching a career-high nine rebounds.
NIU was paced by senior center James Hughes who led all scorers with 20 points while Paradise added 18 points.
Bowdry got the Eagles off to a good start during the second half with a thunder dunk to put EMU up, 39-34, with 14:37 remaining in the game. However, NIU was unfazed as the Huskies ripped off the next eight points to take a 42-39 lead. Medlock hit a jumper and two free-throws to help pull EMU within one, 46-45. Bunkley and Craig Cashen (Cincinnati, Ohio-Xavier) hit back-to-back lay-ups to give EMU the lead, 49-48, at the 7:22 mark. Northern Illinois got two free throws and connected on a three pointer to retake the lead, 53-51, before Bunkley hit a three to put EMU up 54-53 with 5:26 left. NIU once again responded with an 8-3 run to take a 61-57 lead at the 1:46 mark. Bowdry then knocked down a pair of free throws to pull EMU within two, 61-59, and Medlock followed with a layup to tie the score with 34 seconds remaining.
EMU came out of the gate on a quick 9-2 run over the first three minutes of the game. NIU responded to cut the lead to 11-9 before Medlock hit a three-pointer to put the Eagles up 14-9 by the first media time out. Bowdry connected on a jumper and Knaub completed a three-point play to give EMU a 10-point lead, 19-9. Both teams traded baskets with Eastern leading 21-11 at the 11-minute mark. Hughes completed a three-point play of his own which sparked a 10-3 run to pull the Huskies within three, 24-21 with 6:39 left in the half. NIU went on to out score EMU 9-6 to take it first lead of the game, 30-29, with 30 seconds left. The lead would not last long as Jarred Axon (Jackson, Mich.-Jackson-Schoolcraft C.C.) knocked down a three-point bucket with seven seconds left to give the Eagles a 32-30 lead heading into the lockerroom. Axon led EMU with six points while Hughes paced NIU with 11 points.
EMU now hits the road, traveling to Muncie, Ind. for a conference tilt against Ball State Saturday, Jan. 13, at 2 p.m. The game will be televised on Comcast Local.
