Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
St. Bonaventure
Men’s Basketball Drops 86-78 Decision to St. Bonaventure
12/20/2008 6:50:15 PM | Men's Basketball
EMU’s Brandon Bowdry scores game-high 21 points
Box score.
Click Here to Watch Coach Ramsey's Postgame Press Conference.
YPSILANTI, Mich. –The Eastern Michigan University men’s basketball team dropped a 86-78 non-conference decision to the visiting St. Bonaventure University Saturday, Dec. 20. The game, dubbed "George Gervin Day," honored EMU and NBA legend George "Iceman" Gervin in a halftime ceremony. Gervin received an honorary baccalaureate degree from Eastern Michigan.
With the loss, the Eagles fall to 2-8 on the season while the Bonnies improve to 7-3. SBU hit 58 percent (29-of-50) for the game, including 60 percent (3-of-5) from behind the arc, compared to 44.8 percent (26-of-58) and 37.5 percent (6-of-16), respectively, for the Eagles.
Sophomore forward Brandon Bowdry (St. Louis, Mo.-Taylor Truman (Mich.)) led the Eagles with a game-high 21 points and seven rebounds. Senior center Justin Dobbins (Cleveland, Ohio-Glenville) chipped in 15 points while adding five off the glass. Sophomore guard Solomon Farris (Detroit, Mich.-Osborn) notched in 13 points of his own.
Andrew Nicholson led four SBU players in double-figures with 19 points.
After trailing by as many as 19 in the first half 18 at the break, the Eagles came out firing at the start of the second half, putting together an 11-2 run to open the second frame and closing the St. Bonaventure lead to just nine, 52-43, with 17:39 remaining in the game.
The Bonnies would not go away, putting together a 10-point run over the next 1:25 to lead, 62-43, with 16:13 showing on the clock.
After a Zane Gay (Olivet, Mich.-Olivet) layup and a bucket by SBU’s Ray Blackburn, Bowdry drained a jumper to spark a 7-0 EMU run, cutting the deficit to 12, 64-52. After two charity throws by SBU’s Chris Matthews, a Will Copper (Detroit, Mich.-Pershing-Bridgton Academy) dunk and a Tyler Jones (Belleville, Mich.-Belleville) free throw would close the gap to 11, 66-55, with 10:42 remaining.
With 48 seconds remaining in the game, the Eagles would cut its deficit to just six points, 83-77, but SBU would hold on for the win.
The Eagles would strike first, as Farris connected to Bowdry for the bucket, but the Bonnies were quick to respond and the two teams traded scores before St. Bonaventure took a two-point lead, 8-6, with 17:00 showing in the first frame.
St. Bonaventure continued to build upon its lead, with its largest advantage coming with 1:10 remaining in the half. A layup and charity shot by Dobbins cut the Eagles’ deficit to 16, but a jumper by SBU’s Maurice Thomas with 27 seconds remaining would but the visitors up by 18, 50-32, heading into intermission.
Dobbins led all EMU scorers at the break with eight points and four rebounds, while Thomas hit double-figures for the Bonnies with 14.
Despite hitting 42.3 percent (11-of-26) in the first half, the Eagles struggled against a streaking St. Bonaventure, who hit 62.5 percent (20-of-32) from the field.
The Eagles will be back in action Monday, Dec. 22, as the Oakland University Grizzlies invade the Convocation Center. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.
