Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
Buffalo
Second-Half Comeback Falls Short for Eagles in 68-64 Loss at Buffalo
2/10/2008 6:25:45 PM | Men's Basketball
Eagles make late charge only to fall in final stages
Box score.
AMHERST, N.Y. — A furious second-half comeback fell just short for the Eastern Michigan University men’s basketball team as the Eagles fell to the University at Buffalo, 68-64, in a Mid-American Conference cross-divisional game here Sunday afternoon in Alumni Arena.
The Eagles fought back from a 34-26 halftime deficit to force a 64-64 tie on two free throws by Carlos Medlock (Detroit, Mich.-Murray Wright) with just 1:44 left. Buffalo came right back to take a two-point lead with 48 seconds left on a jumper by Byron Mulkey. Medlock then barely missed a 3-pointer and Buffalo managed to close out the game with four free throws for the four-point win.
The loss drops the Eagles to 8-14 overall and 4-6 in the MAC. Buffalo improves to 8-14 overall and 2-8 in league action. Jesse Bunkley (Detroit, Mich.-CMA-Mott C.C.) led the Eagles with 15
points followed by Medlock with 12 and Zane Gay (Olivet, Mich.-Olivet) with 11. Calvin Betts paced the Bulls with 14 while Byron Mulkey added 12.
The Bulls jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead to start the game before Justin Dobbins (Cleveland, Ohio-Glenville) answered with a dunk for the Eagles followed by an 18-foot jumper from Wendale Farrow (Sacramento, Calif.-Mira Loma-American River J.C.) to tie the game at 4-4.
The Bulls quickly ran their advantage to seven, 16-13, over the next four minutes, with most of the damage coming from two 3-point field goals by Sean Smiley.
The Eagles found a quick offensive burst of their own, however, with Medlock connecting on a 3-point goal and a layup and Gay adding a three to give the Eagles a 17-16 lead with 10:23 left in the half.
Buffalo once again went to the 3-point shot to forge a 29-23 lead with 4:52 left on two consecutive triples by Byron Mulkey. The Bulls would add five more points while limiting the Eagles to one 3-point field goal, by Bunkley over the final six minutes to take a 34-26 lead into the locker room at halftime.
Bunkley set the tone at the start of the second half with a long 3-pointer to open the scoring, but the Bulls managed to keep their lead at six to eight points through the first six minutes of play before the Eagles started to chip away at the deficit.
Trailing by eight, 46-38, the Eagles recorded a layup by Dobbins, two Jarred Axon (Jackson, Mich.-Jackson-Schoolcraft C.C.) free throws and a layup by Gay while Buffalo added one basket to move the Eagles within four, 48-44, with 13:02 remaining.
The Eagles continued to put the offensive pressure on Buffalo and three consecutive 3-pointers, two by Bunkley and one by Gay, put EMU up 57-55 with 8:30 left in the game.
