Eagles Rally For the Win Against SEMO

Box score.

YPSILANTI, Mich.- After being down by as many as 10 points, the Eastern Michigan University men’s basketball team was able to come back and defeat Southeast Missouri State, 86-82, here today at the Convocation Center in 2008 O’Reilly Auto Parts/ESPNU BracketBuster action.

After starting slowly, the Eagles were able to patiently whittle away at the lead before going on a deciding 16-3 run over the first five minutes of the second half. EMU was also able to withstand a flurry of 3-pointers by the Redhawks over the final minute to record the win.

With the win, the Eagles improve to 11-15 (6-7 MAC), while the Redhawks fall to 12-17 (7-11 OVC). EMU was led by senior Jarred Axon (Jackson, Mich.-Jackson-Schoolcraft C.C.) with a career-high 29 points off the bench on 8-of-15 shooting, including 5-of-11 from beyond the arc. Carlos Medlock (Detroit, Mich.-Murray Wright) scored 24, with six assists, while Justin Dobbins (Cleveland, Ohio-Glenville) chipped in 10 points. Tyler Jones (Belleville, Mich.-Belleville) grabbed a career high seven boards to lead the Eagles.

For the game, the Eagles shot 40.7 percent (22-of-54) compared to 46.4 percent (26-of-56) for the Redhawks. SEMO also out-rebounded the Eagles by two, 36-34. EMU hit 80.5 percent (33-of-41) from the free throw line to hold off the Redhakws. The EMU bench scored 56 points on the evening.

The first half was one of runs, as the Redhawks opened the game on a 12-2 run over the first six minutes. An Axon triple and a Justin Dobbins lay-up brought the Eagles back within five with 13:23 to go in the first half. SEMO pushed the lead to eight before the Eagles began to chip away. A Zane Gay (Olivet, Mich.-Olivet) 3-pointer brought the home team back within three, 20-17, with 9:09 remaining.

SEMO scored the next seven points to take its largest lead of the half, 27-17, at the 6:16 mark. Dobbins then scored four straight points, forcing the Redhawks to burn a timeout with 4:47 remaining in the half. EMU once again would chip away at the lead, getting within one, 33-32 off another Axon trey, with 1:30 on the clock.

The Redhawks went into the locker room with a slim one-point advantage, 35-34, after leading by as many as 10. EMU was led by Axon with 15 first half points, including three triples. The Eagles shot 34.3 percent (12-of-35) in the first half, compared to 58.3 percent (14-of-24) for SEMO.

The Eagles took their first lead of the game since the opening basket when Carlos Medlock hit a 3-pointer from the left wing with 18:08 to go in the game to put EMU up 40-37. Axon’s fifth triple of the evening gave the Eagles a 10-point advantage with 15:10 remaining. An acrobatic lay-in by Cooper off the feed from Medlock capped a 16-3 run to open the second half.

SEMO closed the gap to eight with 11:04 to go, but EMU rattled off six consecutive points to keep the lead at 14, 61-47 with less than 10 minutes to go. The Redhawks got within eight, 68-60 with 3:59 on the clock. SEMO continued to hang around, trading baskets with the Eagles. A pair of free throws by Jones pushed the lead back to 10, 73-63 with 1:58 remaining.

The Redhawks would not go quietly, however, as they hit five treys over the last minute to keep the game close. EMU would hit its free throws, going 9-of-10 from the line during that span to record the four-point victory.

The Eagles are back in action next Saturday, March 1, when they host Ball State University. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. at the Convocation Center.

Eastern Michigan Athletics

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