Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
Buffalo
EMU Host MAC East Division Leader Thursday
2/9/2009 3:32:18 PM | Men's Basketball
Game time set for 7 p.m. at the Convocation Center
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MAC EAST DIVISION LEADERS HEAD TO YPSILANTI: The University at Buffalo is not only the leading team in the Mid-American Conference East Division with an 8-1 record, but the Bulls also sport the league's best overall record at 16-5. The Bulls have won eight games in a row heading into Thursday's, Feb. 12, league cross-divisional game in EMU's Convocation Center.
RAMSEY BACK IN ACTION: EMU Head Men's Basketball Coach Charles E. Ramsey is back in action full time after missing three games with a benign case of vertigo. Ramsey missed the Western Michigan game, Jan. 24, the Jan. 27 matchup at Kent State and the Eagles' Jan. 31 home contest against Miami. Ramsey was improved enough to return to the bench at home against Akron, Feb. 3, and also traveled to Ohio last weekend, Feb. 7, for the Ohio game. Associate Head Coach Derrick McDowell served as the interim head coach in Ramsey's absence.
EMU DRAWS GEORGIA STATE FOR BRACKETBUSTER GAME: The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team will host Georgia State University in the seventh annual ESPNU BracketBuster Saturday, Feb. 21, at 4 p.m. The game will be part of a doubleheader in the Convocation Center with the EMU women's team hosting Northern Illinois University at 2 p.m. The Panthers of Georgia State are a member of the Colonial Athletic Association and are currently 6-16 overall and 4-7 in the CAA. The EMU-GSU matchup will be the first men's basketball game between the schools. EMU is 1-1 all-time versus the Richmond, Va. based conference. EMU defeated Old Dominion, 79-78, in the first round of the Carrier Classic in Syracuse, N.Y., Dec. 13, 1996. The then-Hurons fell to UNC Wilmington, 68-64, in the opening round contest of the Indiana Classic, Dec. 11, 1982, in EMU's only other meeting with a CAA member.
NEXT UP: After Thursday's, Feb. 12, home game against Buffalo, the Eagles play a rare Sunday night game, Feb. 15, when they travel to Bowling Green, Ohio for a 7 p.m. tip against the Falcons of BGSU.
FOR THE 112th TIME: The 2008-09 season is the 112th of intercollegiate basketball for the Eastern Michigan University Eagles. Eastern played its first season in 1897-98 and split games with Detroit, losing a 2-0 decision before coming back for a 4-0 victory. The 2008-09 season will also be the 35th for the Eagles in the Mid-American Conference. The first year of MAC play for EMU was 1974-75 when the then-Hurons went 12-14 overall and 4-9 in the league. EMU has won three Mid-American Conference titles: 1987-88, 1990-91, and 1995-96, and the Green and White captured MAC Tournament crowns in all three of those years in addition to winning the tournament title in 1997-98.
EMU AND BUFFALO: EMU enters Thursday's, Feb. 12, home game against Buffalo with a 3-20 overall record and a 1-8 Mid-American Conference mark. The Eagles lost their seventh game in a row, 57-45, at Ohio Saturday, Feb. 7. Redshirt sophomore Brandon Bowdry (St. Louis, Mo.-Taylor (Mich.) Truman) continues to lead the Eagles in both scoring, 15.3 ppg, and rebounding, 6.8 rpg.
Buffalo enters Thursday's game with the best record in the MAC, 16-5. The Bulls are also the top team in the conference with a league-best 8-2 record. The Bulls have won eight consecutive games, including a 68-46 home victory over Northern Illinois Saturday, Feb. 7. Redshirt junior guard Rodney Pierce leads the Bulls with a 14.5 scoring average while junior guard Calvin Betts is the second-leading scorer, 10.7, and the top rebounder at 6.4 caroms per contest.
THE SERIES: EMU and Buffalo are meeting for the 15th time and the series is deadlocked at 7-7. Buffalo edged Eastern, 68-64, in last year's game, Feb. 10, 2008. Eastern won the previous decision, 89-76, Jan. 28, 2007, at home in the Convocation Center.
BOWDRY HITS 16 STRAIGHT: EMU redshirt sophomore Brandon Bowdry (St. Louis, Mo.-Taylor (Mich.) Truman) continues to shoulder the scoring load for the Eagles, turning in 16 consecutive double-figure performances. The 6-foot-6 Bowdry has scored in double figures 20 times this season. He has led the team in scoring 17 times this season and has been the top rebounder in 13 games.
REACHING 600/300: Junior center Justin Dobbins (Cleveland, Ohio-Glenville) is the 72nd player in EMU history to reach the 600-point plateau with 684 heading into the Buffalo game, Feb. 12, 2009. Dobbins has played in 79 games, starting 64 times, and his 684 points is 60th in EMU history. He is currently 47th in rebounding at 351.
BOWDRY MOVES UP: Despite playing in just 55 games in his career, redshirt sophomore Brandon Bowdry (St. Louis, Mo.-Taylor (Mich.) Truman), is climbing the EMU career points and rebound ladder at a brisk pace. Bowdry, who has started in 50 of the 54 games in which he has played, is currently 69th on the EMU career scoring list with 618 points and his 329 career rebounds is 54th. A total of 61 players in EMU history have recorded 300+ rebounds in their careers and Bowdry is the 73rd player to reach 600 points.
