Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
Ball State
Eagles Close Out Regular Season with Road Tilt at Ball State
3/5/2009 4:37:34 PM | Men's Basketball
Game will be shown on Direct TV (channel 664) and Dish Network (channel 447) along with Comcast (channel 901)
Click Here for the Complete Release (PDF).
Click Here for Live Stats.
Click Here to Listen to the Game via WEMU.
EAGLES AND CARDINALS BATTLE IN REGULAR-SEASON FINALE: The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team will close out the 2008-09 regular season with a Sunday, March 8, road battle in Muncie, Ind. against the Ball State Cardinals. The game will go a long way in deciding the final seeds for the upcoming Mid-American Conference Tournament, March 10-15, at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. EMU currently finds itself as the 10th seed and would therefore play the No. 7 seeded team, currently Ohio, in the first round Tuesday, March 10. Ball State has a chance at taking the West Division lead and gaining a bye in the first round.
TELEVISION TIME: EMU's 2008-09 regular-season finale at Ball State Sunday, March 8, has been scheduled for television coverage by Fox Sports Detroit Plus. Stations scheduled to cover the game are satellite providers Direct TV (channel 664) and Dish Network (channel 447) along with Comcast (channel 901).
THREE IN A ROW: The EMU men's basketball team is on a hot streak heading into the regular-season finale and the upcoming Mid-American Conference Tournament. The Eagles have won three in a row and four of their last six games. EMU made it three straight Wednesday, March 4, with a 75-61 home win over Northern Illinois.
BOWDRY MAKES IT FIVE DOUBLE-DOUBLES ON THE YEAR: Redshirt sophomore Brandon Bowdry (St. Louis, Mo.-Taylor (Mich.) Truman) turned in his fifth double-double of the season Wednesday, March 4, when he scored 19 points with 12 rebounds in a 75-61 win over a visiting Northern Illinois University team. Bowdry's other double-doubles this year came against Marygrove (26-14), Chicago State (23-10), Central Michigan (22-14), and Bowling Green (15-12).
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 BALL STATE: EMU enters the regular-season finale at Ball State Sunday, March 8, with a 7-23 overall record and a 5-10 Mid-American Conference mark. The Eagles have won their last three consecutive games and four of their last six. Eastern placed three players in double figures to post a decisive 75-61 win over a visiting Northern Illinois University team Wednesday, March 4. Junior center Justin Dobbins (Cleveland, Ohio-Glenville) led the way for the Eagles with 20 points while redshirt sophomore Brandon Bowdry (St. Louis, Mo.-Taylor (Mich.) Truman) added 19 points and 12 rebounds while freshman Antonio Green (Inkster, Mich.-Dearborn Heights Robichaud) added 11. Ball State lost a heartbreaker Wednesday, March 4, falling at Western Michigan in an 84-82 overtime decision. The Cardinals are led by freshman big man Jarrod Jones with an 11.1 scoring average and a 7.4 rebound mark while Brandon Lampley is averaging 10.4 points. Ball State is currently 13-15 overall and 7-8 in MAC action.
THE SERIES: EMU and Ball State will be meeting for the 87th time with Ball State holding a 53-33 edge in the series. Ball State won this year's first meeting, 46-42, Jan. 10, in Ypsilanti. The Cardinals lost leading scorer Anthony Newell during the game after the suffered a broken leg. EMU recorded a 2-1 record over the Cardinals in 2007-08. Eastern dropped a 64-60 decision, Jan. 19, 2008 in Muncie, Ind. and the Eagles came back with a 75-64 win, March 1, in Ypsilanti. The two teams met in the first round of the 2008 Mid-American Conference tournament and EMU advanced to the next round with a 59-55 victory.
CLIMBING THE CHARTS: Junior center Justin Dobbins (Cleveland, Ohio-Glenville) and redshirt sophomore Brandon Bowdry (St. Louis, Mo.-Taylor (Mich.) Truman) continue to climb the EMU career scoring and rebounding lists. Dobbins is the 56th player in school history to reach the 700-point plateau with 757 in his 86-game EMU career. That total ranks 46th in school history and his 387 career rebounds is good for 43rd.
Bowdry is the 57th player in school history to reach 700 points with 712 in his 62-game career to rank 53rd and his 386 rebounds is good for the 44th spot.
GEARING UP THE OFFENSE: EMU's offense has struggled through most of the year, but the Eagles seem to have found their shooting touch as they prepare to enter the 2009 Mid-American Conference Tournament, March 10-15. After being held to a season-low 38 points in a loss at Western Michigan, Feb. 18, the Eagles have scored 58, 58, 57 and 75 while winning three of their last four games. EMU's 75 points in a 75-61 win over Northern Illinois, March 4, was the fourth best scoring output this year.
