EMU Falls to Valpo in First Round of the Lou Henson Tournament

Box score.

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ROCHESTER, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — A late-game rally fell short for the Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team here Monday, Dec. 20, in the first round of the Lou Henson Tournament at Oakland University's O'rena.

The Eagles, who trailed by as many as 17 points with 12 minutes left, fought back to pull within six, 61-55, with 5:28 left, but the Green and White would get no closer in a 74-67 loss to Valparaiso University.

Eastern, now 1-9, will now move to the consolation game tomorrow, Dec. 21, against the loser of the second game between host Oakland and Rochester College.

EMU senior forward Brandon Bowdry (St. Louis, Mo.-Taylor (Mich.) Truman) turned in the 29th double-double of his career with 24 points and 10 rebounds. Junior guard Darrell Lampley (Linden, N.J.-Linden-Lakeland J.C.) added 10 while Antonio Green (Inkster, Mich.-Dearborn Heights Robichaud) chipped in eight.

Valparaiso, now 8-4, had three players in double-figure scoring, led by Brandon Wood with 21 followed by Howard Little and Ryan Broeckhoff with 13 each and Cory Johnson added 12.

Eastern shot 40.4 percent from the field, hitting 21-of-52 shots while connecting on 10-of-27 three-point shots for 37.0 percent. Valpo made 25-of-49 field goals for 51 percent and 22-of-30 free throws for 73.3 percent. EMU won the battle of the boards, 34-30.

Valparaiso, listed as the home team for the opening game, ran off eight unanswered points to start the game before Bowdry broke the drought with two free throws at the 16:02 mark.

Valpo would make it 12-2 with 15:18 left in the first half before 10-2 run to cut it to two, 14-12, on a layup by Lampley with 10:43 remaining.

The Crusaders would fight off that challenge by the Eagles to go back on top by 10, 23-13, at the 6:00 mark, and Valpo would head into halftime with a 29-20 lead.

Bowdry scored 10 first-half points to lead the Eagles, who shot just 28.6 percent from the field in the first half on 6-of-21 while Valpo was shooting 48 percent, making 12-of-25 attempts while also holding a 17-14 advantage on the boards.

Valpo came out of the locker room with a vengeance, out-scoring the Eagles, 6-2, in the early stages to bump its lead back to 12, 35-23 after the first two minutes of the final stanza.

The Crusaders would increase their lead to 17, 49-32, with 12:04 left, but the Eagles would come up with an offensive surge that would cut the Valpo advantage to nine, 52-43, after Quintin Dailey (Las Vegas, Nev.-Bishop Gorman-Sheridan J.C.) and Lampley hit back-to-back threes.

The Eagles would get it all the way back to six, 61-55, on a triple by Green with 5:28 left on the clock, but Valpo would hold on at the end for the seven-point victory.

EMU Falls to Valpo in First Round of the Lou Henson Tournament

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Team Stats

Brandon Bowdry

Darrell Lampley

Antonio Green

Derek Thompson

Players Mentioned

Brandon Bowdry

Quintin Dailey

Antonio Green

Darrell Lampley

Eastern Michigan Athletics