Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
14-13
Detroit
16-13
Eagles Lose 68-66 Heartbreaker to Detroit
2/20/2010 6:08:00 PM | Men's Basketball
EMU late comeback falls just short, as Detroit extends its all-time series lead
Box score.
DETROIT, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) –The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team stepped out of Mid-American Conference play and dropped a 68-66 heartbreaker to the University of Detroit Mercy Titans from the Horizon League here Saturday, Feb. 20, in a BracketBuster Game in Calihan Hall.
The Eagles fought back from a 36-27 halftime deficit to make it a four-point game with 15.5 seconds left on a three-point field goal by senior point guard Carlos Medlock (Detroit, Mich.-Murray Wright).
After a momentum swinging block by freshman Jamell Harris (Euclid, Ohio-Euclid) the Eagles got the ball back, but could only manage a two-point field goal by junior college transfer forward Jay Higgins (Fayetteville, N.C.-IMG Academy-Hillsborough C.C.) at the buzzer to make the final, 68-66.
Eastern, now 14-13 overall, was led by Medlock with 21 while redshirt junior forward Brandon Bowdry (St. Louis, Mo.-Taylor (Mich.) Truman) added 18 points, and senior center Justin Dobbins (Cleveland, Ohio-Glenville) chipped in 13.
Detroit, now 16-13, was led by Thomas Kennedy with 15, Eli Holman 14, Woody Payne 13, and Chase Simon 10.
Eastern shot 41.8 percent from the field (23-of-55) while the Titans were 23-of-49 fro 46.9 percent. The Eagles held a 36-27 edge in rebounding.
The Eagles jumped out to a quick 6-2 lead in the opening stages of the game on baskets by Bowdry, Medlock and Dobbins.
The Titans fought back to take a 10-6 lead with 14:08 left in the first half before the Green and White was able to tie it at 10-all on a dunk by Harris at the 11:49 mark.
The two teams stayed even through the next several minutes before Detroit slowly moved head, increasing its lead to 12, 34-22, with 3:23 remaining.
Eastern was able to trim it to nine, 36-27, at the half, but the team shot just 37 percent in the first half, hitting 10-of-27 field goals, and had 10 turnovers. Bowdry paced EMU with eight. U-D connected on 12-of-29 field goals for 41.4 percent with Kennedy leading the way with 11.
Eastern used the halftime break to rejuvenate its offense, out-scoring the home team, 9-5, in the early going to cut Detroit's lead to five, 41-34, forcing the Titans into a time out with 17:14 left in the game.
Detroit would boost the lead back to 10, 50-40, with 12:07 remaining, but the Eagles would not be denied, getting within three, 50-47, on six quick points from Bowdry and three from Medlock.
Medlock came up with a huge three-point shot with 3:32 left in the game to cut Detroit's lead to four, 58-54. A free throw by would make it three, 58-55, but U-D would go up by eight, 65-57, before Medlock hit another triple to make it a five-point game, 65-60, with just 63 ticks left, leading up to the final late-game flurry.
The Eagles return to MAC action Wednesday, Feb. 24, with a road game to Muncie, Ind. to square off against West Division leader Ball State. Tip is set for 7 p.m. inside Worthen Arena.
