EMU Falls to WMU in MAC West Division Tilt

Box score.

Postgame Audio (MP3).

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team could not overcome a poor offensive performance in a 65-48 loss to Western Michigan University here Sunday, Jan. 16, 2011, in a Mid-American Conference West Division match up in University Arena.

The Eagles, playing without leading scorer and rebounder, senior forward Brandon Bowdry (St. Louis, Mo.-Taylor (Mich.) Truman), who sat out the game as part of a one-game suspension for conduct detrimental to the team, would make just 36.7 percent of their field-goal attempts (18-of-49) while also committing 17 turnovers.

Western would also suffer on the offensive end, shooting just 35 percent from the field, hitting 21-of-60 field-goal attempts, but the Broncos would make 18-of-22 free throws for 81.8 percent to Eastern's 6-of-16 from the line for 37.5 percent. WMU held a huge, 46-30 rebound margin.

Eastern, now 4-12 overall and 1-2 in MAC play, was led in scoring by sophomore guard Derek Thompson (Detroit, Mich.-Melvindale-SEMO) with 17 points, including five three-point field goals.

Western, which improved to 9-7 overall and 2-1 in the MAC, was paced by freshman Matt Stainbrook with 17 points while Nate Hutcheson added 16 and Demetrius Ward added 10.

Lampley opened the game with a long three-point field goal from the top of the key.

Jamell Harris (Euclid, Ohio-Euclid) staked the Eagles to a quick 2-0 lead to start the game on a layup 15 seconds into the game.

The two teams traded buckets for the next eight minutes before Eastern gained a five-point lead, 19-14, on a jumper by Darrell Lampley (Linden, N.J.-Linden-Lakeland C.C.) with 7:56 left in the half.

The EMU offense would hit a cold stretch from that point until halftime, scoring just two points the rest of the way while Western was turning in 13 to post a 27-21 halftime advantage.

Thompson paced the Eagles with five points in the first 15 minutes while Hutcheson scored 10 for the home team.

Hutcheson opened the second half on a put-back dunk and Thompson quickly answered with two straight three-point field goals and Harris added an old-fashioned three-point effort on a layup and foul shot to give the Eagles a 30-29 lead at the 17:51 mark.

The Broncos turned up their defensive effort at that point, holding the Eagles to a solo Adrian Burton (Detroit, Mich.-Cooley-Kankakee J.C.) free throw while scoring 10 points for a 39-31 lead with 12:29 left.
Western would keep up the offensive onslaught, rolling to a 22-point advantage, 55-33, with 7:04 left before Thompson once again answered with a long three to stop the bleeding.

The Broncos would hold on to their double-digit lead the rest of the way for the victory.

The Eagles are back in MAC West Division action Wednesday, Jan. 19, when they host Ball State University in a 7 p.m. game in the Convocation Center.

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Team Stats

Derek Thompson

Jamell Harris

Kenny Stewart

J.R. Sims

Eastern Michigan Athletics