NIU Upends Eagles in MAC West Road Tilt, 66-49

Box score.

DEKALB, Ill. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team fell behind early and could not recover, as Northern Illinois University handed the Eagles a, 66-49, setback in Mid-American Conference West Division action on Senior Day at the NIU Convocation Center Wednesday, March 2.

Senior forward Brandon Bowdry (St. Louis, Mo.-Taylor (Mich.) Truman) and junior guard Antonio Green (Inkster, Mich.-Robichaud) combined for 25 of the Eagles' 35 points in the second half, but it wasn't enough. In the absence of its leading scorer Xavier Silas, who missed his second straight game due to injury, fellow senior guard Jeremy Landers filled the void as he tied a career-high 17 points in helping host NIU maintain control from start to finish.

The Eagles fall to 8-21 overall, 4-11 in the MAC, while NIU improves to 9-19 (5-10 MAC).

EMU missed its first eight shots of the contest on the way to shooting just 26 percent (14-of-52) for the game, including 5-of-20 from three-point range. Bowdry finished tied for the game-high with 17 points on 4-of-10 shooting and 9-of-14 from the free throw line.

Green poured in 15 points with 13 coming in the second half alone. He finished 3-of-11 from the field (3-of-8 from three) and 6-of-7 from the free throw line.

The Eagles cut the deficit to 10 points in the second half at 40-30 when Green connected on back-to-back three-pointers and the 10:53 mark and again at 42-32 after a pair of Bowdry free throws just a minute later.

However, a 13-4 run would ensue for the Huskies and was capped off with a Michael Patton jumper at the top of the key to all but seal it for the home team.

NIU made two separate runs of eight or more points in the first half, one of which was a 10-point spurt that gave the Huskies a commanding, 18-6, lead with just under nine minutes left before halftime.

NIU would push the lead to 13 points after Toler connected on his fourth consecutive field goal at the 7:07 mark. He went on to lead all scorers at the half with eight points on 4-of-5 shooting.

Consecutive dunks by Bowdry and Harris cut the deficit to 22-14 with five minutes left in the opening stanza. Prior to that, the Eagles were just 2-for-17 from the field to open the game. The Huskies finished the half on a 6-0 run to take a 28-14 lead at the break.

The Eagles shot just 16 percent (4-of-25) from the field, including 1-of-8 from three-point range with Bowdry leading the team with five first half points. Meanwhile, the Huskies went 11-of-25 (44 percent) from the field and held the rebounding edge, 24-12.

EMU will celebrate the careers of three of its seniors Saturday, March 5, when it hosts Toledo in the regular season and home finale. Bowdry, Jay Higgins (Fayetteville, N.C.-IMG Academy-Hillsborough CC) and Will Cooper (Detroit, Mich.-Pershing-Bridgton (Maine) Academy) will be honored prior to the start of the contest which is slated for a 2:07 tip.

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Team Stats

Brandon Bowdry

Antonio Green

Derek Thompson

Jay Higgins

Eastern Michigan Athletics