EMU Falls At Home To Central Michigan, 60-56

Photo Gallery.

Re-Watch the Game.

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — A strong second-half effort by Central Michigan University was too much for the Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team to overcome in a 60-56 loss to the Chippewas here Wednesday, Jan. 11, in the Convocation Center in a Mid-American Conference West Division game.

Central came back from a 25-19 halftime deficit to take a late seven-point lead with 2:34 left in the game, but the Eagles would not quit, cutting the deficit to two, 58-56, with 11.6 seconds left on a layup by freshman guard Antoine Chandler (Windsor, Ont., Canada-W.F. Herman).

Eastern then fouled guard Austin McBroom and the Chippewa guard made both free throws and the Eagles could not answer as Central walked off with the four-point win.

Eastern, now 6-10 overall and 1-1 in the MAC, had four players in double figures, led by junior forward Jamell Harris (Euclid, Ohio-Euclid) with 12 points while senior guard Antonio Green (Inkster, Mich.-Dearborn Heights Robichaud) with 11 and guards Austin Harper (Grand Haven, Mich.-Grand Haven-Glen Oaks C.C.) and Darrell Lampley (Linden, N.J.-Linden-Lakeland C.C.) scored 10 each.

Central Michigan, which improves to 7-8 overall and 2-0 in the MAC, was led by Derek Jackson with 15, Austin McBroom with 13 and Trey Zeigler with 11 points.

The Eagles shot 42.9 percent from the field, making 21-of-49 shots while CMU was held to 39.2 percent, making 20-of-51 attempts. EMU won the battle of the boards, 35-30, but Central won the free-throw contest, making 13-of-21 while EMU made 10-of-15.

The Eagles raced to a 6-1 lead in the first three minutes on a jumper from Lampley, a layup from Harper and two free throws from Harris.

Eastern would continue that five-point edge with a jumper by Harris to make it 8-3, at the 14:19 mark.

Both teams had problems finding their shooting touch over the next four minutes before Central would break the drought on two straight layups to cut the EMU lead to one, 8-7, with 10:13 left in the half.

The two teams would trade baskets over the next seven minutes with EMU holding a slim, 19-17, lead with 3:13 remaining in the half.

The Eagles would crank up the offense over the final three minutes, building a 25-17 lead with 57.8 left on a monster dunk by Harris, but CMU would close out the first-half scoring on a hook by Zach Saylor to make it 25-19 EMU's lead.

EMU would shoot 47.6 percent for the first half, hitting 10-of-21 attempts while holding CMU to just 30.8 percent on 8-of-26. Eastern would also hold the rebound edge, 19-13.

Central came out of halftime and made up the deficit in the first three minutes, tying the game at 25-all at the 18:21 mark.

The lead would see-saw throughout much of the rest of the second half with neither team able to gain a clear advantage until
CMU would build up a 45-38 lead with 8:36 left on a long three at the shot-clock buzzer by Jackson.

The Eagles would fight back to cut the Chippewa lead two, 50-48, on a triple by Lampley with 4:17 left, but Jackson would hit a huge three for CMU at the 2:34 mark to put CMU up, 55-48.

A layup by Green with 38.9 seconds left would pull the Eagles within four, 56-52, but the Eagles were forced to foul the rest of the way and the visitors made their free throws to record the 60-56 win.

The Eagles will stay in MAC West Division play Saturday, Jan. 14, when they travel to Muncie, Ind. for a 2 p.m. game against the Ball State University Cardinals.

Next Event

Team Stats

Jamell Harris

Antonio Green

Austin Harper

Darrell Lampley

Eastern Michigan Athletics