Eagles Nab Sixth Straight Home Victory, 47-44, Over Purdue

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team held off Purdue University, 47-44, Saturday, Dec. 8, at the Convocation Center. The Eagles (6-2) defeated a Big Ten Conference opponent for the first time since an 89-83 overtime victory against the University of Michigan, Dec. 17, 1997, in Ann Arbor.

Saturday's win was the first home victory over a Big Ten team since a 92-76 throttling of Wisconsin, Dec. 10, 1994 at venerable Bowen Field House.

The Green and White trailed by as many as nine points early in the first half, but were behind by just one at the break after closing the period on a 6-0 run. Efficient three-point shooting and solid defense contributed to the Eagles charging ahead by as many as 10 in the second frame. A late push by the Boilermakers (4-5) proved not to be enough as the Eagles remained undefeated (6-0) at home this season.

As a team, Eastern Michigan shot 17-of-55 (30.9 percent) for the game and 5-of-18 (27.8 percent) from long distance. Following a 0-for-8 mark from three-point range in the opening 20 minutes, EMU caught fire to the tune of a 5-of-10 effort in the second half.

Senior Derek Thompson (Detroit, Mich.-Melvindale) had a pair of those three-pointers and led the Eagles in scoring with eight points. Saturday's win was truly a team effort as all 10 players that saw action scored at least two points. Redshirt junior Daylen Harrison (Akron, Ohio-St. Vincent-St. Mary's) hauled in 11 boards and added four points.

EMU also won the turnover battle, forcing 18 Purdue turnovers while making just five of its own. The Eagles also picked the Boilermakers' pocket 11 times, with nine players turning in at least one steal. Junior Da'Shote Riley (Detroit, Mich.-Detroit Country Day) and redshirt junior Glenn Bryant (Detroit, Mich.-Oak Hill Academy) each posted a pair of blocks on the afternoon.

For the Boilermakers, Terone Johnson (12 points), A.J. Hammons (11) and Ronnie Johnson (11) all reached double figures despite the rest of the team only contributing a total of 10 points. Purdue shot just under 30 percent for the game (14-of-47) and was 4-of-14 (28.6 percent) from downtown.

Action began with the Eagles forcing a pair of early turnovers. However it would be the Boilermakers who would put away the first seven points of the game with Eastern Michigan failing to convert on its first five shots. A J.R. Sims' (Fort Wayne, Ind.-Snider) jumper at the 15:59 mark gave the Eagles their first points of the game and cut the deficit to 7-2.

Ronnie Johnson made it an 11-2 score for Purdue before EMU put together a mini 5-0 run to again trail by five, 11-7. Freshman Ray Lee (Detroit, Mich.-Romulus) gave a great individual effort, driving the lane and scoring the basket while drawing a foul. Senior Matt Balkema (Roseville, Mich.-Cousino) started and finished EMU's next possession, grabbing the defensive board before putting back Lee's missed three-pointer to bring EMU to within three, 14-11, with 6:18 to play.

Purdue went 4:28 without a point until Ronnie Johnson sunk a pair of free throws at the 4:17 mark. Meanwhile, the Eagles were having trouble at the charity stripe, converting on just one of their first seven attempts.

Eastern Michigan's defense was efficient in the latter stages of the opening half, notching turnovers on three straight possessions while keeping Purdue off the scoreboard. The Eagles took full advantage of a pair of those turnovers, with Sims and Harrison cashing in. Lee added a jumper with four ticks remaining on the clock to send the Green and White to the locker room down by just one, 20-19.

The period ended with EMU scoring seven points off of 11 Purdue turnovers. In contrast, the Eagles committed just three turnovers over the first 20 minutes. EMU finished 9-of-33 (27.3 percent) compared to a 6-of-24 (25 percent) effort by the visitors. Both teams combined to go 1-of-14 from beyond the arc with EMU going 0-of-8 and Purdue 1-of-6.

Seven EMU players found their way onto the scoresheet in the first half, with Lee and Sims leading the charge with four points apiece. Purdue was paced by Johnson's nine points.

Thompson gave the Eagles their first lead, 22-20, and first converted three-pointer of the afternoon at 18:45. Purdue quickly tied the game to break its streak of 3:41 without a point, but redshirt junior Austin Harper (Grand Haven, Mich.-Grand Haven) filled a pair of free throws to put EMU back on top. Moments later, Bryant scored another three-ball and Sims did the same at 15:40 to make it a five-point contest for the Eagles, 32-28.

Purdue's scoring woes persisted through the middle portion of the second half. Jacob Lawson hauled in a rebound off a missed attempt by Hammons and failed to lay in the rebound. Harrison caromed the board and fed a pass to Thompson, who pulled up behind the three-point arc and nailed his second trey. The Eagles were in charge by nine, 37-28, with 11:16 showing on the clock.

After a Harrison jumper made it 44-34 for the Eagles, the Boilermakers strung together six unanswered on a pair of three-pointers from Terone Johnson to cut EMU's lead to four, 44-40, with 4:45 to play. At the 1:40 mark, D.J. Byrd got a wide-open look from the left corner and let off a three-point attempt which missed to keep Purdue down by four, 46-42.

Coming out of a timeout, Purdue made it a one-possession game when Ronnie Johnson maneuvered to the basket for an easy layup. With just 1:14 to play, it was a 46-44 game.

Eastern Michigan used up the entire 35 seconds of play clock on its next possession, with Bryant's try from behind the backboard missing the mark. Purdue took the ball into EMU territory and called its final timeout with 23 seconds left. After the break, the ball found Johnson, whose three-pointer was offline and gave possession back to the Eagles.

The Boilermakers fouled Riley, who buried the front end of a one-and-one. Riley's second shot was no good, which sent Purdue racing the other way. But Johnson's careless ball handling allowed Harris grab possession.

A final Purdue foul put Harris at the line, where he failed to make either free throw. That did not matter however, as the Boilermakers did not have enough time to get off a final shot. A jubilant EMU student section hit the court with the team to celebrate a 47-44 Eagles' victory.

The Eagles are back on the hardwood Saturday, Dec. 15, with a 1 p.m. road tilt against the University of Illinois-Chicago in Chicago, Ill. EMU will have a chance to win its first road game of the year against the Flames after starting the season 0-2 away from home.

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Team Stats

Derek Thompson

J.R. Sims

Austin Harper

Da'Shonte Riley

Eastern Michigan Athletics