EMU Offense Falters in Loss to MAC East Division Leader Akron

AKRON, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) — The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team could not come back from a big first-half deficit and dropped a 77-47 decision to the University of Akron Zips here Saturday, Feb. 4, evening in a Mid-American Conference cross-divisional game at Rhodes Arena.

The Eagles shot just 20 percent in the first half as Akron built a 39-16 advantage and the Zips kept their offense rolling in the second half to post the win.

With the loss the Eagles fall to 10-13 overall and 5-4 in MAC play while Akron improves to 16-7 overall and 8-1 in league action.

Junior center Matt Balkema (Warren, Mich.-Cousino) led the Eagles with a career-high 15 points while senior guard Antonio Green (Inkster, Mich.-Dearborn Heights Robichaud) added 13.

Akron had four players in double figures with Chauncey Gilliam scored 13, Nikola Cvetinovic added 12, and Zeke Marshall and Brett McClanahan added 11 each.

The Eagles shot 32.1 percent for the game, making 17-of-53 field-goal attempts. Akron shot 44.8 for the game, making 26-of-58 attempts and the Zips posted a whopping 46-29 edge on the boards.

Akron scored the first five points of the game and go on to take a 13-5 lead at the 15:10 mark of the first half.

The Zips built their lead to 15, 24-9, with 9:04 left in the half, the last three points coming off a Marshall layup and foul shot.

Balkema would finally break an EMU six-minute drought with a layup at the 6:30 mark to finally put the Eagles in double figures with 11 points while the Zips had 31.

Akron would head into intermission with a 39-16 lead after shooting 44.8 percent in the first half, making 13-of-29 attempts from the field. Eastern, meanwhile would shoot a dismal 20 percent, making just 4-of-20 attempts. The Eagles would also commit 16 fouls in the first 20 minutes while Akron had just six.

The Eagles would mount a comeback midway through the second half, closing the big gap to 15, 52-37, at the 9:03 mark on a layup by Anthony Strickland (Ypsilanti, Mich.-Dearborn Heights Robichaud), but the Zips quickly moved the lead back up over 20 and would go on to record the 30-point win.

The Eagles will now return home to the Convocation Center to host Kent State University Wednesday, Feb. 8. Game time is 7 p.m.

EMU Offense Falters in Loss to MAC East Division Leader Akron

Next Event

Team Stats

Matt Balkema

Antonio Green

Darrell Lampley

Jamell Harris

Eastern Michigan Athletics