Eagles Suffer 73-50 Setback at the Hands of Ohio

ATHENS, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) – After picking up its first road win of the 2012-13 campaign the Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team dropped a road contest Wednesday, Feb. 20, on the road. The Eagles fell 73-50 to Ohio University at the Ohio Convocation Center.

Eastern (12-14, 5-7 MAC) was led offensively by J.R. Sims (Fort Wayne, Ind.-Snider) who posted 12 points, while Derek Thompson (Detroit, Mich.-Melvindale (Southeast Missouri State)) chipped in nine and Glenn Bryant (Detroit, Mich.-Oak Hill Academy (Arkansas)) added seven. Matt Balkema (Roseville, Mich.-Cousino) hauled in six rebounds to lead EMU and Jamell Harris (Euclid, Ohio-Euclid) caromed five of his own. Defensively, Sims had three steals, while Harris picked up two blocks and Bryant had one. As a team the Green and White shot 16-of-58 (27.6 percent) from the field and 5-of-17 (29.4 percent) from three-point land.

The Bobcats (20-6, 11-1 MAC) shot 28-of-58 (48.3 percent) from the floor, while knocking down 7-of-23 (30.4 percent) three-point shots. Reggie Keely poured in 20 points for Ohio, while D.J. Cooper posted a double-double with 16 points and 10 assists in the Bobcats' win.

T.J. Hall opened the scoring for Ohio, but Bryant knocked down a three-ball in the Eagles next trip down the floor to give Eastern an early 3-2 lead. The Bobcats responded with 15 straight points to take a 17-3 lead with just over 11 minutes to go in the half. Eastern ended a nearly eight minute scoring drought when Jalen Ross (Greensboro, N.C.-Greensboro Day School) hit a jumper from the elbow with 9:37 on the clock. The Bobcats return-fired with a Nick Kellogg layup, but Sims hit his first three-pointer on the ensuing offensive possession to make it a 19-8 game with nine minutes to go.

The Eagles and Bobcats traded buckets, when EMU Head Coach Rob Murphy was called for a technical foul, giving Cooper the chance to extend Ohio's lead to 15, 25-10, with 5:44 to go in the first half. After Ross drained a jumper, the Bobcats scored six-straight to take a 31-12 lead. Through the final four minutes of the first half the Eagles were outscored 5-4 and trailed by 20, 36-16, heading into halftime.

Sims led the Eagles in the opening half with five points, while Ross notched four first half points. Eastern shot 7-of-24 (29.2 percent) from the floor and 2-of-9 (22.2 percent) from beyond the arc, while Ohio shot 15-of-25 (57.7 percent) in field goal attempts and 3-of-7 (42.9 percent) on three-pointers. Keely led the Bobcats scoring 11 first half points, while Baltic notched six. Cooper and Kellogg each chipped-in five points. Cooper finished the first half with eight assists.

Bryant struck first in the second half by converting on a pair of free throws. Keely responded on the next trip down to regain a 20 point, 38-18, lead with just over 19 minutes to go. Almost two minutes later, Daylen Harrison (Akron, Ohio-St. Vincent St. Mary (Wyoming)) cleaned up on a no look pass from Da'Shonte Riley (Detroit, Mich.-Country Day (Syracuse)) to make it a 16 point game, 38-22.

Ohio and Eastern traded baskets until Cooper hit a pair of treys to spark a 10-0 run giving the Bobcats a 53-26 lead with 11:54 left in the game. Keely broke the field goal drought of nearly four minutes with a jumper at the 8:38 mark. Anthony Strickland (Ypsilanti, Mich.-Dearborn Heights Roubichad (Adrian)) converted EMU's first bucket since the 14:01 mark, when he laid in a basket with 8:04 left in the game making it a 55-30 game in favor of Ohio.

The Strickland layup sparked an 8-0 run by EMU, to make it 55-36, but Keely would not be denied, converting a three-point play at the 6:42 mark, to extend the Bobcat lead to 58-36. Sparked by an Antoine Chandler (Windsor, Ontario-W.F. Herman Secondary) three-ball, the Eagles scored six in a row to make it a 58-39 game. After trading buckets, the Bobcats scored six straight to extend their lead to 24, 66-42. After tempers flared, Keely was called for a flagrant foul and in response Balkema was called for a dead ball technical foul. Sims drained one free one, while Kellogg knocked down both for Ohio to make it 68-43 in the Bobcats favor with 3:46 left to go. EMU was unable to mount the comeback necessary and dropped the 73-50 decision at Ohio's Convocation Center.

Eastern completes its non-conference portion of the 2012-13 schedule Saturday, Feb. 23, when the Eagles play host to the Bears of Missouri State University. Tip is scheduled for noon and is a part of the 2013 Ramada BracketBuster series. Saturday's game is the first game of a doubleheader at the Convocation Center. The EMU women's basketball team will host Western Michigan University at 2:30 p.m. Saturday afternoon.

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Team Stats

J.R. Sims

Derek Thompson

Glenn Bryant

Jalen Ross

Eastern Michigan Athletics