Eastern Michigan Athletics
Monday, March 11
Convocation Center
7 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
15-17, 7-9MAC
45
vs
44
Northern Illinois
5-25, 3-13MAC
1
2
F
Northern Illinois
21
23
44
Eastern Michigan
28
17
45
Photo by: Steve King/KingStudios
Eagles Advance in MAC Tournament, Slipping By Huskies, 45-44
3/11/2013 9:42:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Jalen Ross hits game-winning three with 32 seconds left as EMU heads to Cleveland to face Miami, March 13 at 9 p.m.
Photo Gallery.
Postgame Highlights.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team avenged a 2012 Mid-American Conference Tournament first round exit at the hands of Northern Illinois University, beating the Huskies for the third time this season Monday, March 11 at the EMU Convocation Center. Freshman Jalen Ross (Greensboro, N.C.-Greensboro Day School) nailed a three from the wing with 32 seconds left as the Eagles emerged from what turned into a nail-biter, winning by a score of 45-44.
The Eagles' big man Da'Shonte Riley (Detroit, Mich.-Detroit Country Day), had himself a big day, scoring a career-high 13 points, getting 11 rebounds, and blocking four shots; leading all players in those statistical categories. All-MAC Honorable Mention Glenn Bryant (Detroit, Mich.-Oak Hill Academy (Arkansas)) also had an impressive outing with 10 points and eight rebounds. Northern's J.J. Cravatta and Aksel Bolin each scored a team-leading nine points.
EMU (15-17) shot 17-of-38 (44.7 percent) and made 7-of-13 (53.8 percent) of its free-throws. NIU (5-25) converted 14-of-45 (31.1 percent) of its field goals and went 7-of-18 (38.9 percent) from the line. Eastern won the battle of the boards, outrebounding the Huskies 33-28.
Monday's tilt was the final contest at the EMU Convocation Center for the 2012-13 season.
Eastern opened play of the defensive side of the ball. Junior center and Detroit native Riley set the tone bodying a Husky out-of-bounds to earn a possession for the Eagles. Bryant put EMU on the score sheet, nailing a long range two pointer from just inside the top of the arc. NIU's Antone Christian answered with a three from the wing, scoring the first points for the visiting team. Riley owned the paint in the opening minutes, tallying two blocks in the Huskies' first three possessions.
Four minutes in, sharp-shooters Derek Thompson (Detroit, Mich.-Melvindale (SEMO)) and J.R. Sims (Fort Wayne, Ind.-Snider) got involved making back-to-back threes to give the Green and White an early 10-3 lead. Sam Mader's turn-around floater gave the Huskies more points within eight minutes of play than they scored in the entire first half during their Jan. 26 visit to the Convo.
The Huskies had pulled within three points until Sims came off a screen and hit an open jumper to give the Eagles a little separation, 15-10, with eight minutes remaining in the opening half. Thompson showcased his ability to create his own shot, penetrating and then making the step-back to earn the Eagles two more points.
Three consecutive Northern Illinois triples tied the score at 21-21 with just over three minutes remaining in the first half, but Coach Rob Murphy's squad responded. Another three from Thompson, a Riley hook shot and put-back, and a timely strip by Ross gave the home team a seven point lead heading into the break.
The Eagles shot well in the first half, hitting 11-of-19 (57.9 percent) from the field. Both Riley and Thompson came out hot, shooting 4-of-4 and 5-of-5, respectively, in the opening half. Riley led all first half scorers and rebounders with 11 points and four rebounds. The Huskies made 8-of-26 (30.8 percent) of their field goals and 4-of-16 (25 percent) of their three point attempts. NIU's leading scorer in the first half was Christian with eight points. NIU's bench carried the load early for the visitors, scoring 20 of their first half's 21 points. The Eagles edged the Huskies in first half rebounds, 17-10, while registering four blocks.
The second half started sloppily for the Eagles, with a turnover in their first possession and back-to-back shooting fouls. Luckily, the Huskies were unable to convert on any their four attempts from the charity stripe. The first point of the half wasn't scored until the home team again fouled, putting NIU's Mike Davis on the line, who made one of his two free throws at the 17:33 mark. Bryant scored the Eagles' first points of the second half on a line drive jumper during the Eagles' next possession.
Daylen Harrison (Akron, Ohio-St. Vincent-St. Mary) got into the act five minutes into the second half, dipping under a Cardinal and Black defender , filling the cylinder to score his first points of the game. Harrison's score followed by two converted Riley free throws put the Eagles up, 34-23, their largest lead of the game thus far.
Midway through the second half, the Huskies had cut into the Eagles' lead with back-to-back threes to bring the score to 36-29. Riley tipped in a teammate's miss, and Bryant hit one of his signature mid-range rise-up jumpers to once again extend the Green and White's lead to 11.
Northern Illinois kept itself in the game by making three pointers along with some Eastern assistance. With just over five minute remaining, the Eagles gave up back-to-back turnovers, and continued to put NIU on the line committing 10 second half fouls.
With under three remaining in the win-or-go-home contest, NIU's Bolin scored an old-fashioned three-point play to make it a one point game, 42-41. Travon Baker followed that with a three pointer to give the Huskies their first lead of the evening, 44-42.
After a wild scrum for a loose ball, Sims recovered possession and found Ross while sliding across the floor. Ross converted a gutsy three to recapture the lead for the Eagles. With two seconds remaining, Bryant produced an unconventional block, but NIU kept possession. After a timeout by the Huskies, a corner three bounced off the back of the iron to seal the victory for Eastern.
Up next, the Eagles will head to Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio where they will face No. 11 seed Miami University in the second round of the 2013 First Energy Mid-American Conference Tournament. That game is scheduled for March 13 at 9 p.m. and will be aired on SportsTime Ohio.
Postgame Highlights.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team avenged a 2012 Mid-American Conference Tournament first round exit at the hands of Northern Illinois University, beating the Huskies for the third time this season Monday, March 11 at the EMU Convocation Center. Freshman Jalen Ross (Greensboro, N.C.-Greensboro Day School) nailed a three from the wing with 32 seconds left as the Eagles emerged from what turned into a nail-biter, winning by a score of 45-44.
The Eagles' big man Da'Shonte Riley (Detroit, Mich.-Detroit Country Day), had himself a big day, scoring a career-high 13 points, getting 11 rebounds, and blocking four shots; leading all players in those statistical categories. All-MAC Honorable Mention Glenn Bryant (Detroit, Mich.-Oak Hill Academy (Arkansas)) also had an impressive outing with 10 points and eight rebounds. Northern's J.J. Cravatta and Aksel Bolin each scored a team-leading nine points.
EMU (15-17) shot 17-of-38 (44.7 percent) and made 7-of-13 (53.8 percent) of its free-throws. NIU (5-25) converted 14-of-45 (31.1 percent) of its field goals and went 7-of-18 (38.9 percent) from the line. Eastern won the battle of the boards, outrebounding the Huskies 33-28.
Monday's tilt was the final contest at the EMU Convocation Center for the 2012-13 season.
Eastern opened play of the defensive side of the ball. Junior center and Detroit native Riley set the tone bodying a Husky out-of-bounds to earn a possession for the Eagles. Bryant put EMU on the score sheet, nailing a long range two pointer from just inside the top of the arc. NIU's Antone Christian answered with a three from the wing, scoring the first points for the visiting team. Riley owned the paint in the opening minutes, tallying two blocks in the Huskies' first three possessions.
Four minutes in, sharp-shooters Derek Thompson (Detroit, Mich.-Melvindale (SEMO)) and J.R. Sims (Fort Wayne, Ind.-Snider) got involved making back-to-back threes to give the Green and White an early 10-3 lead. Sam Mader's turn-around floater gave the Huskies more points within eight minutes of play than they scored in the entire first half during their Jan. 26 visit to the Convo.
The Huskies had pulled within three points until Sims came off a screen and hit an open jumper to give the Eagles a little separation, 15-10, with eight minutes remaining in the opening half. Thompson showcased his ability to create his own shot, penetrating and then making the step-back to earn the Eagles two more points.
Three consecutive Northern Illinois triples tied the score at 21-21 with just over three minutes remaining in the first half, but Coach Rob Murphy's squad responded. Another three from Thompson, a Riley hook shot and put-back, and a timely strip by Ross gave the home team a seven point lead heading into the break.
The Eagles shot well in the first half, hitting 11-of-19 (57.9 percent) from the field. Both Riley and Thompson came out hot, shooting 4-of-4 and 5-of-5, respectively, in the opening half. Riley led all first half scorers and rebounders with 11 points and four rebounds. The Huskies made 8-of-26 (30.8 percent) of their field goals and 4-of-16 (25 percent) of their three point attempts. NIU's leading scorer in the first half was Christian with eight points. NIU's bench carried the load early for the visitors, scoring 20 of their first half's 21 points. The Eagles edged the Huskies in first half rebounds, 17-10, while registering four blocks.
The second half started sloppily for the Eagles, with a turnover in their first possession and back-to-back shooting fouls. Luckily, the Huskies were unable to convert on any their four attempts from the charity stripe. The first point of the half wasn't scored until the home team again fouled, putting NIU's Mike Davis on the line, who made one of his two free throws at the 17:33 mark. Bryant scored the Eagles' first points of the second half on a line drive jumper during the Eagles' next possession.
Daylen Harrison (Akron, Ohio-St. Vincent-St. Mary) got into the act five minutes into the second half, dipping under a Cardinal and Black defender , filling the cylinder to score his first points of the game. Harrison's score followed by two converted Riley free throws put the Eagles up, 34-23, their largest lead of the game thus far.
Midway through the second half, the Huskies had cut into the Eagles' lead with back-to-back threes to bring the score to 36-29. Riley tipped in a teammate's miss, and Bryant hit one of his signature mid-range rise-up jumpers to once again extend the Green and White's lead to 11.
Northern Illinois kept itself in the game by making three pointers along with some Eastern assistance. With just over five minute remaining, the Eagles gave up back-to-back turnovers, and continued to put NIU on the line committing 10 second half fouls.
With under three remaining in the win-or-go-home contest, NIU's Bolin scored an old-fashioned three-point play to make it a one point game, 42-41. Travon Baker followed that with a three pointer to give the Huskies their first lead of the evening, 44-42.
After a wild scrum for a loose ball, Sims recovered possession and found Ross while sliding across the floor. Ross converted a gutsy three to recapture the lead for the Eagles. With two seconds remaining, Bryant produced an unconventional block, but NIU kept possession. After a timeout by the Huskies, a corner three bounced off the back of the iron to seal the victory for Eastern.
Up next, the Eagles will head to Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio where they will face No. 11 seed Miami University in the second round of the 2013 First Energy Mid-American Conference Tournament. That game is scheduled for March 13 at 9 p.m. and will be aired on SportsTime Ohio.
Team Stats
NIU
EMU
FG%
.311
.447
3FG%
.321
.364
FT%
.389
.538
RB
28
33
TO
5
9
STL
4
2
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
13
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Pts
10
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Pts
8
FGM
3
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Ben Braun Video at MAC Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
Friday, May 30
Ben Braun at MAC Hall of Fame Induction
Friday, May 30
Charles E. Ramsey - MAC Hall of Fame Induction of Ben Braun
Friday, May 30
Jack Brusewitz - MAC Hall of Fame Induction of Ben Braun
Friday, May 30