Eagles Soar Past RedHawks and Into MAC Quarters, 58-47

Photo Gallery.

EMU Postgame Press Conference.

Thompson Postgame Interview.

CLEVELAND, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team won its second round matchup of the 2013 FirstEnergy Mid-American Men's Basketball Tournament Wednesday, March 13, in a hard fought defensive battle with Miami University, 58-47. It was the Eagles (16-17) first win in Cleveland since the 2007-08 campaign when EMU defeated Ball State University, 59-55, March 12, 2008. It was also the first time EMU has won two tournament games in a row since 1997-98 campaign when then-Head Coach Milton Barnes led the Eagles to their most recent MAC Tournament Championship.

Derek Thompson (Detroit, Mich. – Melvindale (Southeast Missouri State)) led the Eagles into the MAC quarterfinals with 14 points to go along with five assists and four rebounds. Thompson was one-of-four players in double figures as Daylen Harrison (Akron, Ohio – St. Vincent St. Mary) tallied 11 points and five boards while Glenn Bryant (Detroit, Mich.-Oak Hill Academy (Arkansas)) added 10 points, all coming in the second half. Coming off of his first career double-double, EMU junior center Da'Shonte Riley (Detroit, Mich.-Country Day (Syracuse)) padded the stat book, recording 10 points, grabbing nine boards, stealing four balls and blocking three shots.

Eastern shot 43.2 percent (19-of-44) from the floor, including 4-of-11 from beyond the arc. The Green and White went to the charity stripe 23 times on the evening, converting 16 attempts. The Eagles found success in the paint, scoring 24 points compared to only 10 for Miami.

EMU's zone defense forced 20 turnovers into 19 points. The stingy defense prevented MU to shooting just 14-of-40 from the floor for a 35.0 percent clip. The RedHawks made half of its shot from beyond the arc, nailing 7-of-20 from long range. Miami was led in scoring by Will Felder and Jon Harris as both tallied 14 points.

The Eagles opened the scoring with a jumper from the elbow by J.R. Sims (Fort Wayne, Ind.-Snider), but the RedHawks answered with five-straight points to jump out to an early 5-2 lead. After trading three-pointers with the RedHawks, the Eagles saw an 8-5 deficit with just under five minutes to play in the opening half.

The Green and White held Miami scoreless for almost five minutes as they converted on a layup at the 10:53 mark to make it 10-5 in favor of the RedHawks. It was the first Miami points since there was 15:42 on the clock. Thompson answered with a runner to give the Eagles their first field goal since the 16:33 mark at 10:15. Eastern then scored five-straight to take its first lead, 12-10 of the contest. The Eagles built on their lead out of the next time out with another bucket from Sims, extending to a four-point margin, 14-10.

Miami finally converted on its first field goal in over five minutes at the 6:46 mark to cut the EMU lead to two, but Matt Balkema (Roseville, Mich.-Cousino) converted on the other end to re-take a four-point margin, 16-12.

EMU and Miami traded points throughout the remaining seven minutes of play, until the RedHawks scored five-straight to tie the game at 22 points apiece with 1:37 left in the opening half. Harrison knocked down a three-pointer, but Harris responded with a triple of his own to keep it tied at 25. Thompson hit one from downtown with just four seconds on the clock to give EMU a 28-25 edge heading into the locker room at half.

Thompson led all-scorers in the opening frame with 10 points, while Sims and Harrison contributed seven in the first 20 minutes of play. Sims pulled down three rebounds to lead the Eagles, while Riley and Jamell Harris (Euclid, Ohio-Euclid) each had a block.

The Eagles converted on their first two attempts in the second half to score four-straight and jump out to a seven-point, 32-25, lead with 18:25 on the clock. Bryant put the back-end of a pair of free throw in to extend the EMU lead to eight. It was his first point of the game with 17:43 to go.

Miami responded with four straight to bring the EMU lead to four, but Bryant responded with an old-fashioned three-point play after getting hacked and hitting a jumper and the free throw that followed, putting EMU back up seven, 36-29.

Bryant sparked a 7-0 run to give the Eagles their first double-digit lead of the game, 40-29, with 13:43 left in the contest. Eastern held the RedHawks scoreless for over seven minutes until Reggie Johnson knocked down the first of two free throws to make it a 10-point, 40-30, tally in the Eagles favor.

EMU was held scoreless from the 13:43 mark until just 7:28 left to play when Sims hit the second of a pair from the charity stripe. Eastern saw its lead extend to 13 when Harrison converted on a pair of free ones, but Johnson cut it back to 10, 43-33, with a triple.

Riley gave Eastern its first field goal in 10 minutes and six seconds at the 3:37 mark to put EMU up 12, 47-35, with under four minutes to play. EMU and the RedHawks traded buckets through the final four minutes of play to take the game, 58-47, and advance to the quarterfinals.

The Eagles will continue their road to the 2013 MAC Championship with a quarterfinal matchup Thursday, March 14, with the No. 3-seeded Western Michigan University Broncos. Eastern will tangle with WMU at 9 p.m. at Quicken Loans Arena. The Green and White split the regular season series with Western, losing on the road, 63-59, Jan. 22, and avenging that loss, 50-49, in overtime at the Convocation Center, March 2.

Miami

Coach Cooper (Opening Statement)
First of all, congratulations to Rob and Eastern Michigan and their group, they did a terrific job tonight and quite frankly, they were the better team tonight. Having said that, I want to thank our group for all that they've done this year, their effort, their hard work. At the end of the day, as I always tell these guys, it's about more than just basketball, this is part of life.

Eastern Michigan

Coach Rob Murphy - (On playing tough defense)- “We bought in to the defensive side of the ball all year. I think coming into postseason play the main difference has been DeShonte Riley. He's been super active by blocking shots, altering shots, getting steals. Anytime he plays that aggressive on defense makes it tough for opponents to score.”

Derek Thompson - (On the victory)- “It was a big win for us. Our first tournament win as well. A lot of grads on our team, so from here we just want to build on our success.”

Glenn Bryant - (On the victory)- “It was a big victory for us-- first tournament win in Cleveland in awhile. We were just excited building off the last game against NIU (Northern Illinois). We felt the MAC West Championship slip away, so we want to play as hard as we can in this tournament to try to win this one.”

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Team Stats

Derek Thompson

Daylen Harrison

Da'Shonte Riley

Glenn Bryant

Eastern Michigan Athletics