Eagles Grounded by Buffalo, 76-66, in Road Battle

Coach Murphy Postgame Audio

BUFFALO, N.Y. (EMUEalges.com) – The Eastern Michigan University team dropped a Mid-American Conference game for the first time this season Saturday afternoon, Jan. 11, to the University at Buffalo, 76-66. Despite having four players in double-figures, the Eagles (9-6, 1-1 MAC) couldn't match the Bulls (8-4, 2-0 MAC) three-point shooting down the stretch.

Glenn Bryant (Detroit, Mich.-Oak Hill Academy (Arkansas)) was the leader on the floor, picking up his first double-double this season with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Bryant went 6-of-11 from the floor and tied his season-best point total, while swatting a pair of UB shots on the defensive side of the floor. Bryant was one-of-four Eagles to tally double-digit scoring efforts. Mike Talley (Detroit, Mich.-Melvindale ABT (Duquesne)) poured in 15, while Raven Lee (Detroit, Mich.-Romulus) and Karrington Ward (Lockport, Ill.-Lockport Township (Moraine Valley C.C.)) contributed 12 and 10 points, respectively. Talley also dished out six assists, while Da'Shonte Riley (Detroit, Mich.-Country Day (Syracuse)) led the Eagles on the glass, pulling down 11 rebounds. The Green and White shot 40.7 percent from the floor (24-of-59), while hitting just 3-of-17 from long range for a 17.6 percent clip. Eastern was strong at the free throw line, knocking down 15-of-18 attempts for its best free throw percentage (83.3 percent) of the 2013-14 campaign. Turnovers seemed to be the difference in the game. EMU caused eight turnovers, while the Eagles coughed up the ball on 17 occasions.

Buffalo shot 39.7 percent (27-of-68) from the field, while converting on 32 percent (8-of-25) of its triple tries. Jarryn Skeete led the Bulls with 19 points, while Will Regan and Jarod Oldham each added 11. Despite being held scoreless in the first half, Javon McCrea posted a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds.

The contest opened with a flurry of offense for the Green and White, knocking down its first three field goal attempts, including a pair of jumpers from Lee. Looking a 6-2 tally, the Eagles and Bulls traded points for the first six minutes of play, until Oldham poured in a layup to give Buffalo its first lead of the game. EMU quickly knotted things up at 16 apiece before UB went on an 8-2 run, jumping ahead 24-18 with just under eight minutes remaining.

The Green and White then fought back with a six point run of their own, tying the game at 24. Buffalo then used a pair of triples to take a four point, 30-26, lead with just under five minutes to play in the first half. This was when the EMU defense clamped down, not allowing a point to be scored through the remainder of the half. Talley converted a pair from the charity stripe before Riley knocked down a fade away jumper to knot things up at 30 heading into the locker room for halftime.

Bryant scored 10 of his 19 points in the opening half, while the Eagles shot 48 percent (12-of-25) from the floor as a team. The Green and White held Buffalo to just a 36.4 percent (12-of-33) in the first half.

It was like déjà vu in the second half as EMU scored the first five points, jumping out to a 35-30 lead. McCrea responded by scoring the next four points himself to make it a one point game. EMU turned around to go on an 8-1 run, picking up its biggest lead of the game, 43-35.

The two squads traded buckets for the next five minutes, until the Bulls scored six of the next seven points, making it deadlocked at 48 points with 10:42 remaining in the game. The next basket wasn't scored for over two and a half minutes when Xavier Ford laid one in at the 8:09 mark giving UB its first lead since the first half.

The Eagles tied the game back up, 56-56, with 5:18 left, but Buffalo then re-gained the lead and never relinquished it. UB was able to jump ahead by as many as 12, but EMU couldn't mount the comeback necessary, eventually falling, 76-66.

The Eagles return back to Ypsilanti, Mich. for their first home MAC contest Tuesday, Jan. 14. Eastern will welcome cross-state rival Western Michigan to the Convocation Center for a 7 p.m. mid-week MAC West Divisional bout.

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Team Stats

Glenn Bryant

Mike Talley

Ray Lee

Karrington Ward

Eastern Michigan Athletics