Tenacious Defense Gives Eagles Statement Win Over Michigan

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ANN ARBOR, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – Behind the stifling 2-3 zone defense, the Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team delivered a statement win by knocking off the University of Michigan, 45-42, Tuesday night, Dec. 9, at Crisler Center. It was just the third time in the series history that the Eagles (8-1) defeated the Wolverines (6-3). With the game tied at just over three minutes remaining, Karrington Ward (Lockport, Ill.-Lockport Township (Moraine Valley C.C.)) hit a go-ahead three, and the Eagles forced Michigan into contested shots for the rest of the game to hold on for the three-point win.

The Eagles claimed the victory over their Washtenaw County rival by limiting the Wolverines to their fewest point total since Feb. 9, 2009, when the Maize and Blue fell to then-No. 9 Michigan State University, 54-42. The Green and White snapped a 59-game streak with no back-to-back losses, the longest such streak in the Big Ten. EMU's win was also the second victory over a Big Ten Conference opponent in the Rob Murphy era, the previous win coming almost two years from tonight's win, a 47-44 home decision over Purdue.

Jodan Price (Indianapolis, Ind.-Detroit Country Day (DePaul)) scored a career-high 11 points off the bench to lead the Eagles in scoring, while Mike Talley (Detroit, Mich.-Melvindale ABT (Duquesne)) recorded nine points as a reserve as well. The senior point guard knocked down 7-of-8 shots at the line and provided six assists. Along with his clutch three pointer, Ward added seven points and a team-high seven rebounds. EMU held the advantage in rebounds, 36-27, only allowing two Michigan offensive rebounds.

Both teams shot 32.6 percent from the floor with EMU making 15-of-46 attempts while Michigan shot 14-of-43. After getting into foul trouble against Dayton and allowing 44 attempts from the line, the Green and White only surrendered 13 free throws against Michigan, preventing U-M from getting to the line in the second half. Eastern did not give its opponents easy looks from beyond the arc, holding the usual sharp-shooting Wolverines to just 4-of-21 at long distance. Zak Irvin and Caris LeVert scored 10 points apiece to led the Maize and Blue in the setback.

Raven Lee (Detroit, Mich.-Romulus) started off the game with a thunderous dunk, but the Wolverines answered with a 10-0 run in large part due to four uncharacteristic EMU turnovers. The sluggish start forced Coach Murphy to use a timeout, and Price entered off the bench to hit a corner three to end the U-M run. The timeout paid off on the defensive side of the court as the Eagles held Michigan scoreless for five minutes while cutting the deficit to three points. Following a U-M free throw, Price drained another triple for an 8-1 EMU stretch.

Both teams continued to be ice cold from the field due to lockdown defense. Eastern Michigan made three of its first 20 shots, while the Wolverines only hit three of their first 17 shots. A Ward dunk followed by a teardrop jumper by Lee gave EMU a 14-13 lead. The Eagles 2-3 zone defense continued to cause fits for the Michigan offense as the home team settled for a free throw before Ward's jumper made it a 16-14 affair in favor of the Green and White. Both teams split a pair of free throws before Michigan's field goal drought ended at 14 minutes with a Derrick Walton, Jr. layup. During that span, EMU held the Wolverines to just six free throws. However, an elbow jumper by Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman gave Michigan the 21-19 advantage heading into the locker room.

EMU shot 24 percent in the opening half on just 6-of-25 shooting from the floor. After coughing up the ball just six times in their previous game against Dayton, the Eagles committed 11 turnovers in the first half against Michigan. Eastern Michigan found success at the line, going 5-of-7, as well as on the boards by holding a 22-14 advantage in rebounds. Price's two threes led the Eagles with six points, while Talley added five free throws for 11 total bench points. The Wolverines did not fare much better from the field, making 5-of-19 shots for just a 26.3 percent clip, including 1-of-10 from beyond the arc. Michigan relied on the charity stripe in the first half for nearly half of its point, shooting 10-of-13 from the line. Walton's nine points paced the Maize and Blue.

On the first possession of the second half, Eastern regained the lead with an Anali Okoloji (Brooklyn, N.Y.-Impact Basketball Academy (George Mason)) three from the top of the key. However, much like at the start of the game, Michigan started hot by knocking down its first three field goals to develop a four-point cushion. The fast start did not affect the Eagles as Price drilled his third three of the game and Olalekan Ajayi (Winston Salem, N.C.-Quality Education Academy-Collin College)) added back-to-back buckets down in the post to give EMU a 34-31 advantage. The seven-straight Eastern Michigan points forced Michigan Head Coach John Beilein to ask for timeout with 11:24 remaining in the contest.

Two Talley free throws gave EMU its biggest lead of the game for a 9-0 run as the Green and White zone defense limited Michigan to just one field goal over eight minutes. Once the Wolverines broke the drought, the Maize and Blue scored six points in a row to take the lead back, but it didn't last long as Talley drove the lane for an easy deuce on the ensuing Eastern possession. A three from Irvin accompanied followed by a pair of foul shots by Brandon Nazione (Howell, Mich.-Howell (Des Moines Area C.C.)) knotted the contest at 40 apiece with four minutes to go.

Ward broke the game's tie after Talley drove the lane and found his fellow senior on the wing. The forward splashed the three to make it a 43-40 margin in favor of the Green and White. Twenty seconds later, Michigan answered with a bucket in the post, but Price responded with a long jumper to maintain the three-point difference, 45-42, with 1:45 to go. Just as the defense did all game, the Eagles did not allow an easy shot for Michigan in the remaining time as the Green and White held on for the signature victory.

EMU will have eight days off before its next contest. The Green and White will be on the road, but will remain in the state of Michigan, battling the Spartans of Michigan State University, Dec. 17, in East Lansing. The contest between the Eagles and MSU will tip off at 9 p.m. and will be broadcast live on the Big Ten Network as well as the airwaves of 89.1 FM WEMU.

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Team Stats

Jodan Price

Mike Talley

Karrington Ward

Ray Lee

Players Mentioned

Olalekan Ajayi

Ray Lee

Brandon Nazione

Anali Okoloji

Jodan Price

Mike Talley

Karrington Ward

Players Mentioned

Olalekan Ajayi

Ray Lee

Brandon Nazione

Anali Okoloji

Jodan Price

Mike Talley

Karrington Ward

Eastern Michigan Athletics