Eagles Soar Past Cardinals, 73-62, For MAC Road Victory

MUNCIE, Ind. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team led for nearly the entire contest, earning a 73-62 road victory against Ball State University, Feb. 12, at John E. Worthen Arena. The victory propelled the Eagles over the .500 mark in Mid-American Conference play at 6-5 as well an improvement to a 14-10 mark overall.

Raven Lee (Detroit, Mich.-Romulus) recorded 24 points in 25 minutes to lead the Eagles, including a perfect 6-of-6 from the free throw line. Mike Talley (Detroit, Mich.-Melvindale ABT (Duquesne)) added 13 points, finding most of his success at the charity stripe by sinking 7-of-9 free ones. Daylen Harrison (Akron, Ohio-St. Vincent-St. Mary (Wyoming)) rounded out the Eagles' scoring in double figures with 10 points. While he did not score a single point in 28 minutes, EMU center Da'Shonte Riley (Detroit, Mich.-Detroit Country Day (Syracuse)) was the focal point of the 2-3 zone all night long, tallying six blocks, five rebounds and three steals. As a team, Eastern shot 22-of-48 (45.8 percent) and converted 25-of-32 from the foul line. The Green and White forced 21 turnovers, leading to 24 points.

Ball State (4-18, 1-10 MAC) found four Cardinals reach double figures as Jesse Berry's 17 points led the way. Zavier Turner recorded 15 along with eight assists while Chirs Bond scored 12. Kindon Crowder notched 10 points off the bench on 4-of-5 shooting. BSU sank 40 percent of its shots (22-of-55), including 10-of-22 from beyond the arc. The Cardinals controlled the glass, 35-28, but managed just 18 points in the paint compared to 32 for the Eagles.

Both teams were successful finding the bottom of the net in their first two possessions. Ball State found an easy bucket down low along with a three, while Eastern got a bucket from Lee and a pair of free throws by Karrington Ward (Lockport, Ill.-Lockport Township (Moraine Valley C.C)). The EMU defense came up with the first stop of the game, and Lee was able to get a layup in transition to give his team its first lead of the game, 7-6. The redshirt-freshman continued his hot start with a jumper in the paint, increasing the EMU advantage to three. While the Cardinals found a couple of deuces, Ward build the Eagles' lead with a pair of threes. Ward's eight points and Lee's six points gave the Green and White the 14-9 cushion with 14:15 remaining in the first half.

Coach Rob Murphy's defense played well right from the start of the contest, forcing BSU to make just four of its first 13 attempts from the floor. Riley was a huge factor in the middle of the 2-3 zone, swatting three blocks in the first eight minutes of the game to grow the Eastern lead to seven. However, the Cardinals cut the difference to two before Darell Combs (Chicago, Ill.-Thornwood (Blinn)) got to the hoop for a bucket as well as a free throw to make it a five-point game, 21-16.

BSU scored seven of the game's next nine points as a Berry shot from three-point land tied the game at 23. The Eagles cooled down after its hot start where they made five of their first eight shots. Following 16 points in the first eight minutes, the Green and White managed just nine points in the next eight minutes on 3-of-15 shooting during that span. Nonetheless, Eastern's defense allowed just two Ball State baskets in the final five minutes. With the game tied at 25, EMU finished the half on a 10-4 run to take a 35-29 lead at the half.

Lee led all scorers in the opening half with 13 points. Ward followed with eight and seven points, respectively, while Riley provided the defensive spark with four blocks. EMU's defense forced 11 turnovers, turning them into 10 points on the offensive side of the floor. The Eagles shot at a 39.3 percent clip (11-of-28) in the first half, including 3-of-7 from long range. The Green and White found success from the charity stripe, sinking 10-of-12.

Ball State controlled the boards in the first half, 21-16, while shooting 13-of-of-32 for 40.6 percent. Berry recorded eight first half points to lead his team in scoring, and Kindon Crowder sank all three of his shots from the field for seven points off the bench. Despite committing five fouls, EMU prevented the Cardinals from getting to the foul line in the opening 20 minutes.

After scoring just four points in the first half, Harrison came out with the hot hand in the second half, scoring five of EMU's first seven points to help build the advantage to nine, 42-33. A J.R. Sims (Fort Wayne, Ind.-Snider) runner increased the lead to double digits for the first time all game, but Turner answered with a trey for BSU. The Cardinals would get within six, but a Mo Hughley (Queens Village, N.Y.-Martin Van Buren (CSU Baskersfield)) old-fashioned three-point play would get the lead back to 10, 48-38, with 12:17 remaining in the game.

The Cardinals got within four, but a Lee three and a Harrison free throw doubled the lead to eight. A defensive stop led to a fastbreak layup by Talley to make it 60-50 and forcing Ball State to call timeout with 6:03 to go in the game. The Eagles' lead escalated to a dozen with the 8-0 run as the Eastern defense held the home team scoreless for over five minutes. Berry ended the BSU scoring drought with a long three, to get the game within single digits, 62-53, with 2:43 left. EMU held on to the lead down the stretch knocking down free throws and held on to a 73-62 win.

Eastern returns to the friendly confines of the Convocation Center to face the University of Toledo for the first contest of the two-game regular season set. The matchup between the two MAC West foes will take place on EMU Hall of Fame Day, part of a doubleheader with the women's basketball team. The EMU men's hoops team will begin at 2 p.m. followed by the women's contest against Bowling Green at 4:30 p.m.

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Team Stats

Ray Lee

Mike Talley

Daylen Harrison

Karrington Ward

Eastern Michigan Athletics