Eastern Michigan Athletics
Saturday, March 8
Toledo, Ohio
2 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
18-13 (10-8MAC)
66
at
77
Toledo
26-5 (14-4MAC)
1
2
F
Eastern Michigan
32
34
66
Toledo
35
42
77
Photo by: Scott W. Grau/Icon SMI
Eastern Suffers 77-66 Setback at Toledo in Regular Season Finale
3/8/2014 5:12:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Karrington Ward scores 20 points in the final regular season game of the year
MAC Tournament Bracket.
TOLEDO, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) – After riding a three-game winning streak heading into the regular season finale Saturday, March 8, the Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team was out-shot in an offensive showdown versus the University of Toledo, 77-66. The Eagles (18-13, 10-8 MAC) completed their regular season and will earn the No. 6 seed in the upcoming Mid-American Conference Men's Basketball Tournament presented by Barbasol, while the Rockets (26-5, 14-4 MAC) finished the regular season to take a share of the 2014 MAC Regular Season title and locked up the No. 2 seed, earning a triple-bye into the semifinals of the conference tournament.
Karrington Ward (Lockport, Ill.-Lockport Township (Moraine Valley C.C.)) was an offensive force for EMU. The junior went 8-of-14 for 20 points, while going 4-of-5 from downtown. Raven Lee (Detroit, Mich.-Romulus) added 14 points with three triples and Mike Talley (Detroit, Mich.-Melvindale ABT (Duquesne)) went 6-of-6 from the charity stripe on his way to a 12 point, eight assist performance. As a team, the Green and White shot 41.8 percent (23-of-55), while hitting on 40.9 percent (9-of-22) of its triple tries. The Eagles' Achilles heel was free throw shooting as they knocked down just 61.1 percent (11-of-18).
The Rockets had four student-athletes notch double-digit performances on their Senior Day. Justin Drummond led the way, posting 22 points, while Rian Pearson added a double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds in the final regular season contest of his career. Julius Brown and Jonathan Williams also scored in double-figures with 13 and 12 points, respectively. In total, Toledo hit 42.9 percent (27-of-63) of its shot attempts while knocking down 48 percent (12-of-25) from the long line. In addition to the sharp shooting, the Rockets shared the ball well, picking up 22 assists, including seven from both Brown and Drummond.
Lee opened the game with a three ball on the Green and White's first possession to put the Eagles up 3-0 out of the gate. However, the Rockets responded with tree points of their own before Ward knocked down a triple of his out to put EMU back up three. Eastern was content to trade buckets until Toledo scored eight straight to give themself a four-point, 12-8, advantage with 14:02 on the clock.
The Eagles flipped the script on Toledo by going on a 10-0 run to pick up a five point lead with just over nine minutes to go in the first half, but the Rockets did not go away, coming back to outscore EMU in the next two minutes and regain another advantage, 22-21. Eastern came back with an 8-2 run, and took its largest lead of the game, 30-24, with just 2:41 on the clock.
With just 1:08 to go in the first half, Ward threw down a dunk to give the Eagles a 32-27 lead. However, back-to-back three pointers from Pearson and Brown put UT back on top, 33-32 with 17 seconds to go. Following Brown's three-ball, EMU Head Coach Rob Murphy was hit with a technical foul and Brown converted on both three ones to put Toledo up 35-32 at the break.
The Eagles were unconscious from downtown in the first half, hitting on 6-of-11 three-point attempts, good for 54.5 percent. Darell Combs (Chicago, Ill.-Thornwood (Blinn)) and Ward contributed eight points apiece, while Lee added six. Da'Shonte Riley (Detroit, Mich.-Country Day (Syracuse)) and Talley each chipped in with four.
Brown and Pierson were the catalysts for UT in the first half, posting 10 and 13 points, respectively. Eastern held Toledo to a 34.5 shooting percentage (10-of-29), but the Rockets knocked down 53.3 percent (8-for-15) of its three point attempts.
Toledo came out firing in the second half, beginning the period with a 9-0 run, pushing the Eagles' deficit out to 12, 44-32. Eastern return-fired with a 9-0 run of its own, but the Rockets did not allow the Green and White to regain the lead at any point.
Eastern was able to come within two, 54-52, at the 9:22 mark, but an 11-1 run from Toledo pushed the Rockets back to a 12-point edge, 65-53, with just 6:45 to play. With a three-pointer from Lee on the next possession, EMU came back within nine, but was never able to come closer than that, eventually falling 77-66.
The Eagles return to the floor to host either Central Michigan University or Ball State University Monday, March 10, at the Convocation Center. The Eagles locked up the No. 6 seed in the MAC Tournament and they await the conclusion of Ball State's Saturday contest with Northern Illinois University. With a BSU win, the Eagles will host the Cardinals for the second time in six days, but a Ball State loss would force Central Michigan to make its way back to Ypsilanti on Monday night.
Coupled with a 99-84 overtime victory for the EMU women's basketball team over CMU's ladies' squad Saturday afternoon, Monday will serve as a basketball doubleheader at the Convocation Center. The Eagles' women's team earned the No. 8 seed and will host Northern Illinois as the ninth seed beginning at 5 p.m., while the men's contest will start at 7:30 p.m. or 30 minutes following the women's game.
TOLEDO, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) – After riding a three-game winning streak heading into the regular season finale Saturday, March 8, the Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team was out-shot in an offensive showdown versus the University of Toledo, 77-66. The Eagles (18-13, 10-8 MAC) completed their regular season and will earn the No. 6 seed in the upcoming Mid-American Conference Men's Basketball Tournament presented by Barbasol, while the Rockets (26-5, 14-4 MAC) finished the regular season to take a share of the 2014 MAC Regular Season title and locked up the No. 2 seed, earning a triple-bye into the semifinals of the conference tournament.
Karrington Ward (Lockport, Ill.-Lockport Township (Moraine Valley C.C.)) was an offensive force for EMU. The junior went 8-of-14 for 20 points, while going 4-of-5 from downtown. Raven Lee (Detroit, Mich.-Romulus) added 14 points with three triples and Mike Talley (Detroit, Mich.-Melvindale ABT (Duquesne)) went 6-of-6 from the charity stripe on his way to a 12 point, eight assist performance. As a team, the Green and White shot 41.8 percent (23-of-55), while hitting on 40.9 percent (9-of-22) of its triple tries. The Eagles' Achilles heel was free throw shooting as they knocked down just 61.1 percent (11-of-18).
The Rockets had four student-athletes notch double-digit performances on their Senior Day. Justin Drummond led the way, posting 22 points, while Rian Pearson added a double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds in the final regular season contest of his career. Julius Brown and Jonathan Williams also scored in double-figures with 13 and 12 points, respectively. In total, Toledo hit 42.9 percent (27-of-63) of its shot attempts while knocking down 48 percent (12-of-25) from the long line. In addition to the sharp shooting, the Rockets shared the ball well, picking up 22 assists, including seven from both Brown and Drummond.
Lee opened the game with a three ball on the Green and White's first possession to put the Eagles up 3-0 out of the gate. However, the Rockets responded with tree points of their own before Ward knocked down a triple of his out to put EMU back up three. Eastern was content to trade buckets until Toledo scored eight straight to give themself a four-point, 12-8, advantage with 14:02 on the clock.
The Eagles flipped the script on Toledo by going on a 10-0 run to pick up a five point lead with just over nine minutes to go in the first half, but the Rockets did not go away, coming back to outscore EMU in the next two minutes and regain another advantage, 22-21. Eastern came back with an 8-2 run, and took its largest lead of the game, 30-24, with just 2:41 on the clock.
With just 1:08 to go in the first half, Ward threw down a dunk to give the Eagles a 32-27 lead. However, back-to-back three pointers from Pearson and Brown put UT back on top, 33-32 with 17 seconds to go. Following Brown's three-ball, EMU Head Coach Rob Murphy was hit with a technical foul and Brown converted on both three ones to put Toledo up 35-32 at the break.
The Eagles were unconscious from downtown in the first half, hitting on 6-of-11 three-point attempts, good for 54.5 percent. Darell Combs (Chicago, Ill.-Thornwood (Blinn)) and Ward contributed eight points apiece, while Lee added six. Da'Shonte Riley (Detroit, Mich.-Country Day (Syracuse)) and Talley each chipped in with four.
Brown and Pierson were the catalysts for UT in the first half, posting 10 and 13 points, respectively. Eastern held Toledo to a 34.5 shooting percentage (10-of-29), but the Rockets knocked down 53.3 percent (8-for-15) of its three point attempts.
Toledo came out firing in the second half, beginning the period with a 9-0 run, pushing the Eagles' deficit out to 12, 44-32. Eastern return-fired with a 9-0 run of its own, but the Rockets did not allow the Green and White to regain the lead at any point.
Eastern was able to come within two, 54-52, at the 9:22 mark, but an 11-1 run from Toledo pushed the Rockets back to a 12-point edge, 65-53, with just 6:45 to play. With a three-pointer from Lee on the next possession, EMU came back within nine, but was never able to come closer than that, eventually falling 77-66.
The Eagles return to the floor to host either Central Michigan University or Ball State University Monday, March 10, at the Convocation Center. The Eagles locked up the No. 6 seed in the MAC Tournament and they await the conclusion of Ball State's Saturday contest with Northern Illinois University. With a BSU win, the Eagles will host the Cardinals for the second time in six days, but a Ball State loss would force Central Michigan to make its way back to Ypsilanti on Monday night.
Coupled with a 99-84 overtime victory for the EMU women's basketball team over CMU's ladies' squad Saturday afternoon, Monday will serve as a basketball doubleheader at the Convocation Center. The Eagles' women's team earned the No. 8 seed and will host Northern Illinois as the ninth seed beginning at 5 p.m., while the men's contest will start at 7:30 p.m. or 30 minutes following the women's game.
Team Stats
EMU
TOLEDO
FG%
.418
.429
3FG%
.409
.480
FT%
.611
.786
RB
34
35
TO
15
8
STL
5
7
Game Leaders
Pts
20
FGM
8
3FGM
4
FTM
0
Pts
12
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
6
Pts
8
FGM
2
3FGM
2
FTM
2
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