Eastern Falls Just Short in 82-81 Overtime Setback at Miami

Karrington Ward's Thunderous Dunk

OXFORD, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team hit the road for the first time in Mid-American Conference play Saturday, Jan. 10, when the Eagles (11-4, 0-2 MAC) traveled to Miami University to square off with the RedHawks (6-9, 1-1 MAC). Despite garnering a 25-point lead in the first half, Eastern dropped the MAC matchup, 82-81, in its second-straight overtime contest. It was the 12 th-straight time that EMU had lost at Miami's John D. Millett Hall.

Eastern had five players reach double digits in scoring as Karrington Ward (Lockport, Ill.-Lockport Township (Moraine Valley C.C.)) led the way with 18 points on 6-of-8 shooting from the floor, while Raven Lee (Detroit, Mich.-Romulus) added 14 points, including hitting on three triples. Mike Talley (Detroit, Mich.-Melvindale ABT (Duquesne)) recorded the first double-double of his Eastern Michigan career, notching 13 points and 10 assists. Talley hit 11 free throws in the loss. Jodan Price (Indianapolis, Ind.-Detroit Country Day (DePaul)) dropped in 13 points, while Mike Samuels (Bushkill, Pa.-East Stroudburg North (Indiana State)) added 11, while leading the Eagles with six rebounds. As a squad, the Eagles shot 47 percent from the floor, including knocking down 8-of-20 from beyond the three-point line.

Will Sullivan and Eric Washington sparked the Miami offense, scoring 17 and 18 points apiece, while Sullivan notched a game-high 12 rebounds to record a double-double. MU shot at a 42.3 percent clip, while five players posted double figures.

Lee opened up the game with a long three-pointer, putting EMU up 3-0 to start the contest. The Eagles and RedHawks traded buckets before Lee knocked down back to back three balls to give Eastern their first double-digit lead of the game, 17-7, with just over 14 minutes remaining in the game. Again Miami and EMU played the back and forth game before Ward sparked a 12-0 Eagle run extending its lead to 22, 34-12, near the eight minute mark. EMU continued to pour it on Miami, grabbing its largest lead of the game, 39-14. The RedHawks would grab another basket before heading into the half, as the Green and White held a 19-point, 49-30, lead at the break.

Eastern put on an offensive clinic in the first 20 minutes, connecting on 63 percent of its field goal attempts, including going 6-of-10 from beyond the arc, while outrebounding MU, 16-11. The Eagles were led by Lee and Ward with 12 points apiece, combining to go 9-of-10 from the floor. Talley was able to find his teammates on eight occasions in the opening half setting a new season-high in the first half of the game. Defensively, Eastern saw Miami knock down 42.9 percent of their shots, but the Eagles were able to turn the RedHawks over 10 times to go along with seven steals.

Eastern was a different team in the second half, as the Eagles saw their lead dwindle to seven. 52-45, because of a 14-1 Miami run to start the second. Talley was able to put the Eagles back on top by double-figures when he knocked down a pair from the charity stripe, but MU's Jaryd Eustace hit a corner three ball to cut back into EMU's lead. On the next trip down, Price answered with a three pointer of his own and then Talley hit another free throw to give Eastern a 12-point lead, 60-48.

Miami answered EMU with a 6-0 run, cutting the Eagles' lead to 6, 60-54, with nearly 10 minutes left on the clock. However, the Eagles then scored the next five point to give EMU their biggest lead in the final 16 minutes of play when Samuels threw down a thunderous dunk with 6:38 on the clock to put the Eagles back on top by 13, 67-54. EMU and MU traded blows over the next four minutes and had an eight point lead with 2:26 left.

Miami came back out of a break in play and were able to outscore the Eagles 14-6 in the final two minutes of play, including a pair of three-pointers from Washington in the final 15 seconds of play. EMU missed seven from the charity stripe over the final two minutes, sending the game to overtime.

There were only two field goals hit in the overtime period as Miami's L.J. Livingston laid one in at the 4:05 mark before Price answered with a three ball on the next possession. Giving Eastern a one-point, 81-80, edge before Sullivan knocked down a pair of free throws to put MU back on top. EMU had four cracks at the basket through the final three minutes but fell short on four three-point attempts, dropping its second MAC game in a row.

The Eagles return to the floor Wednesday, Jan. 14, when the Green and White travel to Kent, Ohio to square off with Kent State University. The game is slated to begin at 7 p.m. at the M.A.C. Center.

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Team Stats

Karrington Ward

Ray Lee

Mike Talley

Jodan Price

Players Mentioned

Ray Lee

Jodan Price

Mike Samuels

Mike Talley

Karrington Ward

Eastern Michigan Athletics