Eastern Michigan Athletics

Photo by: Steve King/KingStudios
Talley and Ward Lead Eagles Past Huskies, 73-65
2/22/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
It was the first road win for EMU since starting conference play
DeKALB, Ill. (EMUEagles.com) – Eastern Michigan University's men's basketball team came through with its first road win of the 2015 Mid-American Conference season Saturday, Feb. 21, when the Eagles (17-10, 6-8 MAC) knocked off Northern Illinois University at the NIU Convocation Center, 73-65. The Huskies (14-11, 4-10 MAC) saw their fifth home loss of the MAC campaign. The Green and White is 9-2 versus NIU since Head Coach Rob Murphy took over the men's basketball program prior to the 2011-12 campaign.
Mike Talley (Detroit, Mich.-Melvindale ABT (Duquesne)) posted a career-best 25 points to lead the Green and White's offense, going 6-of-12 from the floor, while knocking down 10 free throws in 14 attempts. The redshirt-senior point guard dished out five assists in the victory. Karrington Ward (Lockport, Ill.-Lockport Township (Moraine Valley C.C.)) was just one rebound shy of his fourth-straight double-double, going for 21 points and nine rebounds. The Lockport, Ill. native blocked a pair of shots, while swiping the ball from NIU on a pair of occasions. As a team, Eastern Michigan shot 42.6 percent from the floor, while hitting 31.6 percent of their three-point attempts. The Eagles hit just 67.5 percent of their free throw attempts.
Nothern Illinois saw Anthony Jonhson go off for a career-high of 23 points after knocking down seven field goals, including five from downtown. Aaric Armstead led the Huskies in rebounding, grabbing 10. NIU struggled from the charity stripe, connecting on 62.9 percent of their opportunities. The Huskies used a 52.2 percent shooting performance in the second half to roar back into the game but Eastern held off NIU down the stretch.
EMU opened the game with a long two-point jumper from Raven Lee (Detroit, Mich.-Romulus) to give Eastern the lead out of the gate but Anthony Johnson responded with a three-ball for the Huskies to give them their first and only lead of the game. Talley turned around and hit a triple on the next possession. The Eagles connected on their first four field goal attempts and jumped out to a 16-7 lead in the first five minutes of play.
The Green and White continued their strong offensive play after a quick 5-0 run from the Huskies. Looking at just a four-point, 22-18, lead at the 7:40 mark, Eastern scored the next 11 points, to jump up to a 15-point lead with 5:43 to go. Over the final 10 minutes of play, the Eagles held NIU to just one field goal on seven attempts, while out scoring the Huskies by 11 to take a 16-point, 40-26, lead heading into the locker room at the half.
The Eagles were hot on both ends of the floor as Eastern shot 50 percent from the floor, while holding the Huskies to just 24 points in the first 20 minutes of play. Talley led the way, hitting on five of his eight field goal attempts, including going 3-of-6 from downtown. Ward had 12 points in the first half, going 4-of-8 from the floor. EMU held the Huskies to a 37.5 percent field goal percentage, along with an identical percentage from downtown. Eastern blocked four shots, while forcing NIU into 12 first half turnovers to go along with five steals for the Green and White.
The Eagles struggled out of the gate offensively in the second half, missing their first three attempts, before Mike Samuels (Bushkill, Pa.-East Stroudburg North (Indiana State)) converted on a second-chance layup with 17:34 on the clock. NIU's Travon Baker hit a three on the next trip down the floor, sparking an 8-0 run to cut the halftime deficit in half, 42-34, with 14:42 on the clock.
Eastern was able to balloon the lead back to 12 but another run from NIU brought the Huskies within five. The two squads traded buckets until Johnson connected on another three-pointer, while being fouled on the play. The Purdue University transfer converted on the free throw to bring NIU within four, 52-48, at the 7:42 mark.
Until the four minute mark the two squads continued to play back-and-forth ball but the Eagles scored four-straight to get back on top by eight 64-56 at the 1:38 mark before using free throws to ice the game down the stretch.
Eastern returns to the hardwood Tuesday, Feb. 24, when they welcome Central Michigan University to Ypsilanti for a 7 p.m. MAC West Divisional contest. The Eagles are looking to avenge a 65-51 loss at CMU, Jan. 24, in the midweek contest.
Mike Talley (Detroit, Mich.-Melvindale ABT (Duquesne)) posted a career-best 25 points to lead the Green and White's offense, going 6-of-12 from the floor, while knocking down 10 free throws in 14 attempts. The redshirt-senior point guard dished out five assists in the victory. Karrington Ward (Lockport, Ill.-Lockport Township (Moraine Valley C.C.)) was just one rebound shy of his fourth-straight double-double, going for 21 points and nine rebounds. The Lockport, Ill. native blocked a pair of shots, while swiping the ball from NIU on a pair of occasions. As a team, Eastern Michigan shot 42.6 percent from the floor, while hitting 31.6 percent of their three-point attempts. The Eagles hit just 67.5 percent of their free throw attempts.
Nothern Illinois saw Anthony Jonhson go off for a career-high of 23 points after knocking down seven field goals, including five from downtown. Aaric Armstead led the Huskies in rebounding, grabbing 10. NIU struggled from the charity stripe, connecting on 62.9 percent of their opportunities. The Huskies used a 52.2 percent shooting performance in the second half to roar back into the game but Eastern held off NIU down the stretch.
EMU opened the game with a long two-point jumper from Raven Lee (Detroit, Mich.-Romulus) to give Eastern the lead out of the gate but Anthony Johnson responded with a three-ball for the Huskies to give them their first and only lead of the game. Talley turned around and hit a triple on the next possession. The Eagles connected on their first four field goal attempts and jumped out to a 16-7 lead in the first five minutes of play.
The Green and White continued their strong offensive play after a quick 5-0 run from the Huskies. Looking at just a four-point, 22-18, lead at the 7:40 mark, Eastern scored the next 11 points, to jump up to a 15-point lead with 5:43 to go. Over the final 10 minutes of play, the Eagles held NIU to just one field goal on seven attempts, while out scoring the Huskies by 11 to take a 16-point, 40-26, lead heading into the locker room at the half.
The Eagles were hot on both ends of the floor as Eastern shot 50 percent from the floor, while holding the Huskies to just 24 points in the first 20 minutes of play. Talley led the way, hitting on five of his eight field goal attempts, including going 3-of-6 from downtown. Ward had 12 points in the first half, going 4-of-8 from the floor. EMU held the Huskies to a 37.5 percent field goal percentage, along with an identical percentage from downtown. Eastern blocked four shots, while forcing NIU into 12 first half turnovers to go along with five steals for the Green and White.
The Eagles struggled out of the gate offensively in the second half, missing their first three attempts, before Mike Samuels (Bushkill, Pa.-East Stroudburg North (Indiana State)) converted on a second-chance layup with 17:34 on the clock. NIU's Travon Baker hit a three on the next trip down the floor, sparking an 8-0 run to cut the halftime deficit in half, 42-34, with 14:42 on the clock.
Eastern was able to balloon the lead back to 12 but another run from NIU brought the Huskies within five. The two squads traded buckets until Johnson connected on another three-pointer, while being fouled on the play. The Purdue University transfer converted on the free throw to bring NIU within four, 52-48, at the 7:42 mark.
Until the four minute mark the two squads continued to play back-and-forth ball but the Eagles scored four-straight to get back on top by eight 64-56 at the 1:38 mark before using free throws to ice the game down the stretch.
Eastern returns to the hardwood Tuesday, Feb. 24, when they welcome Central Michigan University to Ypsilanti for a 7 p.m. MAC West Divisional contest. The Eagles are looking to avenge a 65-51 loss at CMU, Jan. 24, in the midweek contest.
Team Stats
EMU
NIU
FG%
.426
.462
3FG%
.316
.412
FT%
.675
.629
RB
30
29
TO
11
17
STL
6
6
Game Leaders
Scoring
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