Eagles Tough Out Victory Over Buffalo, 81-69

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YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team opened the Mid-American Conference home schedule with a scrappy, 81-69, victory over the University at Buffalo, Tuesday, Jan. 12 at the Convocation Center. Five Eagles (10-6, 2-1 MAC) finished with double figure scoring performances for EMU as junior Ty Toney (Alpharetta, Ga.-Alpharetta (Georgia Highlands College)) led the way with 17 points.

Freshman James Thompson IV (Baton Rouge, La.-Parkview Baptist) finished with his ninth double-double of the season, totaling 13 points and 12 rebounds. Other Eagles in double-digit points were redshirt junior Raven Lee (Detroit, Mich.-Romulus) and senior Brandon Nazione (Howell, Mich.-Howell) with 14 points apiece, while junior Willie Mangum IV (Richmond, Va.-Marshall (San Jacinto College)) poured in 11. Toney also finished with a career-high five steals, while dishing out three assists. Defensively, the Green and White blocked seven shots as both Nazione and Thompson swatted the Bulls on three occasions, while Tim Bond (Baltimore, Md.-City College) added one stuff of his own.

As a team, EMU shot 40.7 (22-of-54) from the field, as well as 74.5 (35-of-47) from the free throw line. The 35 free throw makes ties the third-most in a single game in Eastern Michigan history. The Eagles notched 16 steals in the contest, as well as forcing 23 turnovers, turning those into 28 points. Sloppy play forced the officials to pull out the whistles as the two squads finished with 59 combined fouls and three players fouling out.

The first half began with Jodan Price (Indianapolis, Ind.-Detroit Country Day (DePaul)) burying a three, followed by a nice dish from Lee to Thompson for a 5-0 lead early in the game. Buffalo quickly raced back to take a 6-5 lead with 16:30 to go in the half before Nazione put the Eagles back up by one.

Back and forth play continued throughout the first period, as neither team could get into an offensive rhythm. After a three, the Bulls jumped back out front with 11:45 to go. The Eagles responded with a few nice sequences, as Bond finished at the rim to pull within three, and on the following possession had a huge rundown block to stop a breakaway from the Bulls.

With nine minutes left in the first half, the score stood at 16-13, as Buffalo maintained their lead. Trent Perry (Franklin, Tenn.-Independence) was then fouled and converted both free throws, pulling the Eagles back within two, 17-15. More shots from the charity stripe by Lee tied the game back up at 17 apiece, and a steal and breakaway dunk from Bond put the Green and White ahead, 19-17, with seven minutes to go.

From there, both teams continued going back and forth with one squad unable to hold the lead. Through the last five minutes of the first half, both the Bulls and Eagles were regularly getting to the free throw line. However, a late jumper from Lee gave EMU the 32-31 lead as teams headed to the locker rooms.

Despite being outrebounded, 28-13, in the opening 20 minutes, the Eagles held serve after shooting 37 percent (10-of-27) from the floor. The Green and White took a lead into the break in large part to forcing the Bulls in 14 first half turnovers. Toney led the EMU offense in the first stanza with nine points, while Nazione added seven. Eastern held Buffalo to a 37.5 shooting percentage (9-of-24) in the first half, while knocking down just 2-of-10 shots from downtown. Both sides went to the free throw line 17 times in the opening half, connecting on 11 apeice for 64.7 percent.

Coming out of the break, Lee hit a jumper to score the first points of the half, making the score 34-31. EMU steadily increased the lead, culminating into a fast break layup from Mangum to give EMU its first double-digit lead, 56-46, at the 9:14 mark. UB answered back with a three to make it 56-49, but Eastern followed with a pair of Mangum free throws and a Toney fast break layup to take a 60-49 lead.

The lead extended to 13 after a pair of Thompson free throws, but a UB three cut the lead to ten. EMU answered right back with a Mangum three ball, giving EMU the 65-52 lead with just over seven minutes to play. UB continued to chip away, getting the deficit down to eight points a minute later, but the Eagles answered back with an 8-2 run, grabbing a 14-point, 75-61, advantage at the 3:15 mark. Eastern Michigan held strong the rest of the way out, not letting UB get within single digits again, taking the 12-point, 81-69, win.

Eastern remains at home this weekend when they play host to Bowling Green State University. Tip-off from the Convocation Center is slated for 2 p.m., Sat. Jan. 16 on the Buckeye Cable Sports Network. The game is a double-header, Lace Up for Cancer affair, as the women will square off with Ohio University at 4:30 p.m.

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Team Stats

Ty Toney

Ray Lee

Brandon Nazione

James Thompson IV

Players Mentioned

Tim Bond

Ray Lee

Willie Mangum IV

Brandon Nazione

Trent Perry

Jodan Price

James Thompson IV

Ty Toney

Players Mentioned

Tim Bond

Ray Lee

Willie Mangum IV

Brandon Nazione

Trent Perry

Jodan Price

James Thompson IV

Ty Toney

Eastern Michigan Athletics