Eastern Michigan Athletics
Photo by: Andrew Mascharka
Men's Basketball Cruises to Victory over Rochester in Home Opener
11/15/2016 1:06:00 PM | Men's Basketball
The Eagles dominated down low, controlling the paint to secure the win
Photo Gallery.
Video Highlights.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team came away with a 78-63 victory today, Nov. 15, in their home opener against Rochester College. The Eagles (1-2, 0-0 MAC) used their size advantage over the Warriors (9-0), dominating in the paint to cruise to victory.
As a team, Eastern had a solid offensive showing, converting 29 field goals on 46.8 percent shooting, in addition to knocking down seven-of-16 three-pointers. The Green and White also controlled the boards, out-rebounding the Warriors 45-34. The EMU defense held Rochester to just 20 field goals on 32.3 percent shooting. Eastern's bench also dominated the Rochester bench, outscoring them 25-0, while also controlling the paint by a margin of 40-14.
Sophomore James Thompson IV (Baton Rouge, La. – Parkview Baptist) had a strong game, picking up his first double-double of the season with 19 points and 17 rebounds, five of them being on the offensive end. He was also perfect from the charity stripe, sinking all five attempts. Eastern had four other players in double figures as well, with senior Willie Mangum IV (Richmond, Va. – Marshall (San Jacinto College)) posting 14 points with four three-pointers, while redshirt senior Ray Lee (Detroit, Mich. – Romulus) and junior Tim Bond (Baltimore, Md. – City College High School) scored 12 apiece. Lee also had three steals throughout the game, and Bond corralled seven boards. Finally, senior Ty Toney (Atlanta, Ga. – Alpharetta (Georgia Highlands College)) scored 10 points to go along with three rebounds and two assists.
Thompson got things rolling, knocking down his first shot of the game to put EMU ahead 2-0 early on. Rochester was able to pick up the next four points to take a 4-2 lead, but a pair at the line from Thompson tied it back up at 4. The sophomore continued the trend, picking up two more free throws to regain the lead, 6-4. Following a Rochester three, neither team was able to knock down a bucket, leading to the first media timeout with the score at 7-6 in favor of the Warriors.
Coming out of the break, neither team was able to make a shot until Lee found Bond for a three, putting EMU back ahead 9-7. Following a tough defensive rebound by Thompson, Bond picked up the ball and converted a tough transition layup, giving the Eagles a four-point lead, 11-7. From there, the Eagles began to hit their stride offensively, quickly running to a 17-7 lead after tough transition buckets and a big alley-oop to Bond.
Following the second media timeout, Mangum quickly knocked a pair of threes to push the EMU lead to 13, 23-10. After a couple of buckets from Rochester to come back within 10, 25-15, Thompson came back in with a thunderous dunk to get EMU back on track. After a foul while driving to the hoop, Lee knocked down both to put the Eagles back in front by 11, 29-18. On the next possession, Mangum knocked down his third three of the game. Thompson then picked up two more points to give him a double-double with 10 points and 13 boards.
With a big 37-20 lead, the final minutes of the half kicked off with Lee converting one-of-two from the free throw line. Lee kept the EMU offense moving, converting another transition layup for his eighth point. Eastern decided to hold the ball for the final shot of the half, calling a timeout to discuss the play. Eastern attempted a three at the buzzer, but couldn't knock it down, and went to the locker room with a 17-point lead, 40-23.
Like the first half, Thompson scored the first points of the second half on a transition bucket. As he was also fouled on the play, he knocked down the free throw to complete the three-point play. Toney also ran down the floor, picking up a transition bucket of his own. The next possession saw Thompson throw down an alley-oop of his own to put the Eagles back in front by 20, 47-27. A steal from Lee lead to an easy layup, putting the Green and White out front by 24, 51-27, at the first media timeout of the half.
Rochester came out of the break firing, sinking a couple of shots to come within 16, 51-35. Redshirt junior Lamar Wofford-Humphrey (Chicago, Ill. – Homewood-Flossmoor (Butler C.C.)) then picked up his first points of the game, sinking a three to put the score at 54-39. The Warriors continued their hot shooting, converting another three and making the score move to 54-42. Coming out of the media timeout, Toney came through with a tough layup to increase the lead back to 14, 56-42.
Sophomore Baylee Steele (Norwalk, Iowa – Norwalk (Des Moines Area C.C.)) then secured his first points of the game after a nice offensive rebound. On the next possession, Bond sank his second three of the game, putting him at 10 points on the day, and pushing the EMU lead to 61-42. Mangum followed that up with his fourth three of the game, becoming the fifth Eagles to reach double figures. Just like that, Eastern raced back to a 24-point lead, 66-42.
Thompson kept up his strong play, knocking down his 17th-point of the day to match his 17 rebounds. Mangum continued his hot-shooting day, picking up his first two-point shot of the day to extend the lead back to 23, 72-49. Thompson then knocked down his seventh basket of the game, pushing his total to 19 points. Freshman Jalen Brown (Harper Woods, Mich. – Harper Woods) then picked up his first points as an Eagle, after which Eastern concluded the game with a pair of Bond free throws. At the buzzer, the Green and White finished the day with a 78-63 victory over Rochester.
The Eagles will now gear up for the tail-end of the 2K Classic, traveling to Indianapolis, Ind. for a game against Gardner-Webb, Friday, Nov. 16.
Video Highlights.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team came away with a 78-63 victory today, Nov. 15, in their home opener against Rochester College. The Eagles (1-2, 0-0 MAC) used their size advantage over the Warriors (9-0), dominating in the paint to cruise to victory.
As a team, Eastern had a solid offensive showing, converting 29 field goals on 46.8 percent shooting, in addition to knocking down seven-of-16 three-pointers. The Green and White also controlled the boards, out-rebounding the Warriors 45-34. The EMU defense held Rochester to just 20 field goals on 32.3 percent shooting. Eastern's bench also dominated the Rochester bench, outscoring them 25-0, while also controlling the paint by a margin of 40-14.
Sophomore James Thompson IV (Baton Rouge, La. – Parkview Baptist) had a strong game, picking up his first double-double of the season with 19 points and 17 rebounds, five of them being on the offensive end. He was also perfect from the charity stripe, sinking all five attempts. Eastern had four other players in double figures as well, with senior Willie Mangum IV (Richmond, Va. – Marshall (San Jacinto College)) posting 14 points with four three-pointers, while redshirt senior Ray Lee (Detroit, Mich. – Romulus) and junior Tim Bond (Baltimore, Md. – City College High School) scored 12 apiece. Lee also had three steals throughout the game, and Bond corralled seven boards. Finally, senior Ty Toney (Atlanta, Ga. – Alpharetta (Georgia Highlands College)) scored 10 points to go along with three rebounds and two assists.
Thompson got things rolling, knocking down his first shot of the game to put EMU ahead 2-0 early on. Rochester was able to pick up the next four points to take a 4-2 lead, but a pair at the line from Thompson tied it back up at 4. The sophomore continued the trend, picking up two more free throws to regain the lead, 6-4. Following a Rochester three, neither team was able to knock down a bucket, leading to the first media timeout with the score at 7-6 in favor of the Warriors.
Coming out of the break, neither team was able to make a shot until Lee found Bond for a three, putting EMU back ahead 9-7. Following a tough defensive rebound by Thompson, Bond picked up the ball and converted a tough transition layup, giving the Eagles a four-point lead, 11-7. From there, the Eagles began to hit their stride offensively, quickly running to a 17-7 lead after tough transition buckets and a big alley-oop to Bond.
Following the second media timeout, Mangum quickly knocked a pair of threes to push the EMU lead to 13, 23-10. After a couple of buckets from Rochester to come back within 10, 25-15, Thompson came back in with a thunderous dunk to get EMU back on track. After a foul while driving to the hoop, Lee knocked down both to put the Eagles back in front by 11, 29-18. On the next possession, Mangum knocked down his third three of the game. Thompson then picked up two more points to give him a double-double with 10 points and 13 boards.
With a big 37-20 lead, the final minutes of the half kicked off with Lee converting one-of-two from the free throw line. Lee kept the EMU offense moving, converting another transition layup for his eighth point. Eastern decided to hold the ball for the final shot of the half, calling a timeout to discuss the play. Eastern attempted a three at the buzzer, but couldn't knock it down, and went to the locker room with a 17-point lead, 40-23.
Like the first half, Thompson scored the first points of the second half on a transition bucket. As he was also fouled on the play, he knocked down the free throw to complete the three-point play. Toney also ran down the floor, picking up a transition bucket of his own. The next possession saw Thompson throw down an alley-oop of his own to put the Eagles back in front by 20, 47-27. A steal from Lee lead to an easy layup, putting the Green and White out front by 24, 51-27, at the first media timeout of the half.
Rochester came out of the break firing, sinking a couple of shots to come within 16, 51-35. Redshirt junior Lamar Wofford-Humphrey (Chicago, Ill. – Homewood-Flossmoor (Butler C.C.)) then picked up his first points of the game, sinking a three to put the score at 54-39. The Warriors continued their hot shooting, converting another three and making the score move to 54-42. Coming out of the media timeout, Toney came through with a tough layup to increase the lead back to 14, 56-42.
Sophomore Baylee Steele (Norwalk, Iowa – Norwalk (Des Moines Area C.C.)) then secured his first points of the game after a nice offensive rebound. On the next possession, Bond sank his second three of the game, putting him at 10 points on the day, and pushing the EMU lead to 61-42. Mangum followed that up with his fourth three of the game, becoming the fifth Eagles to reach double figures. Just like that, Eastern raced back to a 24-point lead, 66-42.
Thompson kept up his strong play, knocking down his 17th-point of the day to match his 17 rebounds. Mangum continued his hot-shooting day, picking up his first two-point shot of the day to extend the lead back to 23, 72-49. Thompson then knocked down his seventh basket of the game, pushing his total to 19 points. Freshman Jalen Brown (Harper Woods, Mich. – Harper Woods) then picked up his first points as an Eagle, after which Eastern concluded the game with a pair of Bond free throws. At the buzzer, the Green and White finished the day with a 78-63 victory over Rochester.
The Eagles will now gear up for the tail-end of the 2K Classic, traveling to Indianapolis, Ind. for a game against Gardner-Webb, Friday, Nov. 16.
.@EMUHoops forward James Thomspon IV talks about today's win over Rochester and how to continue the success this year #EMUEagles #EMUHoops pic.twitter.com/oefyA2zYn6
— EMU Athletics (@EMUAthletics) November 15, 2016
Team Stats
RC
EMU
FG%
.323
.468
3FG%
.316
.438
FT%
.786
.722
RB
34
45
TO
17
17
STL
9
11
Game Leaders
Players Mentioned
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