Eastern Michigan Athletics
Tuesday, February 21
Muncie, Ind.
7 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
13-15 (5-10MAC)
72
at
79
Ball State
18-10 (9-6MAC)
1
2
F
Eastern Michigan
35
37
72
Ball State
31
48
79
Photo by: Andrew Mascharka
Hot Start Not Enough as Eagles Falter, 79-72, at Ball State
2/21/2017 9:30:00 PM | Men's Basketball
It is the seventh loss in a row for Eastern Michigan
MUNCIE, Ind. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team traveled to Muncie, Ind. to square off with Mid-American Conference West Division foe Ball State University Tuesday night, Feb. 21. Despite getting ahead by as many as 19 in the first half, the Eagles (13-15, 5-10 MAC) fell, 79-72, as the Cardinals (18-10, 9-6 MAC) outscored EMU by 11 in the second half.
The Green and White connected on a season-high 12 three pointers in the loss, including a career-best of eight triples by senior Willie Mangum IV (Richmond, Va.-Marshall (San Jacinto College)). Mangum led all scorers with 26 points on 9-of-17 shooting and 8-of-13 beyond the arc and entered the top-10 all-time in three point makes with 146 on the year. Redshirt senior Ray Lee (Detroit, Mich.-Romulus) added 22 points, while sophomore James Thompson IV (Baton Rouge, La.-Parkview Baptist) notched his 15th double-double of the season and 34th of his career with 17 points and 11 rebounds. That number gives him the fourth most double-doubles in EMU history.
The Cardinals drew first blood with a long three ball by Sean Sellers, before Lee sparked a 7-0 run for Eastern Michigan to take a four point lead with just under 15 minutes to go. Both squads traded buckets until Ball State scored five in a row to take a 10-9 lead but the Eagles responded with a 10-3 run to jump out by eight, 19-11 at the 10:39 mark.
After Trey Moses knocked down a free throw on the Cardinals next possession, Mangum and Lee teamed up to start a 12-0 run as Mangum knocked down four three pointers in straight possessions, all of which were assisted by Lee. That triple barrage gave EMU a 19 point, 31-12 advantage.
The Green and White had held BSU scoreless for nearly four minutes before Ryan Weber knocked down a pair of free throws to start a 10-0 run, including a Franko House layup that was Ball State's first field goal in seven minutes to cut it to 31-22 with four minutes remaining in the half. The Eagles finally broke a nearly six minute scoring drought with a pair of Toney free throws.
The Cardinals held EMU without a field goal over the final eight minutes of play and cut back into the lead making it a four-point deficit as Eastern held a 35-31 lead at the break.
Ball State and Eastern Michigan traded points early on in the second half, Lee finally broke the Green and White's field goal drought of nearly 14 minutes with a lay in at the 14:36 mark but the Cardinals responded with a triple to give BSU its first lead, 41-40, since early on in the first half. The score went back and forth again for the next five minutes before Thompson scored back to back buckets for EMU and Eastern saw a 50-49 deficit with 8:16 to go.
Ball State starting knocking down triples and scored in three-straight possessions to jump out to a 63-56 lead with 4:22 to go. The two squads traded points through the next three minutes until the Cardinals iced the game down the stretch with free throws and EMU left Muncie on the wrong end of a 79-72 decision.
The Eagles return home Saturday, Feb. 25, when they host Northern Illinois University at the Convocation Center. The game is scheduled for noon and is the first leg of an EMU basketball doubleheader.
The Green and White connected on a season-high 12 three pointers in the loss, including a career-best of eight triples by senior Willie Mangum IV (Richmond, Va.-Marshall (San Jacinto College)). Mangum led all scorers with 26 points on 9-of-17 shooting and 8-of-13 beyond the arc and entered the top-10 all-time in three point makes with 146 on the year. Redshirt senior Ray Lee (Detroit, Mich.-Romulus) added 22 points, while sophomore James Thompson IV (Baton Rouge, La.-Parkview Baptist) notched his 15th double-double of the season and 34th of his career with 17 points and 11 rebounds. That number gives him the fourth most double-doubles in EMU history.
The Cardinals drew first blood with a long three ball by Sean Sellers, before Lee sparked a 7-0 run for Eastern Michigan to take a four point lead with just under 15 minutes to go. Both squads traded buckets until Ball State scored five in a row to take a 10-9 lead but the Eagles responded with a 10-3 run to jump out by eight, 19-11 at the 10:39 mark.
After Trey Moses knocked down a free throw on the Cardinals next possession, Mangum and Lee teamed up to start a 12-0 run as Mangum knocked down four three pointers in straight possessions, all of which were assisted by Lee. That triple barrage gave EMU a 19 point, 31-12 advantage.
The Green and White had held BSU scoreless for nearly four minutes before Ryan Weber knocked down a pair of free throws to start a 10-0 run, including a Franko House layup that was Ball State's first field goal in seven minutes to cut it to 31-22 with four minutes remaining in the half. The Eagles finally broke a nearly six minute scoring drought with a pair of Toney free throws.
The Cardinals held EMU without a field goal over the final eight minutes of play and cut back into the lead making it a four-point deficit as Eastern held a 35-31 lead at the break.
Ball State and Eastern Michigan traded points early on in the second half, Lee finally broke the Green and White's field goal drought of nearly 14 minutes with a lay in at the 14:36 mark but the Cardinals responded with a triple to give BSU its first lead, 41-40, since early on in the first half. The score went back and forth again for the next five minutes before Thompson scored back to back buckets for EMU and Eastern saw a 50-49 deficit with 8:16 to go.
Ball State starting knocking down triples and scored in three-straight possessions to jump out to a 63-56 lead with 4:22 to go. The two squads traded points through the next three minutes until the Cardinals iced the game down the stretch with free throws and EMU left Muncie on the wrong end of a 79-72 decision.
The Eagles return home Saturday, Feb. 25, when they host Northern Illinois University at the Convocation Center. The game is scheduled for noon and is the first leg of an EMU basketball doubleheader.
Team Stats
EMU
BSU
FG%
.369
.423
3FG%
.522
.310
FT%
.750
.743
RB
34
44
TO
9
12
STL
8
3
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
26
FGM
9
3FGM
8
FTM
0
Pts
17
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
7
Players Mentioned
G
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