Eastern Michigan Athletics
Saturday, January 20
Convocation Center
2 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
11-8 (2-4MAC)
66
vs
72
Ohio
9-9 (2-4MAC)
1
2
F
Ohio
24
48
72
Eastern Michigan
31
35
66
EMU Hoops Falls at Home Against Ohio, 72-66
1/20/2018 4:50:00 PM | Men's Basketball
James Thompson IV leads Eagles with 21 points and 14 rebounds
Video Highlights.
Photo Gallery.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team led by as many as eight in the opening half, but Ohio University used eight second-half threes to hand the Eagles a 72-66 defeat Saturday, Jan. 20, inside the Convocation Center.
The Eagles (11-8, 2-4 MAC) finished a respectable 46.9 percent from the field, converting 24-of-52 field goal attempts. The Bobcats (9-9, 2-4 MAC) shot slightly better at 48.9 percent (23-of-47), but connected on 10-of-18 three-point attempts. EMU out-rebounded the Bobcats, 32-28, and scored 32 points in the paint compared to Ohio's total of 22.
Junior James Thompson IV (Baton Rouge, La.-Parkview Baptist) led the Green and White with 21 points on 7-of-7 shooting to go with a team-high 14 rebounds for his 13th double-double of the campaign. Redshirt freshman Ty Groce (Ypsilanti, Mich.-Lincoln) tallied 15 points on 5-of-8 shooting, making 4-of-5 attempts from beyond the arc. Redshirt junior Paul Jackson (Stone Mountain, Ga.-Martin Luther King Jr. (Eastern Kentucky)) contributed 12 points and a team-best three assists, while senior Tim Bond (Baltimore, Md.-City College High School) added 11 points, three rebounds, and two helpers off the bench.
After falling behind by four in the early stages, the Eagles responded with an 11-0 run capped by back-to-back dunks from Bond and Minnie to build a 13-6 lead with 13:01 left in the opening half, prompting Ohio to burn a 30-second timeout. Groce's second three-point basket of the afternoon gave EMU its largest lead, 16-8, with 11:21 to play in the first frame.
The opening stanza featured four ties and five changes, but the Green and White managed to re-gain control of the momentum. Tied 22-22, Minnie's triple put the Eagles back on top, 25-22, with 2:54 remaining in the first period. In total, EMU closed out the opening stanza on a 14-4 run and took a 31-24 lead into the locker room.
Both offenses improved dramatically in the second half. Although the Eagles shot 51.7 percent from the field in the final frame, Ohio responded with a 63 percent (17-of-27) clip. Trailing 52-44, EMU fought back with an 8-2 run to cut its deficit to 54-52 with 9:01 to go in regulation.
Down 69-58, the Green and White clawed their way back with seven unanswered points to trim Ohio's lead to 69-65 with 1:32 remaining in the second half. However, the Bobcats escaped with a six-point victory as the Eagles fell for just the second time in 11 contests this season inside the Convocation Center.
Eastern Michigan hits the road for a two-game conference swing, starting with a trip to New York to take on the University at Buffalo Tuesday, Jan. 23 at 7 p.m. The Eagles will finish their road trip Saturday, Jan. 27 with a 3:30 p.m. tilt at Miami University.
Photo Gallery.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team led by as many as eight in the opening half, but Ohio University used eight second-half threes to hand the Eagles a 72-66 defeat Saturday, Jan. 20, inside the Convocation Center.
The Eagles (11-8, 2-4 MAC) finished a respectable 46.9 percent from the field, converting 24-of-52 field goal attempts. The Bobcats (9-9, 2-4 MAC) shot slightly better at 48.9 percent (23-of-47), but connected on 10-of-18 three-point attempts. EMU out-rebounded the Bobcats, 32-28, and scored 32 points in the paint compared to Ohio's total of 22.
Junior James Thompson IV (Baton Rouge, La.-Parkview Baptist) led the Green and White with 21 points on 7-of-7 shooting to go with a team-high 14 rebounds for his 13th double-double of the campaign. Redshirt freshman Ty Groce (Ypsilanti, Mich.-Lincoln) tallied 15 points on 5-of-8 shooting, making 4-of-5 attempts from beyond the arc. Redshirt junior Paul Jackson (Stone Mountain, Ga.-Martin Luther King Jr. (Eastern Kentucky)) contributed 12 points and a team-best three assists, while senior Tim Bond (Baltimore, Md.-City College High School) added 11 points, three rebounds, and two helpers off the bench.
After falling behind by four in the early stages, the Eagles responded with an 11-0 run capped by back-to-back dunks from Bond and Minnie to build a 13-6 lead with 13:01 left in the opening half, prompting Ohio to burn a 30-second timeout. Groce's second three-point basket of the afternoon gave EMU its largest lead, 16-8, with 11:21 to play in the first frame.
The opening stanza featured four ties and five changes, but the Green and White managed to re-gain control of the momentum. Tied 22-22, Minnie's triple put the Eagles back on top, 25-22, with 2:54 remaining in the first period. In total, EMU closed out the opening stanza on a 14-4 run and took a 31-24 lead into the locker room.
Both offenses improved dramatically in the second half. Although the Eagles shot 51.7 percent from the field in the final frame, Ohio responded with a 63 percent (17-of-27) clip. Trailing 52-44, EMU fought back with an 8-2 run to cut its deficit to 54-52 with 9:01 to go in regulation.
Down 69-58, the Green and White clawed their way back with seven unanswered points to trim Ohio's lead to 69-65 with 1:32 remaining in the second half. However, the Bobcats escaped with a six-point victory as the Eagles fell for just the second time in 11 contests this season inside the Convocation Center.
Eastern Michigan hits the road for a two-game conference swing, starting with a trip to New York to take on the University at Buffalo Tuesday, Jan. 23 at 7 p.m. The Eagles will finish their road trip Saturday, Jan. 27 with a 3:30 p.m. tilt at Miami University.
Team Stats
OHIO
EMU
FG%
.489
.462
3FG%
.556
.353
FT%
.667
.632
RB
28
32
TO
13
15
STL
8
6
Game Leaders
Pts
21
FGM
7
3FGM
0
FTM
7
Pts
12
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
G
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