Eastern Michigan Athletics
Saturday, February 3
Convocation Center
12 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
13-10 (4-6MAC)
58
vs
41
Ball State
14-9 (5-5MAC)
1
2
F
Ball State
26
15
41
Eastern Michigan
27
31
58
EMU Hoops Shuts Down Ball State, 58-41
2/3/2018 5:16:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Eagles pull away with 25-6 second-half run
Highlights
Photo Gallery
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team got back in the win column with a convincing 58-41 victory over Ball State University Saturday, Feb. 3, inside the Convocation Center.
The Eagles (13-10, 4-6 MAC) used a strong second-half performance to defeat the Cardinals (14-9, 5-5 MAC) for the first time since March 3, 2015, snapping a five-game skid against Ball State. EMU led for all but 44 seconds of the game, while the defense held Ball State to its lowest point total since 2010.
Redshirt junior Elijah Minnie (Pittsburgh, Pa.-Lincoln Park (Robert Morris)) paced the Green and White with 22 points while adding seven rebounds, three blocks, and a pair of steals. Junior James Thompson IV (Baton Rouge, La.-Parkview Baptist) tallied 11 points and pulled down a team-high 14 boards for his third consecutive double-double and 16th of the campaign. Making his return to the starting lineup, senior Tim Bond (Baltimore, Md.-City College High School) contributed 11 points, seven rebounds, and three assists, while leading the Eagles with four blocks and three swipes.
EMU was dominant on both sides of the ball, finishing with a 52.3 shooting percentage from the floor on 23-of-44 shooting, while holding Ball State to a season-low 26.7 percent (16-of-60) clip. The Green and White out-blocked the Cardinals by a 13-3 margin and out-rebounded BSU, 40-32. The 13 blocks ties the record for most in a game, and is the most in a game against a Division I opponent since the 2013-14 season.
Bond threw down a one-handed slam to break the scoreless tie before setting up Thompson on an alley-oop as the Eagles grabbed a 4-0 lead with 18:09 to play in the opening half. After Ball State knotted the score at 9, redshirt junior Paul Jackson (Stone Mountain, Ga.-Martin Luther King Jr. (Eastern Kentucky)) nailed a triple to put the Green and White back in front, 12-9, with 14:06 left in the first frame.
EMU's defense stifled Ball State for much of the opening period, at one stage holding the Cardinals scoreless for nearly six minutes. Trailing 26-25, Minnie drove to the basket for a layup with 29 seconds remaining in the first half to give the Eagles a 27-26 edge heading into the intermission.
Eastern never relinquished its lead in the second half. Ahead 31-30, the Green and White used an 11-3 run to build a 41-33 advantage with 11:32 with to go in the final frame. In total, EMU put the game beyond any doubt with a 25-6 run as the Eagles took a commanding 56-36 lead with 5:18 left in the second stanza.
Ball State did not do itself any favors, failing to connect on a field goal attempt for over seven minutes and picking up 10 team fouls in the opening 10:26 of the second half. The Eagles used several highlight-reel blocks in the closing stages to hold the Cardinals to a season-low 41 points and keep an opponent under 50 points for the fifth time this campaign as EMU ran away with a decisive 17-point victory.
Eastern Michigan hits the road for a pair of contests against Mid-American Conference East opponents next week, squaring off with Kent State, Tuesday, Feb. 8 at 7 p.m. and returning to action at 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 10 at Bowling Green.
Photo Gallery
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team got back in the win column with a convincing 58-41 victory over Ball State University Saturday, Feb. 3, inside the Convocation Center.
The Eagles (13-10, 4-6 MAC) used a strong second-half performance to defeat the Cardinals (14-9, 5-5 MAC) for the first time since March 3, 2015, snapping a five-game skid against Ball State. EMU led for all but 44 seconds of the game, while the defense held Ball State to its lowest point total since 2010.
Redshirt junior Elijah Minnie (Pittsburgh, Pa.-Lincoln Park (Robert Morris)) paced the Green and White with 22 points while adding seven rebounds, three blocks, and a pair of steals. Junior James Thompson IV (Baton Rouge, La.-Parkview Baptist) tallied 11 points and pulled down a team-high 14 boards for his third consecutive double-double and 16th of the campaign. Making his return to the starting lineup, senior Tim Bond (Baltimore, Md.-City College High School) contributed 11 points, seven rebounds, and three assists, while leading the Eagles with four blocks and three swipes.
EMU was dominant on both sides of the ball, finishing with a 52.3 shooting percentage from the floor on 23-of-44 shooting, while holding Ball State to a season-low 26.7 percent (16-of-60) clip. The Green and White out-blocked the Cardinals by a 13-3 margin and out-rebounded BSU, 40-32. The 13 blocks ties the record for most in a game, and is the most in a game against a Division I opponent since the 2013-14 season.
Bond threw down a one-handed slam to break the scoreless tie before setting up Thompson on an alley-oop as the Eagles grabbed a 4-0 lead with 18:09 to play in the opening half. After Ball State knotted the score at 9, redshirt junior Paul Jackson (Stone Mountain, Ga.-Martin Luther King Jr. (Eastern Kentucky)) nailed a triple to put the Green and White back in front, 12-9, with 14:06 left in the first frame.
EMU's defense stifled Ball State for much of the opening period, at one stage holding the Cardinals scoreless for nearly six minutes. Trailing 26-25, Minnie drove to the basket for a layup with 29 seconds remaining in the first half to give the Eagles a 27-26 edge heading into the intermission.
Eastern never relinquished its lead in the second half. Ahead 31-30, the Green and White used an 11-3 run to build a 41-33 advantage with 11:32 with to go in the final frame. In total, EMU put the game beyond any doubt with a 25-6 run as the Eagles took a commanding 56-36 lead with 5:18 left in the second stanza.
Ball State did not do itself any favors, failing to connect on a field goal attempt for over seven minutes and picking up 10 team fouls in the opening 10:26 of the second half. The Eagles used several highlight-reel blocks in the closing stages to hold the Cardinals to a season-low 41 points and keep an opponent under 50 points for the fifth time this campaign as EMU ran away with a decisive 17-point victory.
Eastern Michigan hits the road for a pair of contests against Mid-American Conference East opponents next week, squaring off with Kent State, Tuesday, Feb. 8 at 7 p.m. and returning to action at 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 10 at Bowling Green.
Team Stats
BSU
EMU
FG%
.267
.523
3FG%
.190
.357
FT%
.556
.467
RB
32
40
TO
12
18
STL
8
8
Game Leaders
Pts
22
FGM
9
3FGM
3
FTM
1
Pts
11
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
5
Pts
8
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
1
Players Mentioned
G
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