Eastern Michigan Athletics
Tuesday, February 6
Kent, Ohio
7 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
14-10, 5-6MAC
71
at
67
Kent State
12-12, 6-5MAC
1
2
F
Eastern Michigan
33
38
71
Kent State
28
39
67
Eastern Hoops Pulls Out Nail Biter at Kent State, 71-67
2/6/2018 9:43:00 PM | Men's Basketball
EMU had five players in double-figures to pull off the road win
KENT, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team pulled off its first win in the M.A.C Center in almost 20 years thanks to a well-balanced effort, holding on late against Kent State University for a 71-67 victory, Tuesday, Feb. 6.
The Eagles (14-10, 5-6) and Golden Flashes (12-12, 6-5 MAC) were locked in a tight contest from the opening tip, as the two teams traded the lead six times and saw the score tied on eight other occasions. Ultimately, EMU's offensive firepower lifted the Green and White to their first victory in Kent since Feb. 7, 1998.
Eastern benefited from one of its best all-around games of the season, as five players scored in double-figures for the first time on the campaign. Redshirt junior Paul Jackson (Stone Mountain, Ga.-Martin Luther King Jr. (Eastern Kentucky) led the way with 17 points and eight assists, while also knocking down five-of-five from the charity stripe. Fellow redshirt junior Elijah Minnie (Pittsburgh, Pa.-Lincoln Park (Robert Morris)) came up big with 15 points and six rebounds, while James Thompson IV (Baton Rouge, La.-Parkview Baptist) added 12 points and eight boards. Joining in on the scoring fun was redshirt freshman Ty Groce (Ypsilanti, Mich.-Lincoln), who had 11 points, and redshirt junior Jordan Nobles (Canton, Mich.-Canton), was a perfect 4-for-4 from the floor for 10 points.
EMU built up an early lead in the first half and carried a five-point advantage into the locker room at the half, but a 9-2 run for the Golden Flashes out of the break gave fans a preview of the half to come.
Kent State grabbed its only lead of the second half with 14:34 to go, but the Eastern lead never got more than eight points down the stretch. With the game coming to a close, KSU cut the lead to two thanks to some hot shooting from 35-feet with just 12 seconds to go, but Jackson knocked down two clutch free throws to put the game on ice.
The Eagles were 29-of-60 (.483) from the floor for the game, while the Golden Flashes shot 24-of-57 (.421). KSU held the edge in free throw percentage (.714 to .692), and rebounding (37 to 31), but Eastern dominated in points in the paint (48 to 20), points off turnovers (22 to 11), and fast break points (14 to zero).
Eastern Michigan continues its two-game road swing by finishing their home-and-home with MAC East adversary Bowling Green, Saturday, Feb. 10, at 4 p.m.
The Eagles (14-10, 5-6) and Golden Flashes (12-12, 6-5 MAC) were locked in a tight contest from the opening tip, as the two teams traded the lead six times and saw the score tied on eight other occasions. Ultimately, EMU's offensive firepower lifted the Green and White to their first victory in Kent since Feb. 7, 1998.
Eastern benefited from one of its best all-around games of the season, as five players scored in double-figures for the first time on the campaign. Redshirt junior Paul Jackson (Stone Mountain, Ga.-Martin Luther King Jr. (Eastern Kentucky) led the way with 17 points and eight assists, while also knocking down five-of-five from the charity stripe. Fellow redshirt junior Elijah Minnie (Pittsburgh, Pa.-Lincoln Park (Robert Morris)) came up big with 15 points and six rebounds, while James Thompson IV (Baton Rouge, La.-Parkview Baptist) added 12 points and eight boards. Joining in on the scoring fun was redshirt freshman Ty Groce (Ypsilanti, Mich.-Lincoln), who had 11 points, and redshirt junior Jordan Nobles (Canton, Mich.-Canton), was a perfect 4-for-4 from the floor for 10 points.
EMU built up an early lead in the first half and carried a five-point advantage into the locker room at the half, but a 9-2 run for the Golden Flashes out of the break gave fans a preview of the half to come.
Kent State grabbed its only lead of the second half with 14:34 to go, but the Eastern lead never got more than eight points down the stretch. With the game coming to a close, KSU cut the lead to two thanks to some hot shooting from 35-feet with just 12 seconds to go, but Jackson knocked down two clutch free throws to put the game on ice.
The Eagles were 29-of-60 (.483) from the floor for the game, while the Golden Flashes shot 24-of-57 (.421). KSU held the edge in free throw percentage (.714 to .692), and rebounding (37 to 31), but Eastern dominated in points in the paint (48 to 20), points off turnovers (22 to 11), and fast break points (14 to zero).
Eastern Michigan continues its two-game road swing by finishing their home-and-home with MAC East adversary Bowling Green, Saturday, Feb. 10, at 4 p.m.
Team Stats
EMU
KENTST
FG%
.483
.421
3FG%
.250
.375
FT%
.692
.714
RB
31
37
TO
13
19
STL
11
6
Game Leaders
Pts
17
FGM
6
3FGM
0
FTM
5
Pts
15
FGM
6
3FGM
2
FTM
1
Pts
12
FGM
6
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
G
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