Eastern Michigan Athletics
Monday, March 11
Convocation Center
7 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
15-17 (9-9MAC)
43
vs
61
Ball State
16-16 (6-12MAC)
1
2
F
Ball State
23
38
61
Eastern Michigan
29
14
43
Photo by: Steve King/KingStudios
Hot Start Not Enough as Eagles Knocked Out of MAC Tournament
3/11/2019 10:18:00 PM | Men's Basketball
EMU unable to complete three-game sweep over Ball State
HIGHLIGHTS
PHOTO GALLERY
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team built a double-digit lead within the opening six minutes of play, but were eliminated from the Mid-American Conference Tournament following a 61-43 opening-round defeat to a resilient Ball State University Monday, March 11, inside the Convocation Center.
The Eagles (15-17, 9-9 MAC) held a 29-20 advantage with 1:01 remaining in the first half, but the 11th-seeded Cardinals (16-16, 6-12 MAC) responded with a 22-4 run lasting nearly 14 minutes en route to a berth in the MAC Tournament quarterfinals Thursday, March 14 against No. 3-ranked Bowling Green State University.
Playing in his final game inside the Convocation Center, redshirt senior Paul Jackson (Stone Mountain, Ga.-Martin Luther King Jr. (Eastern Kentucky)) paced the Green and White with 12 points, four assists, and three steals, while sophomore Kevin McAdoo (Pontiac, Mich.-West Bloomfield) contributed 11 points and three boards. Senior James Thompson IV (Baton Rouge, La.-Parkview Baptist) was limited to four points, but pulled down a team-high nine rebounds, while redshirt senior Elijah Minnie (Pittsburgh, Pa.-Lincoln Park (Robert Morris)) recorded six points and two helpers. Additionally, senior Isaiah Green (Southfield, Mich.-Southfield (Lansing C.C.) gained two points and one rebound in six minutes of game action.
It was a game of two halves as EMU shot a strong 45.8 percent (11-of-24) from the floor and 50 percent (5-of-10) from downtown during the first frame, but knocked down four field goals over the last 20 minutes. In contrast, Ball State made up for its 30.4 percent (7-of-23) first-half efficiency by finishing 53.8 percent (14-of-26) during the second stanza.
McAdoo buried a corner three to give the Eagles their first lead, 5-2, and later added another triple to cap a 12-0 EMU run and make it a 12-2 contest with 14:22 left in the opening period. Ball State eventually trimmed the deficit to one, but back-to-back three-pointers from McAdoo and Minnie put the Green and White ahead, 29-20, heading into the final minute of the first half.
While EMU struggled to find its offensive touch in the second half, Ball State pulled away with a 22-4 run to build a commanding 44-35 lead with 6:46 remaining. In total, the Cardinals outscored the Eagles in the second half, 32-20, to bring the Green and White's season to an unexpected close.
PHOTO GALLERY
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team built a double-digit lead within the opening six minutes of play, but were eliminated from the Mid-American Conference Tournament following a 61-43 opening-round defeat to a resilient Ball State University Monday, March 11, inside the Convocation Center.
The Eagles (15-17, 9-9 MAC) held a 29-20 advantage with 1:01 remaining in the first half, but the 11th-seeded Cardinals (16-16, 6-12 MAC) responded with a 22-4 run lasting nearly 14 minutes en route to a berth in the MAC Tournament quarterfinals Thursday, March 14 against No. 3-ranked Bowling Green State University.
Playing in his final game inside the Convocation Center, redshirt senior Paul Jackson (Stone Mountain, Ga.-Martin Luther King Jr. (Eastern Kentucky)) paced the Green and White with 12 points, four assists, and three steals, while sophomore Kevin McAdoo (Pontiac, Mich.-West Bloomfield) contributed 11 points and three boards. Senior James Thompson IV (Baton Rouge, La.-Parkview Baptist) was limited to four points, but pulled down a team-high nine rebounds, while redshirt senior Elijah Minnie (Pittsburgh, Pa.-Lincoln Park (Robert Morris)) recorded six points and two helpers. Additionally, senior Isaiah Green (Southfield, Mich.-Southfield (Lansing C.C.) gained two points and one rebound in six minutes of game action.
It was a game of two halves as EMU shot a strong 45.8 percent (11-of-24) from the floor and 50 percent (5-of-10) from downtown during the first frame, but knocked down four field goals over the last 20 minutes. In contrast, Ball State made up for its 30.4 percent (7-of-23) first-half efficiency by finishing 53.8 percent (14-of-26) during the second stanza.
McAdoo buried a corner three to give the Eagles their first lead, 5-2, and later added another triple to cap a 12-0 EMU run and make it a 12-2 contest with 14:22 left in the opening period. Ball State eventually trimmed the deficit to one, but back-to-back three-pointers from McAdoo and Minnie put the Green and White ahead, 29-20, heading into the final minute of the first half.
While EMU struggled to find its offensive touch in the second half, Ball State pulled away with a 22-4 run to build a commanding 44-35 lead with 6:46 remaining. In total, the Cardinals outscored the Eagles in the second half, 32-20, to bring the Green and White's season to an unexpected close.
Team Stats
BSU
EMU
FG%
.429
.294
3FG%
.278
.238
FT%
.737
.500
RB
41
32
TO
17
13
STL
4
6
Game Leaders
Pts
12
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
4
Pts
11
FGM
3
3FGM
3
FTM
2
Pts
6
FGM
2
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Pts
4
FGM
2
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballG/F
/ Men's Basketball
F/C
/ Men's BasketballThank You from EMU Men's Basketball!
Monday, December 01
Giving Tuesday 2025 - EMU Men's Basketball
Monday, December 01
Giving Tuesday 2025 - Eastern Michigan Men's Basketball
Monday, December 01
2025-26 Field of 68 Men's Basketball Preview: Eastern Michigan Eagles
Tuesday, October 21