Eastern Michigan Athletics
Saturday, February 1
Convocation Center
2 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
11-10 (1-7MAC)
61
vs
57
Toledo
11-11 (3-6MAC)
1
2
F
Toledo
25
32
57
Eastern Michigan
24
37
61
Eagles Hold Off Rockets for First MAC Victory of Season, 61-57
2/1/2020 5:12:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Yeikson Montero scores career-high 26 points; Boubacar Toure notches eighth double-double of the season
Press Conference | Photo Gallery | Video Recap
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team earned its first win of the season in Mid-American Conference play with a 61-57 victory over the University of Toledo, Saturday, Feb. 1, inside the Convocation Center. The Eagles (11-10, 1-7 MAC) have captured each of their last three home meetings against the Rockets (11-11, 3-6 MAC).
Junior Yeikson Montero (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic-Redemption Christian Academy (Pensacola State)) scored 20 of his career-high 26 points in the second half, and also set personal bests with nine field goals and five three-pointers. He also contributed a pair of steals, a rebound, and a block.
Shining in the post was redshirt senior Boubacar Toure (Dakar, Senegal-Phase One Academy (Grand Canyon)), who showed 12 points while pulling down 16 rebounds for his eighth double-double of the season and 16th as an Eagle. From there, redshirt junior Ty Groce (Ypsilanti, Mich.-Lincoln) added 10 points, three boards, and three assists, while junior Darion Spottsville (Phoenix, Ariz.-Shadow Mountain (South Mountain C.C.)) contributed five points and led the Green and White with four steals and four helpers.
EMU shot 52 percent (13-of-25) from the floor during the second half and 46 percent (23-of-50) overall, while holding UT to a 37.5 percent efficiency. The hosts also bested the Rockets in points in the paint (24-10), steals (10-3), rebounds (33-30), and blocks (3-0).
The Eagles used the long ball to grab an early lead against their division rivals, as junior Thomas Binelli (Bologna, Italy-Bergen Catholic (Monroe College)), Groce, and Montero all knocked down triples to give the Green and White a 9-6 edge heading into the first media stoppage. Toure then added a hook shot to give EMU its largest lead of the half, 11-6, with 15:23 to go in the opening frame.
Toledo eventually knotted the score at 13, but Toure answered with a pair of layups to put EMU back in front, 17-13, with 7:20 left in the first half. The Rockets used an 8-0 run to seize a 21-17 lead with fewer than six minutes to go in the first half, but the Eagles slowly chipped away as Montero added another three-pointer to close the gap to 25-24 heading into the intermission.
A three-pointer by Toledo center Luke Knapke staked the visitors to a 40-37 edge, but the Eagles responded by preventing the Rockets from making a field goal for nearly seven minutes. In all, EMU used a 14-3 run to open up a commanding 54-43 lead with 7:37 to go in regulation.
Montero knocked down his fifth and final triple of the afternoon to give EMU a 57-48 cushion with 4:59 to go. Junior Noah Morgan (Mount Vernon, N.Y.-Mount Vernon (Northwest Florida State)) added a lay-up with exactly two minutes to go, before the Eagles used a couple free throws to help fend off the Rockets, 61-57.
Eastern will continue its two-game homestand by welcoming the Buffalo Bulls to the Convocation Center Tuesday, Feb. 4. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team earned its first win of the season in Mid-American Conference play with a 61-57 victory over the University of Toledo, Saturday, Feb. 1, inside the Convocation Center. The Eagles (11-10, 1-7 MAC) have captured each of their last three home meetings against the Rockets (11-11, 3-6 MAC).
Junior Yeikson Montero (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic-Redemption Christian Academy (Pensacola State)) scored 20 of his career-high 26 points in the second half, and also set personal bests with nine field goals and five three-pointers. He also contributed a pair of steals, a rebound, and a block.
Shining in the post was redshirt senior Boubacar Toure (Dakar, Senegal-Phase One Academy (Grand Canyon)), who showed 12 points while pulling down 16 rebounds for his eighth double-double of the season and 16th as an Eagle. From there, redshirt junior Ty Groce (Ypsilanti, Mich.-Lincoln) added 10 points, three boards, and three assists, while junior Darion Spottsville (Phoenix, Ariz.-Shadow Mountain (South Mountain C.C.)) contributed five points and led the Green and White with four steals and four helpers.
EMU shot 52 percent (13-of-25) from the floor during the second half and 46 percent (23-of-50) overall, while holding UT to a 37.5 percent efficiency. The hosts also bested the Rockets in points in the paint (24-10), steals (10-3), rebounds (33-30), and blocks (3-0).
The Eagles used the long ball to grab an early lead against their division rivals, as junior Thomas Binelli (Bologna, Italy-Bergen Catholic (Monroe College)), Groce, and Montero all knocked down triples to give the Green and White a 9-6 edge heading into the first media stoppage. Toure then added a hook shot to give EMU its largest lead of the half, 11-6, with 15:23 to go in the opening frame.
Toledo eventually knotted the score at 13, but Toure answered with a pair of layups to put EMU back in front, 17-13, with 7:20 left in the first half. The Rockets used an 8-0 run to seize a 21-17 lead with fewer than six minutes to go in the first half, but the Eagles slowly chipped away as Montero added another three-pointer to close the gap to 25-24 heading into the intermission.
A three-pointer by Toledo center Luke Knapke staked the visitors to a 40-37 edge, but the Eagles responded by preventing the Rockets from making a field goal for nearly seven minutes. In all, EMU used a 14-3 run to open up a commanding 54-43 lead with 7:37 to go in regulation.
Montero knocked down his fifth and final triple of the afternoon to give EMU a 57-48 cushion with 4:59 to go. Junior Noah Morgan (Mount Vernon, N.Y.-Mount Vernon (Northwest Florida State)) added a lay-up with exactly two minutes to go, before the Eagles used a couple free throws to help fend off the Rockets, 61-57.
Eastern will continue its two-game homestand by welcoming the Buffalo Bulls to the Convocation Center Tuesday, Feb. 4. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Team Stats
TOLEDO
EMU
FG%
.375
.460
3FG%
.333
.438
FT%
.800
.471
RB
30
33
TO
14
12
STL
3
10
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
26
FGM
9
3FGM
5
FTM
3
Pts
12
FGM
6
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Pts
5
FGM
2
3FGM
0
FTM
1
Players Mentioned
F
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