Eastern Michigan Athletics
Tuesday, February 25
Convocation Center
7 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
15-13 (5-10MAC)
71
vs
73
Northern Illinois
17-11 (10-5MAC)
1
2
F
Northern Illinois
37
36
73
Eastern Michigan
37
34
71
Men's Basketball Dealt Heartbreaking Loss Against NIU
2/25/2020 10:28:00 PM | Men's Basketball
The Eagles started off the game on a 22-5 run; Thomas Binelli scored a career-high 26 points
Photo Gallery | Press Conference | Highlights
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team did not trail Northern Illinois University until the final seconds of regulation, Tuesday, Feb. 25, when senior Eugene German sank a three-pointer with seven ticks remaining to stun the Eagles, 73-71, inside the Convocation Center.
The Eagles (15-13, 5-10 MAC) held a 71-67 lead over the Huskies (17-11, 10-5 MAC) when junior Darion Spottsville (Phoenix, Ariz.-Shadow Mountain (South Mountain C.C.)) pulled down a defensive rebound with 34 seconds to go in the final frame. However, he and fellow junior Noah Morgan (Mount Vernon, N.Y.-Mount Vernon (Northwest Florida State)) each missed the front end of a 1-and-1 before NIU's Trendon Hankerson and German both connected from beyond the arc to give the visitors an unexpected two-point win.
Junior Thomas Binelli (Bologna, Italy-Bergen Catholic (Monroe College)) was one of four Eagles to reach double-figures, tallying a career-high 26 points as he finished 7-of-14 from the field and 6-of-11 from beyond the arc. He also recorded five rebounds and a steal in a career-high 36 minutes of game action.
Redshirt senior Boubacar Toure (Dakar, Senegal-Phase One Academy (Grand Canyon)) notched his 11th double-double of the campaign, finishing with 11 points and 10 boards along with three assists and a team-best three blocks. From there, redshirt junior Ty Groce (Ypsilanti, Mich.-Lincoln) added 12 points and tied for the team lead with four helpers, while Spottsville showed 10 points, four assists, and three boards.
EMU finished 43.1 percent (22-of-51) from the field, while NIU ended the night with a 45 percent (27-of-60) field-goal efficiency. The Green and White bested the Huskies in points off turnovers (17-8), points in the paint (24-20), and steals (7-3).
The Eagles got off to a roaring start, as they opened the contest with an 8-0 run by the three-minute mark. NIU converted a three-pointer to get on the scoresheet prior to the first media timeout, but junior Yeikson Montero (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic-Redemption Christian Academy (Pensacola State)) responded with a triple of his own to extend EMU's lead to 11-3 with 14:41 left in the first half.
In front 11-5, Binelli knocked down a pair of three-pointers, before going 3-for-3 from the charity stripe to make it 20-5 with 11:58 to go in the first half. Groce then added a layup on the Eagles' next possession to give the Green and White their largest lead of the night, 22-5, with 11:12 left in the frame. Aided by eight three-pointers and 20 bench points during the first half, the Huskies rallied to knot the score at 37 heading into the intermission.
The Green and White recaptured the lead early in the second half, as Toure added a two-handed dunk before Binelli added a corner three to put the hosts in front, 42-37, with 18:25 to go in regulation. NIU eventually made it a one-point game, but Spottsville buried a layup and Binelli buried yet another three-pointer to open up a 59-53 cushion with 11:08 to play in the second stanza.
The Bologna, Italy native went on to set a career-high with his sixth triple of the night to give EMU its largest lead of the second half, 65-56, with 7:13 left in the contest. NIU then stormed back with a 13-4 run to close the gap to 69-67, but Groce sank a layup to make it a four-point game with 51 seconds on the clock.
Eastern will conclude a two-game homestand Saturday, Feb. 29, when the Central Michigan Chippewas make the trip south to the Convocation Center for a noon tipoff.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team did not trail Northern Illinois University until the final seconds of regulation, Tuesday, Feb. 25, when senior Eugene German sank a three-pointer with seven ticks remaining to stun the Eagles, 73-71, inside the Convocation Center.
The Eagles (15-13, 5-10 MAC) held a 71-67 lead over the Huskies (17-11, 10-5 MAC) when junior Darion Spottsville (Phoenix, Ariz.-Shadow Mountain (South Mountain C.C.)) pulled down a defensive rebound with 34 seconds to go in the final frame. However, he and fellow junior Noah Morgan (Mount Vernon, N.Y.-Mount Vernon (Northwest Florida State)) each missed the front end of a 1-and-1 before NIU's Trendon Hankerson and German both connected from beyond the arc to give the visitors an unexpected two-point win.
Junior Thomas Binelli (Bologna, Italy-Bergen Catholic (Monroe College)) was one of four Eagles to reach double-figures, tallying a career-high 26 points as he finished 7-of-14 from the field and 6-of-11 from beyond the arc. He also recorded five rebounds and a steal in a career-high 36 minutes of game action.
Redshirt senior Boubacar Toure (Dakar, Senegal-Phase One Academy (Grand Canyon)) notched his 11th double-double of the campaign, finishing with 11 points and 10 boards along with three assists and a team-best three blocks. From there, redshirt junior Ty Groce (Ypsilanti, Mich.-Lincoln) added 12 points and tied for the team lead with four helpers, while Spottsville showed 10 points, four assists, and three boards.
EMU finished 43.1 percent (22-of-51) from the field, while NIU ended the night with a 45 percent (27-of-60) field-goal efficiency. The Green and White bested the Huskies in points off turnovers (17-8), points in the paint (24-20), and steals (7-3).
The Eagles got off to a roaring start, as they opened the contest with an 8-0 run by the three-minute mark. NIU converted a three-pointer to get on the scoresheet prior to the first media timeout, but junior Yeikson Montero (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic-Redemption Christian Academy (Pensacola State)) responded with a triple of his own to extend EMU's lead to 11-3 with 14:41 left in the first half.
In front 11-5, Binelli knocked down a pair of three-pointers, before going 3-for-3 from the charity stripe to make it 20-5 with 11:58 to go in the first half. Groce then added a layup on the Eagles' next possession to give the Green and White their largest lead of the night, 22-5, with 11:12 left in the frame. Aided by eight three-pointers and 20 bench points during the first half, the Huskies rallied to knot the score at 37 heading into the intermission.
The Green and White recaptured the lead early in the second half, as Toure added a two-handed dunk before Binelli added a corner three to put the hosts in front, 42-37, with 18:25 to go in regulation. NIU eventually made it a one-point game, but Spottsville buried a layup and Binelli buried yet another three-pointer to open up a 59-53 cushion with 11:08 to play in the second stanza.
The Bologna, Italy native went on to set a career-high with his sixth triple of the night to give EMU its largest lead of the second half, 65-56, with 7:13 left in the contest. NIU then stormed back with a 13-4 run to close the gap to 69-67, but Groce sank a layup to make it a four-point game with 51 seconds on the clock.
Eastern will conclude a two-game homestand Saturday, Feb. 29, when the Central Michigan Chippewas make the trip south to the Convocation Center for a noon tipoff.
Team Stats
NIU
EMU
FG%
.458
.423
3FG%
.424
.318
FT%
.714
.714
RB
35
29
TO
12
6
STL
3
7
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
26
FGM
7
3FGM
6
FTM
6
Pts
11
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
1
Pts
10
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballC
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