Eastern Michigan Athletics
Tuesday, January 26
Akron, Ohio
7:30 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
4-8,1-7MAC
65
at
86
Akron
9-3,7-2MAC
1
2
F
Eastern Mich.
26
39
65
Akron
42
44
86
Photo by: Steve King/KingStudios
Men's Basketball Drops MAC Affair at Akron
1/26/2021 9:49:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Ty Groce recorded his fourth-career double-double
AKRON, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team fell to Mid-American Conference foe, the University of Akron, 86-65, tonight, Jan. 26 inside James A. Rhodes Arena. EMU is now 4-8 overall and 1-7 in the MAC, while UA improved to 9-3 with a 7-2 league mark.
Individually, redshirt senior Ty Groce (Ypsilanti, Mich.-Lincoln) notched his fourth-career double-double with a career-high 28 points. He also grabbed 11 rebounds. The Ypsilanti native shot 9-of-16 from the field and drained nine from the charity stripe. Junior Bryce McBride (Jackson, Tenn.-Southside (Dyersburg State C.C.)) recorded 20 points, including a career-high five triples and a team-high four assists, while sophomore Drew Lowder (Jackson, Mich.-Ann Arbor Pioneer (Holy Cross)) added 10 points.
The Eagles went 22-of-60 from the field, shooting a 36.7 field goal percentage. EMU struggled from beyond the arc, posting a 30.0 percent clip (9-of-30). The Zips recorded a 47.8 field goal percentage (33-of-69), and went 10-of-29 from the three-point line (34.5 percent). The Zips won the rebounding battle, 50-31. But, the Eagles held the steals advantage at 6-3.
The Eagles started the game on an 11-6 run over the first four minutes highlighted by two Lowder triples, a McBride three, and another Lowder jumper. The Zips responded with a 9-5 scoring drive to cut EMU's lead to one, 16-15, with 12:28 left in the first half. Akron continued to gain momentum, as UA gained the three-point lead, 22-19, off a 7-3 stint with 10:17 left before halftime. Two Groce free throws and a Yeikson Montero (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic-Redemption Christian Academy (Pensacola State)) three-pointer propelled EMU back in the lead, 24-22, at the 8:12 mark of the first stanza. Akron went on to spark an 11-2 scoring run to take the 33-26 advantage with four minutes remaining before the half. The Zips continued the offensive energy finishing the first half on a 9-0 run, holding the 42-26 lead.
Coming out of the locker room, Akron went on a 10-0 scoring stint to extend its lead to 52-26 with 17:37 left in the second half. A Groce layup broke a nine-minute EMU scoring drought at the 16:12 mark. Over the next four minutes, UA sustained its lead, 61-33, off a 9-5 scoring drive with 12 minutes left in the game. Despite the Zips double-digit lead, four-straight EMU baskets highlighted by two McBride three's and a short jumper sparked a 10-0 scoring stint over three minutes at the 9:51 mark of the second stanza. UA sustained the momentum as the Zips went on a 12-8 scoring drive to extend its lead to 75-51 with 5:39 left in the game. Akron ultimately sealed the 86-65 win.
Eastern Michigan will take a seven-day layoff before hosting Bowling Green State University Tuesday, Feb. 2. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. inside the Convocation Center on ESPN+. The Eagles fell to the Falcons, 62-59, last season, Jan. 20, 2020, in Bowling Green, Ohio.
For more information on Eastern Michigan men's basketball, visit EMUEagles.com or follow the team's official Twitter at Twitter.com/EMU_MBB, on Facebook at Facebook.com/EMUMBB, or on Instagram at Instgram.com/emumbb.
Individually, redshirt senior Ty Groce (Ypsilanti, Mich.-Lincoln) notched his fourth-career double-double with a career-high 28 points. He also grabbed 11 rebounds. The Ypsilanti native shot 9-of-16 from the field and drained nine from the charity stripe. Junior Bryce McBride (Jackson, Tenn.-Southside (Dyersburg State C.C.)) recorded 20 points, including a career-high five triples and a team-high four assists, while sophomore Drew Lowder (Jackson, Mich.-Ann Arbor Pioneer (Holy Cross)) added 10 points.
The Eagles went 22-of-60 from the field, shooting a 36.7 field goal percentage. EMU struggled from beyond the arc, posting a 30.0 percent clip (9-of-30). The Zips recorded a 47.8 field goal percentage (33-of-69), and went 10-of-29 from the three-point line (34.5 percent). The Zips won the rebounding battle, 50-31. But, the Eagles held the steals advantage at 6-3.
The Eagles started the game on an 11-6 run over the first four minutes highlighted by two Lowder triples, a McBride three, and another Lowder jumper. The Zips responded with a 9-5 scoring drive to cut EMU's lead to one, 16-15, with 12:28 left in the first half. Akron continued to gain momentum, as UA gained the three-point lead, 22-19, off a 7-3 stint with 10:17 left before halftime. Two Groce free throws and a Yeikson Montero (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic-Redemption Christian Academy (Pensacola State)) three-pointer propelled EMU back in the lead, 24-22, at the 8:12 mark of the first stanza. Akron went on to spark an 11-2 scoring run to take the 33-26 advantage with four minutes remaining before the half. The Zips continued the offensive energy finishing the first half on a 9-0 run, holding the 42-26 lead.
Coming out of the locker room, Akron went on a 10-0 scoring stint to extend its lead to 52-26 with 17:37 left in the second half. A Groce layup broke a nine-minute EMU scoring drought at the 16:12 mark. Over the next four minutes, UA sustained its lead, 61-33, off a 9-5 scoring drive with 12 minutes left in the game. Despite the Zips double-digit lead, four-straight EMU baskets highlighted by two McBride three's and a short jumper sparked a 10-0 scoring stint over three minutes at the 9:51 mark of the second stanza. UA sustained the momentum as the Zips went on a 12-8 scoring drive to extend its lead to 75-51 with 5:39 left in the game. Akron ultimately sealed the 86-65 win.
Eastern Michigan will take a seven-day layoff before hosting Bowling Green State University Tuesday, Feb. 2. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. inside the Convocation Center on ESPN+. The Eagles fell to the Falcons, 62-59, last season, Jan. 20, 2020, in Bowling Green, Ohio.
For more information on Eastern Michigan men's basketball, visit EMUEagles.com or follow the team's official Twitter at Twitter.com/EMU_MBB, on Facebook at Facebook.com/EMUMBB, or on Instagram at Instgram.com/emumbb.
Team Stats
EMU
UA
FG%
.367
.478
3FG%
.300
.345
FT%
.706
.769
RB
31
50
TO
14
11
STL
6
3
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
20
FGM
7
3FGM
5
FTM
1
Pts
10
FGM
4
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Pts
3
FGM
1
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballBen Braun Video at MAC Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
Friday, May 30
Ben Braun at MAC Hall of Fame Induction
Friday, May 30
Charles E. Ramsey - MAC Hall of Fame Induction of Ben Braun
Friday, May 30
Jack Brusewitz - MAC Hall of Fame Induction of Ben Braun
Friday, May 30