Eastern Michigan Athletics
Saturday, January 9
Convocation Center
2 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
3-3,1-2MAC
71
vs
59
Akron
4-2,2-1MAC
1
2
F
Akron
30
29
59
Eastern Mich.
37
34
71
Men’s Basketball Stuns Akron, 71-59
1/9/2021 5:15:00 PM | Men's Basketball
All five EMU starters scored in double-figures against the Zips
Press Conference | Recap Video
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – Hard-nosed basketball, full of physicality and valiant displays of effort were shown inside the Convocation Center today, Jan. 9, as the Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team captured its first Mid-American Conference victory of the season after stunning the University of Akron, 71-59.
For the Eagles (3-3; 1-2 MAC), their triumph over Akron (4-2; 2-1) snapped the Zips' three-game win streak, while holding UA's Loren Christian Jackson to just 10 points. Coming into the game, Jackson had been averaging 25.4 points per game, which lead the MAC and ranked fourth in the nation. This is EMU's first win over Akron since the 2017-18 season when the Eagles swept the Zips.
All five EMU starters scored in double-figures as sophomore Drew Lowder (Jackson, Mich.-Ann Arbor Pioneer (Holy Cross)) paced all scorers with a career-high 18 points, shooting 7-for-13 from the field, and hitting another career-best with 3-of-6 (.500) shooting from deep. Senior Yeikson Montero (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic-Redemption Christian Academy (Pensacola State)) followed close behind recording 14 points of his own, paired with six rebounds and two steals. Junior Bryce McBride (Jackson, Tenn.-Southside (Dyersburg State C.C.)) was another strong contributor, registering 10 points towards the Eagles' effort. The Tennessee native shot 4-of-5 from the field and wrangled in three rebounds, matching his career-high. In addition, redshirt senior Ty Groce (Ypsilanti, Mich.-Lincoln) and classmate Noah Morgan (Mount Vernon, N.Y.-Mount Vernon (Northwest Florida State)) also added 10 points apiece.
Without fans in the arena, both teams brought their own frenetic energy to the hardwood, personified by fighting for every rebound and diving for any loose balls. Lowder picked up the Eagles' first bucket of the afternoon with a physical floater off the glass as EMU trailed 3-2 at the 18:30 mark. On a later possession, McBride added his energy as he barreled down the lane for a layup. Moments later, McBride picked the pocket of a Zip and took it himself for the score, drawing a foul in the process to create an 8-6 Eagles edge with 16:17 left in the first stanza. Montero and redshirt junior Miles Gibson (Richmond, Va.-Milwood (Northwest Kansas Tech)) also joined the steal party, which resulted in EMU points on the offensive end to maintain a 12-10 advantage with 13:23 remaining.
Halfway through the first period, Gibson kicked it out to Montero, who proceeded to hit Eastern's first triple of the game to take the 20-13 lead as the EMU bench erupted. However, Akron came back due to a hot shooting streak, as they built a 28-24 lead with just over five minutes to go. Undeterred, the EMU defense stood tall, highlighted by a Gibson block and an athletic defensive board by redshirt junior Derek Ballard Jr. (Southfield, Mich.-Southfield-Lathrup), where he drew a tough foul. Ballard added to the offensive end down the stretch, nailing two big free throws to tie the game at 30 apiece at the four minute mark. McBride helped create a lead for the Eagles going into halftime as he showcased his talents with an acrobatic lay-in to make it a 34-30 game with under two minutes to go. As time was about to expire, sophomore Chris James (Long Beach, Calif.-St. John Bosco) hit a highly-contested jumper to give Eastern its largest lead of the night, 37-30, and brought palpable energy to the bench as the teams headed to the locker rooms.
The second period started off with a bang as Groce found teammate Morgan for the easy dunk. With 17:27 left in the game, Lowder called for a pass from Morgan to which the Michigan native splashed the corner three to balloon EMU's lead to 47-34. Two minutes later, Lowder drilled his third three-pointer of the day to register a new career-high in three-point makes. The bucket also contributed to a 9-0 Eagles' run over an almost four minute period to bring the game to 50-34.
Minutes later, Akron called timeout as the Eagles continued to score at will. Over a fifteen-minute stretch beginning in the first half, Eastern had earned a 37-8 run. The timeout did not seem to help however, as Groce performed his signature two-hand slam with a helper from McBride. Moments later, Montero added flare of his own, nailing a three-ball to make it a 63-41 game as Green and White continued to pull way with 8:47 remaining in the contest. As the Zips were creeping back, Lowder took it to the rack for his fifteenth point on the afternoon as Eastern kept a 67-48 edge with under five minutes left. The Zips went on an 11-4 run to finish out the game, but the Eagles' lead was too much to handle as EMU won 71-59.
The Green and White shot 47.3 percent (26-of-55) from the field, compared to the Zips' 42.0 efficiency (21-of-50). Both squads struggled from the three point line as the Eagles posted a 26.1 percent clip (6-of-23), while UA went 7-of-28 (25.0 percent). EMU held the scoring advantages in fast break points (17-14), points off turnovers (17-12), and points in the paint (34-24). Akron outrebounded EMU, 35-31, and posted a 20-9 edge in points off the bench.
Eastern will hit the road, traveling 50 miles south on US-23 to Mid-American Conference rival Toledo for a conference mid-week showdown Tuesday, Jan. 12. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. inside UT's Savage Arena. The Rockets defeated the Eagles in the league opener, 91-74, Dec. 4, 2020.
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.
For the Eagles (3-3; 1-2 MAC), their triumph over Akron (4-2; 2-1) snapped the Zips' three-game win streak, while holding UA's Loren Christian Jackson to just 10 points. Coming into the game, Jackson had been averaging 25.4 points per game, which lead the MAC and ranked fourth in the nation. This is EMU's first win over Akron since the 2017-18 season when the Eagles swept the Zips.
All five EMU starters scored in double-figures as sophomore Drew Lowder (Jackson, Mich.-Ann Arbor Pioneer (Holy Cross)) paced all scorers with a career-high 18 points, shooting 7-for-13 from the field, and hitting another career-best with 3-of-6 (.500) shooting from deep. Senior Yeikson Montero (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic-Redemption Christian Academy (Pensacola State)) followed close behind recording 14 points of his own, paired with six rebounds and two steals. Junior Bryce McBride (Jackson, Tenn.-Southside (Dyersburg State C.C.)) was another strong contributor, registering 10 points towards the Eagles' effort. The Tennessee native shot 4-of-5 from the field and wrangled in three rebounds, matching his career-high. In addition, redshirt senior Ty Groce (Ypsilanti, Mich.-Lincoln) and classmate Noah Morgan (Mount Vernon, N.Y.-Mount Vernon (Northwest Florida State)) also added 10 points apiece.
Without fans in the arena, both teams brought their own frenetic energy to the hardwood, personified by fighting for every rebound and diving for any loose balls. Lowder picked up the Eagles' first bucket of the afternoon with a physical floater off the glass as EMU trailed 3-2 at the 18:30 mark. On a later possession, McBride added his energy as he barreled down the lane for a layup. Moments later, McBride picked the pocket of a Zip and took it himself for the score, drawing a foul in the process to create an 8-6 Eagles edge with 16:17 left in the first stanza. Montero and redshirt junior Miles Gibson (Richmond, Va.-Milwood (Northwest Kansas Tech)) also joined the steal party, which resulted in EMU points on the offensive end to maintain a 12-10 advantage with 13:23 remaining.
Halfway through the first period, Gibson kicked it out to Montero, who proceeded to hit Eastern's first triple of the game to take the 20-13 lead as the EMU bench erupted. However, Akron came back due to a hot shooting streak, as they built a 28-24 lead with just over five minutes to go. Undeterred, the EMU defense stood tall, highlighted by a Gibson block and an athletic defensive board by redshirt junior Derek Ballard Jr. (Southfield, Mich.-Southfield-Lathrup), where he drew a tough foul. Ballard added to the offensive end down the stretch, nailing two big free throws to tie the game at 30 apiece at the four minute mark. McBride helped create a lead for the Eagles going into halftime as he showcased his talents with an acrobatic lay-in to make it a 34-30 game with under two minutes to go. As time was about to expire, sophomore Chris James (Long Beach, Calif.-St. John Bosco) hit a highly-contested jumper to give Eastern its largest lead of the night, 37-30, and brought palpable energy to the bench as the teams headed to the locker rooms.
The second period started off with a bang as Groce found teammate Morgan for the easy dunk. With 17:27 left in the game, Lowder called for a pass from Morgan to which the Michigan native splashed the corner three to balloon EMU's lead to 47-34. Two minutes later, Lowder drilled his third three-pointer of the day to register a new career-high in three-point makes. The bucket also contributed to a 9-0 Eagles' run over an almost four minute period to bring the game to 50-34.
Minutes later, Akron called timeout as the Eagles continued to score at will. Over a fifteen-minute stretch beginning in the first half, Eastern had earned a 37-8 run. The timeout did not seem to help however, as Groce performed his signature two-hand slam with a helper from McBride. Moments later, Montero added flare of his own, nailing a three-ball to make it a 63-41 game as Green and White continued to pull way with 8:47 remaining in the contest. As the Zips were creeping back, Lowder took it to the rack for his fifteenth point on the afternoon as Eastern kept a 67-48 edge with under five minutes left. The Zips went on an 11-4 run to finish out the game, but the Eagles' lead was too much to handle as EMU won 71-59.
The Green and White shot 47.3 percent (26-of-55) from the field, compared to the Zips' 42.0 efficiency (21-of-50). Both squads struggled from the three point line as the Eagles posted a 26.1 percent clip (6-of-23), while UA went 7-of-28 (25.0 percent). EMU held the scoring advantages in fast break points (17-14), points off turnovers (17-12), and points in the paint (34-24). Akron outrebounded EMU, 35-31, and posted a 20-9 edge in points off the bench.
Eastern will hit the road, traveling 50 miles south on US-23 to Mid-American Conference rival Toledo for a conference mid-week showdown Tuesday, Jan. 12. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. inside UT's Savage Arena. The Rockets defeated the Eagles in the league opener, 91-74, Dec. 4, 2020.
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
UA
EMU
FG%
.420
.473
3FG%
.250
.261
FT%
.769
.619
RB
35
31
TO
17
8
STL
4
6
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
18
FGM
7
3FGM
3
FTM
1
Pts
14
FGM
4
3FGM
2
FTM
4
Pts
10
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's Basketball
G/F
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's Basketball
G
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