Eastern Michigan Athletics
Thursday, February 25
Athens, Ohio
2 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
4-11,1-10MAC
67
at
86
Ohio
13-6,9-4MAC
1st half1
2nd half2
FinalF
Eastern Mich.
26
41
67
Ohio
39
47
86
Photo by: Steve King/KingStudios
Men's Basketball Falls to Ohio
2/25/2021 4:13:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Ty Groce and Bryce McBride posted double-digit scoring performances
ATHENS, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team fell to Mid-American Conference opponent Ohio University, 86-76, Thursday, Feb. 25, inside OU's Convocation Center. EMU (4-11, 1-10 MAC) finished the afternoon with a 43.6 field goal percentage (24-of-55), but couldn't maintain OU's (13-6, 9-5 MAC) 55.7 percent clip (34-of-61).
Individually, redshirt senior Ty Groce (Ypsilanti, Mich.-Lincoln) led the Green and White with 18 points on 7-of-12 shooting. The forward also added a team-high six rebounds and dished out three assists. Junior Bryce McBride (Jackson, Tenn.-Southside (Dyersburg State C.C.)) was the second Eagle to reach double-digits with 17 points and led the team with three from downtown. Redshirt junior Miles Gibson (Richmond, Va.-Milwood (Northwest Kansas Tech)) added eight points, while senior Darion Spottsville (Phoenix, Ariz.- Shadow Mountain (South Mountain C.C.)) tallied a team-best five assists.
EMU posted a 38 percent efficiency from beyond the arc (8-of-21), while OU made 12 triples for a 44 percent clip. The Eagles held the advantage at the free throw line, shooting 79 percent compared to the Bobcats' 60 percent. Ohio held the edge in rebounds (37-24), assists (30-12), and blocks (2-0). Each team recorded eight steals.
The Eagles struck first with a Groce jumper and triple to take the early 5-0 lead. However, the Bobcats responded with a 6-3 run to cut EMU's lead to two, 8-6, with 14:24 left in the first half. Over the next five minutes, Ohio sparked another scoring drive, 12-5, to take its first lead of the game, 18-13, at the 9:40 mark of the first stanza. A layup by senior Noah Morgan (Mount Vernon, N.Y.-Mount Vernon (Northwest Florida State)) ended a four-minute EMU scoring drought, but the Bobcats had the 26-15 edge with less than seven minutes left. Over the last four minutes of the half, the Eagles tried to gain momentum, but the Bobcats headed into the locker room with a 13-point lead, 39-26.
Starting the second half, Eastern Michigan posted a 4-0 run to cut OU's lead to nine, 39-30. But, Ohio answered with a 14-6 stint to keep the advantage, 51-34, with 13 minutes left. Over the next three minutes, the Eagles went on an 11-8 run highlighted by two McBride triples to cut the Bobcats' lead to 10, 61-51. However, Ohio continued its energy with a 17-4 scoring stint to lead by 22, 78-56, with less than four minutes left. Eastern attempted to spark some offense, but Ohio clinched the 86-67 victory.
Eastern Michigan will return to Ypsilanti to host Northern Illinois University Saturday, Feb. 27. Tipoff is slated for 1 p.m. inside the Convocation Center. EMU will honor four seniors in Groce, Yeikson Montero (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic-Redemption Christian Academy (Pensacola State)), Morgan, and Spottsville for their accomplishments.
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) led the Green and White with 18 points on 7-of-12 shooting. The forward also added a team-high six rebounds and dished out three assists. Junior Bryce McBride (Jackson, Tenn.-Southside (Dyersburg State C.C.)) was the second Eagle to reach double-digits with 17 points and led the team with three from downtown. Redshirt junior Miles Gibson (Richmond, Va.-Milwood (Northwest Kansas Tech)) added eight points, while senior Darion Spottsville (Phoenix, Ariz.- Shadow Mountain (South Mountain C.C.)) tallied a team-best five assists.
EMU posted a 38 percent efficiency from beyond the arc (8-of-21), while OU made 12 triples for a 44 percent clip. The Eagles held the advantage at the free throw line, shooting 79 percent compared to the Bobcats' 60 percent. Ohio held the edge in rebounds (37-24), assists (30-12), and blocks (2-0). Each team recorded eight steals.
The Eagles struck first with a Groce jumper and triple to take the early 5-0 lead. However, the Bobcats responded with a 6-3 run to cut EMU's lead to two, 8-6, with 14:24 left in the first half. Over the next five minutes, Ohio sparked another scoring drive, 12-5, to take its first lead of the game, 18-13, at the 9:40 mark of the first stanza. A layup by senior Noah Morgan (Mount Vernon, N.Y.-Mount Vernon (Northwest Florida State)) ended a four-minute EMU scoring drought, but the Bobcats had the 26-15 edge with less than seven minutes left. Over the last four minutes of the half, the Eagles tried to gain momentum, but the Bobcats headed into the locker room with a 13-point lead, 39-26.
Starting the second half, Eastern Michigan posted a 4-0 run to cut OU's lead to nine, 39-30. But, Ohio answered with a 14-6 stint to keep the advantage, 51-34, with 13 minutes left. Over the next three minutes, the Eagles went on an 11-8 run highlighted by two McBride triples to cut the Bobcats' lead to 10, 61-51. However, Ohio continued its energy with a 17-4 scoring stint to lead by 22, 78-56, with less than four minutes left. Eastern attempted to spark some offense, but Ohio clinched the 86-67 victory.
Eastern Michigan will return to Ypsilanti to host Northern Illinois University Saturday, Feb. 27. Tipoff is slated for 1 p.m. inside the Convocation Center. EMU will honor four seniors in Groce, Yeikson Montero (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic-Redemption Christian Academy (Pensacola State)), Morgan, and Spottsville for their accomplishments.
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
Ohio
FG%
.436
.557
3FG%
.381
.444
FT%
.786
.600
RB
24
37
TO
12
12
STL
8
8
Game Leaders
Pts
17
FGM
5
3FGM
3
FTM
4
Pts
8
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Pts
7
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
1
Players Mentioned
G/F
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