Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
1-2,0-0MAC
Bradley
2-1,0-0MVC
Basketball Falls at Bradley, 89-61
11/15/2022 10:16:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Bates scores 20 while Golson adds 11
PEORIA, Ill. (EMUEagles.com) -- Sophomore Emoni Bates (Ypsilanti, Mich.-Ypsi Prep-Memphis) totaled a team-high 20 points, but the Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team fell to the Bradley University Braves, 89-61, on the road Tuesday, Nov. 15. The game was part of the Cancun Challenge for both squads.
The Eagles (1-2) had two players score in double figures, led by Bates, who had 20 points and six rebounds. Colin Golson Jr. (Detroit, Mich.-Ferndale-Siena) tacked on 11 points and Noah Farrakhan (Hillside, N.J.-The Patrick School-East Carolina) added six points.
How It Happened
Eastern Michigan struggled out of the gate, falling behind 41-21 heading into halftime. Bradley kept widening its lead after intermission, constructing an 87-56 advantage before Eastern Michigan went on a 5-0 run, finished off by Tyson Acuff's (Detroit, Mich.-Cass Tech-Duquesne) three, to shrink the deficit to 87-61 with 1:40 to go in the contest. Bradley responded and outscored the Eagles the rest of the way, ending the game with a final score of 89-61. Eastern Michigan took care of business in the paint, recording 22 of its 40 points in the lane.
Game Notes
» With the loss, the Eagles fall to 1-2 on the year while the Braves improve to 2-1.
» Tonight's game was part of the Cancun Challenge. Both teams will play twice inside the Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya in Cancun, Mexico, next week with Eastern taking part in the Mayan Division and Bradley playing in the Riviera Division.
» For the second game in a row, Bates led the team in scoring and reached the 20-point mark as he finished with 20. Bates also connected on three treys for the second game in a row, marking the second time in his career - and second game in a row - he has done so,
» Golson made his first start of the season, the 18th of his career with the Eagles. He finished the game with 11 points - just one off his season high - and added three boards, one assist and one steal.
» With just over 14 minutes remaining in the opening half, Javantae Randall (Detroit, Mich.-Frederick Douglass) recorded buckets on back-to-back possessions, giving him his first collegiate field goals and points. He finished with four points and three rebounds in the game.
» Late in the first half, Yusuf Jihad (Farmington Hills, Mich.-North Farmington-Oakland scored on back-to-back shots, giving him four points in quick succession. Jihad entered the game with a season-high three points. He finished with four points, just two shy of his best performance with the Green and White.
Historical Notes
» Eastern falls to 0-2 in the all-time series with the loss tonight. Bradley won the only previous meeting, an 86-85, double-overtime decision in the opening round of the NIT played in Peoria, Ill.
» The Eagles fall to 12-37 in their first road game of the season since joining the ranks of NCAA Division I ahead of the 1974-75 season. Eastern has dropped two road openers in a row with the loss.
Up Next
Eastern returns to the court Saturday, Nov. 19, when the Eagles take on the Oakland University Grizzlies in a 3 p.m. contest inside the Athletics Center O'rena in Rochester Hills, Mich. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+ with a simulcast on local WMYD-Detroit, while also being broadcast on WEMU (89.1 FM) and on the Varsity Network app.
