Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
2-6,0-0MAC
Florida International
-43,00 CUSA
Bates, Farrakhan Lead Eagles Past FIU, 80-68
11/30/2022 10:10:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Duo combined for 51 points to help Eastern snap losing streak
Postgame Audio: Stan_Heath
MIAMI, Fla. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team rode the hot hands of Emoni Bates (Ypsilanti, Mich.-Ypsi Prep-Memphis) and Noah Farrakhan (Hillside, N.J.-The Patrick School-East Carolina) as the duo combined for 51 points to help the Eagles grab an 80-68 road victory at Florida International University in Miami, Fla., Nov. 30. The Eagles (2-6) halted a six-game slide as the Eagles scored 53 second-half points, 40 of which came from Bates and Farrakhan, to turn an eight-point deficit into a 12-point win over the Panthers (4-3).
Bates finished the night with a game-high 26 points, including three treys, to go along with eight boards, leaving him two shy of his consecutive double-doubles, while Farrakhan, who was limited to just four points in the first half, exploded for a season-high 25 points on an 11-of-18 shooting performance. Eastern also saw Tyson Acuff (Detroit, Mich.-Cass Tech-Duquesne) join the duo in double-figure scoring as he added 13 points to go along with six rebounds, four assists, four steals and one block. His steal count doubled his previous career-high of two that he recorded seven times previously.
Kevin David-Rice (Flint, Mich.-Grand Blanc-Delta College) made his season debut and chipped in seven big points, including a three-pointer that drew the Eagles to within one point in the second half before a Farrakhan jumper gave the Eagles the lead for good one play later.
Overall, the difference in the game came behind a pair of lines. Eastern was 8-of-24 from three and 12-of-14 from the free-throw line while the hosts struggled, hitting just 1-of-15 from behind the arc and 11-of-24 at the charity stripe.
How It Happened
After falling behind, 18-12, Eastern Michigan went on a 5-0 run with 10:06 left in the first half, culminating in a bucket from Legend Geeter (River Rouge, Mich.-River Rouge-Providence), to narrow its deficit to 18-17. Florida International answered back and added to its lead, leaving the Eagles down, 35-27, entering halftime. Eastern narrowed its deficit to 56-50 before going on a 7-0 run, finished off by Farrakhan's jumper, to seize a 57-56 lead with 8:26 to go in the contest. The Eagles kept expanding the margin and coasted the rest of the way for the 80-68 win.
Game Notes
» The win snapped a six-game losing streak for the Eagles and also gave them their first road victory of the 2022-23 season.
» Bates continues to hit from deep as he connected on three treys for the sixth time in seven games this season and the ninth time in his career. Additionally, Bates has scored at least one triple in all seven games with Eastern while also hitting at least one in 11-consecutive games dating back to his final four games with Memphis last year.
» Through seven games, Bates has tallied 24 made threes, which is one shy of his season total in 18 games with Memphis last year.
» With his 26 points, Bates reached the 20-point mark for the third time this year and the first time since he hit for 20 at Bradley University, Nov. 15. He also has scored no fewer than 15 points in any game this year.
» Farrakhan was on fire in the second half as he scored 21 of his 25 points. The total is his highest of the season, surpassing the 19 he scored against the University of Michigan at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Nov. 11, and marks the 11th time in his career he has scored 20-or-more. The last time he scored 20+ was Feb. 26, 2022, at Ball State University, just one game after scoring his career-high 31 points at home against Northern Illinois University, Feb. 22, 2022.
» Acuff recorded a career-high four steals in the game, doubling his previous record of two that he tallied on seven different occasions. The last time he posted two thefts was Nov. 22 at the Cancun Challenge against Purdue University Fort Wayne.
Historical Notes
» Eastern is now 2-0 in the all-time series with FIU after winning, 92-88, in quadruple overtime last year, Dec. 11, 2021, at home.
» After starting 0-14 against current members of Conference USA, the Eagles have now won three in a row and stand 3-14 against the league with a chance to make it four in a row Sunday, Dec. 4, when Eastern faces Florida Atlantic University.
» The game at FIU marked the first time the Eagles have visited a current Conference USA member since Dec. 28, 1995. That day, the Eagles dropped an 80-73 score to UTEP in El, Paso, Texas, at the Sierra Medical Center Sun Carnival.
» The last time Eastern lost to a current member of Conference USA (games against Marshall University are not included in this total as they were conference games at the time) Nov. 17, 2001, to UAB in a 79-69 score at the Paradise Jam in St. Thomas, The Virgin Islands.
Up Next
Eastern returns home Sunday, Dec. 4, for a 2:30 p.m. contest against Florida Atlantic University inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center. The game will be the second of a doubleheader that will see the EMU women play host to the University of North Dakota at noon.
