Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
10-20 (5-14MAC)
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Western Michigan
8-22 (4-15MAC)
EMU Men's Hoops Drops Senior Night Affair Against Western Michigan
3/1/2022 9:13:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Freshman Kevin-David Rice led with 12 points
Postgame Press Conference | Video Highlights.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team got a 35-point performance from the bench, but fell 71-60 to the Western Michigan University Broncos at home today, March 1, inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center.
The Eagles (10-20, 5-14 MAC) had three players score in double figures, led by freshman Kevin-David Rice (Flint, Mich.-Grand Blanc (Delta College)), who had 12 points. Classmate Luka Savicevic (Skopje, North Macedonia-Sports Academy Skopje) tacked on 10 points off the bench, while senior Monty Scott (Union, N.J.-Saint Benedict's Prep (Portland State)) chipped in with 10 points.
Eastern Michigan out-rebounded Western Michigan, 37-34, in today's contest, as Darion Spottsville (Phoenix, Ariz.-Shadow Mountain (South Mountain C.C.)) hauled in 10 boards.
How It Happened
After falling behind 11-5, Eastern Michigan went on an 8-0 run with 13:01 left in the first half, culminating in a bucket from freshman Colin Golson Jr. (Detroit, Mich.-Ferndale (Siena)), to take a 13-11 lead. The Eagles then maintained that advantage and entered halftime with a 26-24 lead. EMU did most of its first-half damage in the paint, scoring 16 of its 26 points close to the basket, while holding WMU to just six points in the lane.
Western Michigan proceeded to take a 46-44 edge before Eastern went on an 8-0 run, finished off by Rice's three, to seize a 52-46 lead with 10:02 to go in the contest. The Broncos regained control, outscoring the Eagles 25-8 the rest of the way to hand Eastern Michigan the 71-60 loss. Eastern Michigan got a boost from its bench in the period, as non-starters accounted for 28 of its 34 total points.
Game Notes
» The Eastern Michigan bench made an impact by adding 35 points to its scoring output. Eastern has received 20-or-more points from its bench in 19 of its 30 games this season.
» Eastern Michigan lost despite a 37-34 rebounding advantage. It was just the fourth time this season that Eastern Michigan has won the rebounding battle in a game, but lost the contest.
» Spottsville led the team in rebounds with 10 caroms. The captain has paced the Eagles in boards four times this season and has recorded double-digit efforts in the category twice in his career, which have come in the last three contests.
» The Green and White saw Spottsville record a team-best five assists in the effort. The five helpers tied his season-high and marked his sixth outing as the Eagles' leader in assists.
» Rice was Eastern's scoring leader with 12 points in the contest, the first time the freshman has led the Eagles in scoring. Additionally, tonight's game was his second of the season dropping double figures. His first came at home versus Central Michigan University where he put up 15 points on 5-of-9 (.556) shots from the field, Jan. 11. Moreover, the guard went 2-for-5 (.400) from downtown, the second time he has hit multiple threes in a game this season. Eastern now has had seven different players lead the team in scoring in a single game this in the 2021-22 campaign.
» Savicevic was a big contributor in the Eagles' bout with Western, scoring 10 points on 4-of-8 (.500) from the field and 2-of-4 from three-point land. His performance was his second scoring in double-digits, moreover, he dished out three assists. The trio of helpers was his sixth outing this season with multiple assists.
» The Eagles gave up 47 points in the second half against WMU. The defense struggle marked the second consecutive game allowing 40-plus points, as Ball State dropped 43, Feb. 26. In the 2021-22 campaign, the Green and White have seen opponents drop at least 40 points in 15 contests, including a five-game stretch between Feb. 5-17 (Kent State - 55, Feb. 5; Buffalo - 52, Feb. 8; Ohio - 49, Feb. 12; CMU - 40, Feb. 15; Buffalo - 45, Feb. 17).
Historical Notes
» EMU now boasts a 16-7 record on Senior Day since the 1999-2000 season (.696). They have faced off against WMU twice on Senior Day, with an even 1-1 ledger.
» The Broncos' Lamar Norman made eight three-pointers for WMU. It is tied for the second-most threes in a single game inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center (opened in 1998). Former Eagle Raven Lee notched nine three-pointers in the Eagles' win over Miami, Feb. 2, 2016. In addition, Norman also scored 35 points in the contest, the seventh-most in a game in the history of the facility.
» The contest was the 116th all-time meeting between Eastern Michigan and Western Michigan. Western leads the all-time series 62-54 with the win. EMU has also played Western Michigan the second most times of any MAC school, behind Central Michigan (204).
» Eastern failed to register a steal on Tuesday night. The last time EMU could not record a steal against the opposition came in an 87-58 loss to No. 11/10 Purdue, Nov. 17, 2008.
Up Next
Eastern Michigan travels south to take on the RedHawks of Miami University for the regular-season finale. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. The game can be streamed on ESPN+ and listened to on WEMU (89.1 FM).
