Eastern Michigan Athletics
Thursday, December 21
Ypsilanti, Mich.
1 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
6-5,0-0MAC
72
vs
69
Hampton
4-8,0-0CAA
1
2
F
Hampton
30
39
69
Eastern Mich.
42
30
72
Photo by: Jonathan Knight Photography
Acuff Scores 29 Points in EMU’s 72-69 Win Over Hampton
12/21/2023 4:15:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Eagles hold off Pirates late
Photo Gallery | Press Conference
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – Led by junior Tyson Acuff's 29 points, the Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team held on to edge Hampton, 72-69, Thursday, Dec. 21, inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center.
Acuff (Detroit, Mich./Cass Technical/Duquesne) registered his third outing of 29-plus points this season as the Eagles saw their 19-point first-half lead dwindle to three in the closing seconds of Thursday's non-conference match-up.
How It Happened
Despite not scoring in the game's first 2:51, Eastern built a 29-10 advantage through 12 and a half minutes of action.
Hampton rallied to cut the deficit to 42-30 going into halftime.
The Pirates continued to cut into the Eagles' lead, creating a turnover and drilling an open three-pointer to come within three points of EMU with just 39 seconds to play.
Acuff forced a Hampton turnover with two seconds left as Eastern Michigan was able to close out the game with a 72-69 victory.
Game Notes
» Eastern moved to 6-5 on the season while Hampton moved to 4-8.
» Eastern Michigan was 25-of-50 (50.0%) from the floor and 6-of-12 (50.0%) from three-point range while Hampton was 25-of-70 (35.7%) from the floor and 7-of-29 (24.1%) from three-point range.
» EMU held its opponent under 36% from the floor for the fourth time this season. EMU limited Georgia Southern University to a 31.7% shooting mark, Nov. 11, for its season low.
» 42 points in the first half is the most by the Eagles since scoring 48 points in the opening 20 minutes at the University at Buffalo, Feb. 7, 2023.
» EMU made 16 free throws, its most since netting 17 at Bowling Green State University, Feb. 28, 2023.
» Acuff scored 29 points, his seventh outing of 23-plus points this season. Acuff is one of two players in the country with seven 23-plus point performances joining Purdue University's Zach Edey.
» Acuff has scored at least 13 points in each of the first 11 games of the 2023-24. Acuff is the first Eagle since Brandon Bowdry to score at least 13 points in each of the team's first seven games. Bowdry started the 2009-10 season with 13-straight contests with 14-plus points.
» Acuff is approaching 1,000 career points and sits at 920 career points after his 29-point performance. Acuff netted 239 points in his two seasons at Duquesne.
» EMU had two players with double-digit points (Acuff, 29; Lovejoy, 15) for the second-straight game. The Eagles previous had a streak of six games with three Eagles in double-digits. Freshman Arne Osojnik (Ljubljana, Slovenia/Dream Christian) scored eight points on three-of-three shooting.
» Lovejoy netted 15 points, following up his 16-point outing at the University of Michigan, Dec. 16. Thursday's game marks Lovejoy's fourth career game with 15-plus points, highlighted by his career-high 18 points in his collegiate debut against Wayne State University, Nov. 7, 2022.
» Lovejoy dished out a season-high four assists, the most by any player in the game.
» Junior Yusuf Jihad (Farmington, Mich./North Farmington/Oakland) blocked three shots, the most by an Eagle since current junior Jalin Billingsley (Cleveland, Ohio/Lutheran East/Georgetown) blocked three at the University of Toledo, Jan. 24, 2023.
» Martynov played a career-high 29 minutes, topping his previous mark of 25 minutes set at Michigan, Dec. 16, the team's most recent game. Martynov scored five points and brought in a career-high seven rebounds.
» Redshirt junior Micah Schnyders (New Lenox, Ill./Yorkville Christian/Eastern Illinois/Wheaton) played a career-high three minutes.
» Eastern, which hit six threes against Hampton, has now hit at least one triple in 593-straight games. EMU last failed to score from downtown Jan. 24, 2004, when Miami University held the Eagles to 0-of-7 from behind the arc.
Historical Notes
» Saturday's meeting was the third-ever meeting between Eastern Michigan and Hampton. EMU leads the series, 2-1.
Next Up
Eastern Michigan is scheduled to host Northwood University Saturday, Dec. 30, for a 1 p.m. contest. The game rounds out EMU's known non-conference slate as the Eagles open MAC play at Bowling Green State University, Jan. 2. EMU is also scheduled to play at a to-be-determined Sun Belt Conference opponent, Feb. 10, in the second leg of the MAC-SBC Challenge.
Follow Us
For the most up-to-date information on the Eagles, continue to visit EMUEagles.com. Fans can also follow the team on social media, including Twitter (@EMU_MBB) and Instagram (@EMUMBB).
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – Led by junior Tyson Acuff's 29 points, the Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team held on to edge Hampton, 72-69, Thursday, Dec. 21, inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center.
Acuff (Detroit, Mich./Cass Technical/Duquesne) registered his third outing of 29-plus points this season as the Eagles saw their 19-point first-half lead dwindle to three in the closing seconds of Thursday's non-conference match-up.
How It Happened
Despite not scoring in the game's first 2:51, Eastern built a 29-10 advantage through 12 and a half minutes of action.
Hampton rallied to cut the deficit to 42-30 going into halftime.
The Pirates continued to cut into the Eagles' lead, creating a turnover and drilling an open three-pointer to come within three points of EMU with just 39 seconds to play.
Acuff forced a Hampton turnover with two seconds left as Eastern Michigan was able to close out the game with a 72-69 victory.
Game Notes
» Eastern moved to 6-5 on the season while Hampton moved to 4-8.
» Eastern Michigan was 25-of-50 (50.0%) from the floor and 6-of-12 (50.0%) from three-point range while Hampton was 25-of-70 (35.7%) from the floor and 7-of-29 (24.1%) from three-point range.
» EMU held its opponent under 36% from the floor for the fourth time this season. EMU limited Georgia Southern University to a 31.7% shooting mark, Nov. 11, for its season low.
» 42 points in the first half is the most by the Eagles since scoring 48 points in the opening 20 minutes at the University at Buffalo, Feb. 7, 2023.
» EMU made 16 free throws, its most since netting 17 at Bowling Green State University, Feb. 28, 2023.
» Acuff scored 29 points, his seventh outing of 23-plus points this season. Acuff is one of two players in the country with seven 23-plus point performances joining Purdue University's Zach Edey.
» Acuff has scored at least 13 points in each of the first 11 games of the 2023-24. Acuff is the first Eagle since Brandon Bowdry to score at least 13 points in each of the team's first seven games. Bowdry started the 2009-10 season with 13-straight contests with 14-plus points.
» Acuff is approaching 1,000 career points and sits at 920 career points after his 29-point performance. Acuff netted 239 points in his two seasons at Duquesne.
» EMU had two players with double-digit points (Acuff, 29; Lovejoy, 15) for the second-straight game. The Eagles previous had a streak of six games with three Eagles in double-digits. Freshman Arne Osojnik (Ljubljana, Slovenia/Dream Christian) scored eight points on three-of-three shooting.
» Lovejoy netted 15 points, following up his 16-point outing at the University of Michigan, Dec. 16. Thursday's game marks Lovejoy's fourth career game with 15-plus points, highlighted by his career-high 18 points in his collegiate debut against Wayne State University, Nov. 7, 2022.
» Lovejoy dished out a season-high four assists, the most by any player in the game.
» Junior Yusuf Jihad (Farmington, Mich./North Farmington/Oakland) blocked three shots, the most by an Eagle since current junior Jalin Billingsley (Cleveland, Ohio/Lutheran East/Georgetown) blocked three at the University of Toledo, Jan. 24, 2023.
» Martynov played a career-high 29 minutes, topping his previous mark of 25 minutes set at Michigan, Dec. 16, the team's most recent game. Martynov scored five points and brought in a career-high seven rebounds.
» Redshirt junior Micah Schnyders (New Lenox, Ill./Yorkville Christian/Eastern Illinois/Wheaton) played a career-high three minutes.
» Eastern, which hit six threes against Hampton, has now hit at least one triple in 593-straight games. EMU last failed to score from downtown Jan. 24, 2004, when Miami University held the Eagles to 0-of-7 from behind the arc.
Historical Notes
» Saturday's meeting was the third-ever meeting between Eastern Michigan and Hampton. EMU leads the series, 2-1.
Next Up
Eastern Michigan is scheduled to host Northwood University Saturday, Dec. 30, for a 1 p.m. contest. The game rounds out EMU's known non-conference slate as the Eagles open MAC play at Bowling Green State University, Jan. 2. EMU is also scheduled to play at a to-be-determined Sun Belt Conference opponent, Feb. 10, in the second leg of the MAC-SBC Challenge.
Follow Us
For the most up-to-date information on the Eagles, continue to visit EMUEagles.com. Fans can also follow the team on social media, including Twitter (@EMU_MBB) and Instagram (@EMUMBB).
Team Stats
Hamp
EMU
FG%
.357
.500
3FG%
.241
.500
FT%
.706
.762
RB
39
35
TO
8
12
STL
8
5
Game Leaders
Pts
29
FGM
9
3FGM
2
FTM
9
Pts
15
FGM
5
3FGM
1
FTM
4
Pts
8
FGM
3
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Pts
7
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
G
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