Eastern Michigan Athletics
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Eastern Michigan Topped by Oakland, 77-63
12/8/2023 9:04:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Jihad scores season-high 15 points against former school
Photo Gallery | Highlights | Postgame Press Conference
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team fell to Oakland University, 77-63, Friday, Dec. 8, inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center.
Junior Yusuf Jihad (Farmington Hills, Mich./North Farmington/Oakland) scored a season-high 15 points against his former school on 6-for-11 shooting.
How It Happened
Opened by a first-possession three-pointer from freshman Arne Osojnik (Ljubljana, Slovenia/Dream City Christian), Eastern scored the game's first five points before Oakland used an 18-7 run to take control of the first half. The Golden Grizzlies led, 34-31, after 20 minutes.
The Eagles drew no closer than their halftime deficit as Oakland extended its advantage to as many as 24 points at 72-48 with 4:43 to go in the second half.
Game Notes
» Eastern moved to 5-4 on the season while Oakland moved to 6-5.
» Eastern Michigan was 22-of-51 (43.1%) from the floor and 6-of-20 (30.0%) from three-point range while Oakland was 30-of-58 (51.7%) from the floor and 7-of-23 (30.4%) from three-point range.
» Junior Tyson Acuff (Detroit, Mich./Cass Technical/Duquesne) is approaching 1,000 career points and sits at 867 career points after his 18-point performance. Acuff netted 239 points in his two seasons at Duquesne.
» Acuff has scored at least 13 points in each of the first nine games of the 2023-24 season. 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 at 108 career three-pointers after eclipsing the century mark in career threes at the University of North Dakota, Nov. 26. Acuff, who made two three-pointers against Oakland, has made multiple three-pointers in each of the last seven games.
» Acuff was a perfect 10-for-10 at the free throw line, marking career-highs in both free made throws made and free throws attempted. Acuff has had a perfect mark at the free throw 16 times in his career. The last Eagle to make 10-plus free throws was Emoni Bates with 11 makes against Bowling Green State University, Jan. 3, 2023. Acuff is the 10th Eagle since 1998-99 to record at least 10 free throw makes on a perfect percentage. The most recent was Raven Lee (10-for-10) against Buffalo, Jan. 24, 2017.
» Redshirt junior Julius Ellerbe (Fort Washington, Md./Virginia Beach Sports Academy/East Central CC) tallied nine rebounds and five assists to go with a six-point showing. Ellerbe's nine boards matches his season high against Central Arkansas, Nov. 25, 2023.
» Eastern Michigan recorded 16 assists, matching its season high, which was recorded against Detroit Mercy, Nov. 21. Acuff, who posted a season high, and Ellerbe each recorded five assists. The last time the Eagles had two players with five or more assists was Nov. 8, 2019, against Siena Heights University as Noah Morgan and Chris Barnes each had five-plus assists.
» Jihad's 15 points marked his second-highest scoring output of his career, coming two points shy of his 17-point outing against Detroit Mercy, Dec. 18, 2022.
» Jihad converted a career-high three three-pointers in a 3-for-5 showing from deep while matching his career high mark of six made field goals against Detroit Mercy, Dec. 18, 2022.
» Junior Connor Serven (Prairie City, Ill./St. Rita/Illinois) recorded his first career block.
» Redshirt sophomore Legend Geeter (River Rouge, Mich./River Rouge/Providence) scored 10 of his 12 points in the second half.
» EMU had three players with double-digit points for the sixth-straight game and sixth time this season (Acuff, 18; Jihad 15; Geeter, 12).
» Sophomore Javantae Randle (Detroit, Mich./Frederick Douglass) scored his first point of the season with a second-half free throw.
» Eastern, which hit six threes against Oakland, has now hit at least one triple in 591-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
» Friday's meeting was the 20th-ever meeting between Eastern Michigan and Oakland. EMU leads the series, 11-9, and falls to 8-4 at home against OU.
Next Up
Eastern Michigan is scheduled to travel down the road to the University of Michigan Saturday, Dec. 16, for a 2:30 p.m. contest.
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