Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
8-11,1-6MAC
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Western Michigan
8-11,5-2MAC
EMU Falls at WMU, 73-56
1/23/2024 9:12:00 PM | Men's Basketball
EMU hosting Buffalo Saturday
Box score (PDF)
KALAMAZOO, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team dropped a 73-56 decision at Western Michigan University Tuesday, Jan. 23, inside WMU's University Arena.
How It Happened
Despite being tied at 7-7 through seven minutes, the Eagles trailed, 31-20, at halftime.
Tyson Acuff (Detroit, Mich./Cass Technical/Duquesne) cut the deficit to single digits at 42-33 with 13:41 remaining but drew no closer before the final buzzer.
Game Notes
» Eastern moved to 8-11 overall and 1-6 in Mid-American Conference play while Western moved to 8-11 overall and 5-2 in the MAC.
» Eastern Michigan was 21-of-65 (32.3%) from the floor and 5-of-24 (20.8%) from three-point range while Western Michigan was 28-of-60 (46.7%) from the field and 9-of-17 (52.9%) from deep.
» Acuff scored a team-high 14 points, marking his 21st-straight game scoring at least 11 points. Acuff ranks 50th in EMU history with 820 points as an Eagle.
» Acuff, who ranked sixth in the nation in minutes played entering the game, played the entirety of the contest for the fourth time this season.
» Junior Jalin Billingsley (Cleveland, Ohio/Lutheran East/Georgetown) netted 11 points. Billingsley matched his season high in points, which he achieved against Ball State University, Jan. 16 and Lake Superior State University, Dec. 1. He has scored at least nine points in each of the last four games.
» Sophomore Orlando Lovejoy (Detroit, Mich./Summit Academy North) recorded two steals, marking his ninth-straight game with at least one steal. Lovejoy has five games with multiple steals this season.
» Redshirt sophomore Javantae Randle (Detroit, Mich./Frederick Douglas) made his first start of the season, marking the 11th different Eagle to tally a start in 2023-24. Randle hauled in a season-high six rebounds to go with four points. His six rebounds was just one shy of his career high of seven rebounds set at the University of South Carolina, Dec. 30, 2022.
» Redshirt junior John McGriff (Glenn Dale, Md./Bishop McNamara/Binghamton) made his first appearance since playing against Kent State University, Jan. 6. McGriff scored two points, marking his first points since a four-point outing against Lake Superior State, Dec. 1.
» Freshman Arne Osojnik (Ljublana, Slovenia/Dream City Christian) posted two steals, his fourth game with multiple steals this season.
» EMU had a streak of 15-straight games with a blocked shot snapped. The Eagles had previously last went without a block against then-10th-ranked Florida Atlantic University, Nov. 14.
» Eastern, which hit five threes against Western Michigan, has now hit at least one triple in 601-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
» Tuesday's meeting was the 120th-ever game between Eastern Michigan and Western Michigan. EMU trails in the series, 55-65.
Next Up
Eastern Michigan is scheduled to host the University at Buffalo at approximately 3:30 p.m., following the conclusion of the EMU women's game against Ball State.
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).
