Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
9-11,2-6MAC
Buffalo
2-17,1-6MAC
Osojnik, Acuff Lead EMU Past Buffalo, 75-65
1/27/2024 5:33:00 PM | Men's Basketball
EMU hosting MAC-leading Akron Tuesday, Jan. 30
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – Freshman Arne Osojnik and junior Tyson Acuff guided the Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team past the University at Buffalo, 75-65, Saturday, Jan. 27, inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center.
Osojnik (Ljubljana, Slovenia/Dream City Christian) netted 16 points on 5-of-9 shooting while Acuff (Detroit, Mich./Cass Technical/Duquesne) scored a team-high 19 points to go with a team-high seven rebounds, and four assists.
How It Happened
The teams traded leads in the first half before the Eagles settled with a 35-33 advantage at halftime.
Buffalo took a 36-35 lead 13 seconds into the second half before the Eagles rattled off an 8-0 run.
EMU extended its advantage to as many as 14 with four minutes to play before the final buzzer.
Game Notes
» Eastern moved to 9-11 overall and 2-6 in Mid-American Conference play while Buffalo moved to 2-17 overall and 1-6 in the MAC.
» Eastern Michigan was 29-of-58 (50.0%) from the floor and 7-of-17 (41.2%) from three-point range while Buffalo was 27-of-65 (41.5%) from the field and 8-of-33 (24.2%) from deep.
» It marks the fourth time this season in which the Green and White made at least 40% of their shots from three-point range as EMU also shot 50% for the fourth time this season.
» Acuff scored a team-high 19 points, marking his 22nd-straight game scoring at least 11 points. Acuff ranks 47th in EMU history with 839 points as an Eagle. Acuff passes John Bowler (2005-06) for the most consecutive games scoring at least 10 points by an EMU player since 2000.
» Acuff also pulled down seven rebounds in the triumph over Buffalo. The seven rebounds ties his career high which was also done on two other occasions: Nov. 30, 2022 at Florida International University and Nov. 18 against Cleveland State University.
» Acuff, who ranked sixth in the nation in minutes played entering the game, played the entirety of the contest for the fifth time this season.
» Osojnik netted four three-pointers for the third time this season. Osojnik drilled four against Georgia Southern University, Nov. 11, and six at the University of Central Arkansas, Nov. 25.
» Junior Jalin Billingsley (Cleveland, Ohio/Lutheran East/Georgetown) played a season-high 30 minutes, topping his previous high of 25 minutes played at Western Michigan University, Jan. 23.
» Sophomore Orlando Lovejoy (Detroit, Mich./Summit Academy North) recorded one steal, marking his 10th-straight game with at least one steal.
» Lovejoy finished the game with 10 points and dished out seven assists. His assist total is a career high by three assists, when he recorded four helpers in consecutive games against Hampton University and Northwood University (Dec. 21 and Dec. 30).
» Redshirt sophomore Javantae Randle (Detroit, Mich./Frederick Douglas) made his second start of the season. 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. His six rebounds also match his season high set at Western Michigan, Jan. 23.
» Randle notched four offensive rebounds for the second-straight game after also doing so at WMU, Jan. 23.
» Redshirt sophomore Legend Geeter (River Rouge, Mich./River Rouge) made a three-point basket in the first half for the Eagles. The bucket was his second three pointer of the 2023-24 season.
» In addition, Geeter led Eastern Michigan with two steals. It is the fourth time this season in which he had two steals in a game.
» The Green and White had eight players make multiple field goals. The game is just the second instance this season in which the Eagles have had eight players make multiple field goals in a game. The Eagles also had eight players with multiple made field goals against Georgia Southern University, Nov. 11.
» Eastern, which hit seven threes against Buffalo, has now hit at least one triple in 602-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 34th-ever game between Eastern Michigan and Buffalo. EMU trails in the series, 21-13.
Next Up
Eastern Michigan is scheduled to host MAC-leading University of Akron Tuesday, Jan. 30, 7 p.m. inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center.
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