Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
9-15,2-9MAC
UL Monroe
9-14,4-8Sun Belt
Acuff, Osojnik Lead EMU in Loss at ULM
2/10/2024 5:32:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Acuff netted 29, Osjonik scored career-high 22
MONROE, La. (EMUEagles.com) – Junior Tyson Acuff and freshman Arne Osojnik led the Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team in an 82-76 loss at the University of Louisiana at Monroe Saturday, Feb. 10, in the second leg of the inaugural Mid-American Conference-Sun Belt Conference Challenge.
Acuff (Detroit, Mich./Cass Technical/Duquesne) scored a game-high 29 points behind seven made triples while Osojnik (Ljubljana, Slovenia/Dream City Christian (Ariz.)) netted a career-high 22 points in a game that saw the Eagles trail for more than 37 minutes.
How It Happened
ULM burst out to a 9-0 edge before a quick 12-5 spurt for EMU drew the Eagles within two.
Eastern held its lone lead of the contest at 24-23 with 6:30 to go in the first half after redshirt sophomore Legend Geeter (River Rouge, Mich/River Rouge/Providence) knocked home a pair of free throws.
The Warhawks scored 12 of the game's next 15 points to help take a 43-33 lead into halftime.
ULM's largest lead of the game was 12 at 50-38 with 16:47 left to play.
The Eagles cut the deficit to four with 6:04 to go on an Osojnik lay-up but were unable to come any closer in the final minutes.
Game Notes
» Eastern moved to 9-15 overall and 2-9 in MAC play while ULM moved to 9-14 overall and 4-8 SBC play.
» Eastern Michigan was 29-of-69 (42.0%) from the floor and 13-of-29 (44.8%) from three-point range while ULM was 32-of-56 (57.1%) from the field and 8-of-16 (50.0%) from deep.
» EMU's 13 made three-pointers are its most since going 13-for-24 (54.2%) from three-point land against Ohio University, Jan. 31, 2023.
» Acuff scored 29 points, marking his 26th-straight game scoring at least 11 points. Acuff's 26-consecutive games scoring at least 10 points are the most by an EMU player since 2000. Acuff ranks 42nd in EMU history with 918 points as an Eagle.
» Acuff recorded his 11th game with at least 23 points. Acuff is one of seven players in the nation with 11 contests of 23-plus points. The contest also marks the 13th time in which Acuff recorded 20 or more points in a game this season.
» Acuff, who was 10-for-23 from the floor, recorded his eighth game with at least 10 made field goals. Acuff joins Denver University's Tommy Bruner and Bowling Green State University's Marcus Hill as the only players in the country to make 10 field goals in a game at least eight times this season.
» Acuff was 7-for-11 from three-point range, which included a 7-of-8 start. Acuff was also the last Eagle to convert seven three-pointers in a game, last doing so against the University of Toledo, Feb. 11, 2023.
» Osojnik scored a career-high 22 points, topping his previous mark of 20 set at the University of Central Arkansas, Nov. 25.
» Osojnik was 4-for-10 from three-point range, marking his fifth career game with at least four three-pointers made.
» Acuff and Osojnik are the first Eagles duo to each have at least 20 points in the same game since the pair did so at Central Arkansas, Nov. 25. Acuff scored 23 while Osojnik had 20.
» Junior Jalin Billingsley (Cleveland, Ohio/Lutheran East/Georgetown) hauled in a career-high nine rebounds, falling just one board short of his first career double-double. Billingsley, who scored 10 points, has scored in double figures in three-straight games for the first time in his career.
» Sophomore Orlando Lovejoy (Detroit, Mich./Summit Academy North) tied his career high with six assists, matching his mark set against the University at Buffalo, Jan. 27. Lovejoy also tallied six dimes against the University of Toledo, Feb. 6. Lovejoy has dished out at least five assists in four of the last five games.
» Lovejoy tallied three steals and has at least one steal in 13 of the last 14 games. He has multiple steals in eight of the last 12 games.
» EMU, which brought in 16 offensive rebounds, its most since recording 22 against Northwood University, Dec. 30. The 16 offensive boards are the most for the Eagles against a Division I foe since bringing in 19 against BGSU, Jan. 3, 2023.
» Eastern, which hit 13 threes against ULM, has now hit at least one triple in 606-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 all-time between Eastern Michigan and ULM. EMU trails in the series, 3-0.
» EMU moves to 1-1 all-time in the MAC-SBC Challenge after topping Georgia Southern University, 70-60, Nov. 11.
Next Up
Eastern Michigan is scheduled to host Bowling Green State University Saturday, Feb. 17, for a 3:30 p.m. tip inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center. The game follows an EMU women's game against Northern Illinois University at 1 p.m.
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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).
