Eagles Even Record at 1-1 With Win Over Madonna

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YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team jumped out to an early lead and survived a late-game scoring drought to record a 79-70 win over a visiting Madonna University team here Wednesday, Nov. 17, in the Convocation Center in a noon start for a local “Education Day” game.

With more than 2,800 raucous local elementary and middle school students cheering on the Eagles in the game as special guests of the University , the crowd helped the Eagles, now 1-1 on the season, build a 45-27 halftime lead and a 15-point advantage, 66-51, with 9:10 left in the game. The Eagles went almost four minutes without a score in the late stages of the second half to let Madonna back into the contest. Eastern's offense finally came alive in the final three minutes to help the Green and White preserve the win.

EMU sophomore forward Jamell Harris (Euclid, Ohio-Euclid) turned in the first double-double of his career with 15 points and 13 rebounds to go along with seven blocks.

Those seven blocks breaks the Convocation Center record of six held by three opposing players, Marshall's LaVar Carter (11-30-04), IPFW's Davis Simon (2-6-05) and Northern Illinois player James Hughes (10-9-07). The seven blocks also ties for the second-best single-game mark for blocks with Brian Nolan, versus Stetson(12-9-89) and two by Theron Wilson, vs. Toledo (2-13-93) and Kent State (1-20-93).

Junior guard Antonio Green (Inkster, Mich.-Dearborn Heights Robichaud) added 17 and Junior guard Darrell Lampley (Linden, N.J.-Linden-Lakeland C.C.) chipped in 11.

Madonna, now 1-3 on the year, was led by senior guard Bryant Slaughter who led all scorers with 22 points, while Kevin Henry added 13 and Bobby Naubert 10.

EMU shot just 37.8 from the field (28-of-74) and 36.8 from three-point range (7-of-19) while holding Madonna to 38.5 from the field (25-of-65). Eastern held a slim, 47-44, rebound edge.

The Eagles opened the game on a three-point field goal by Higgins followed by a layup from Madonna's Henry. Lampley made it 5-2 on two free throws, at the 18:40 mark, and the two teams would trade baskets through the first five minutes before the visitors took a brief 14-13 lead at the 10:31 mark on a jumper by Henry.

Bowdry would give the Eagles a llttle breathing room, hitting a three and adding a free throw to make it 24-18 and Will Cooper added a tip of Bowdry's second free throw miss to make it 26-18 with 6:45 left in the half.

After a Henry three made it 26-21, Green connected on a layup and free throw followed quickly by a triple from the left corner to give EMU a 32-21 lead with 4:31 remaining.

Adrian Burton (Detroit, Mich.-Cooley-Kankakee C.C.) scored on a three-point shot with 38 seconds left and added a long two at the buzzer to give EMU a 44-27 halftime lead.

The Eagles shot just 39.5 percent in the first half, hitting 15-of-38 field goals to go along with 4-of-9 three-point goals. The EMU defense limited Madonna to just 31.4 percent shooting in the first half on 11-of-35 attempts.

Madonna came out for the second half on fire, out-scoring the Eagles, 11-4, with freshman guard Bobby Naubert hitting two quick threes to start the run to cut the EMU lead to 10, 48-38, at the 17:48 mark of the second half.

The Eagles managed to use a fast-break attack to run the lead back to 15, 71-56, with 7:03 left when Green connected on a three from deep in the right corner.

The Crusaders would not quit, however, cutting the EMU lead to six, 72-66, on a three by Slaughter followed by a free throw by Henry with just 2:17 left.

The Eagles managed to up the lead to nine, 79-70, at the final buzzer.

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Team Stats

Antonio Green

Jamell Harris

Darrell Lampley

Adrian Burton

Eastern Michigan Athletics