Eastern Michigan Athletics
Saturday, February 17
Mount Pleasant, Mich.
4:30 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
16-11, 7-7MAC
72
at
67
Central Michigan
16-11, 5-9MAC
1
2
F
Eastern Michigan
28
44
72
Central Michigan
34
33
67
EMU Hoops Overcomes 10-point Deficit to Top CMU, 72-67
2/17/2018 7:12:00 PM | Men's Basketball
James Thompson IV and Elijah Minnie each collected double-doubles in the victory
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team overcame a 10-point second-half deficit to take down Central Michigan University, 72-67, Saturday evening on the road at McGuirk Arena.
EMU (16-11, 7-7 MAC) and CMU (16-11, 5-9 MAC) traded punches the entire game, with six ties and six lead changes during the contest. Eastern took its final advantage of the game with less than a minute to go, as an and-one by senior Tim Bond (Baltimore, Md.-City College High School) put the Eagles on top for good.
Junior James Thompson IV (Baton Rouge, La.-Parkview Baptist) led the way for the Eagles, registering his 19th double-double of the season with 22 points and 14 rebounds. Redshirt junior Elijah Minnie (Pittsburgh, Pa.-Lincoln Park (Robert Morris)) added his third double-double of the campaign with 13 points and 10 boards, while fellow redshirt junior Paul Jackson (Stone Mountain, Ga.-Martin Luther King Jr.-Eastern Kentucky)) added 15 points and four assists. Bond's final line was another stat-stuffer, as the senior added seven points, six rebounds, five assists, two blocks, and a steal.
Perhaps the biggest play of the game came with under 40 seconds to play and the Eagles ahead by only two, as Central Michigan had what appeared to be an open look from three for a chance to go ahead. From the opposite side of the floor, Bond swatted the shot attempt and it was collected by Minnie, who was fouled immediately and promptly sank both free throws on the other end.
Eastern trailed by as many as seven points over the final 10 minutes of play, but a resilient defensive effort fueled an efficient offensive attack on the other end of the floor. During that timeframe, the Eagles forced the Chippewas into four of their seven turnovers for the game, and held the home to just 3-of-10 shooting from the floor.
EMU dominated points in the paint for the game, 46-16, and won the overall shooting percentage battle as well, 47.5 to 37.3. The factor that made the game so close was behind the three-point line, as CMU shot a blistering 42.3 (11-of-26) percent from downtown. The Chips had the advantage at the free throw line in the game, 92.3 percent to 73.3 percent, but the Eagles went 8-of-9 down the stretch to help build their final lead to five.
The other big advantage in the game came on the boards, as Eastern out-rebounded Central 43-30 for the game. The double-doubles by Thompson and Minnie marked the third time this season that the duo has logged double figures in points and rebounds in the same game.
Eastern returns to the friendly confines of the Convocation Center, Tuesday, Feb. 20, when it takes on MAC West-leading Toledo at 7 p.m.
EMU (16-11, 7-7 MAC) and CMU (16-11, 5-9 MAC) traded punches the entire game, with six ties and six lead changes during the contest. Eastern took its final advantage of the game with less than a minute to go, as an and-one by senior Tim Bond (Baltimore, Md.-City College High School) put the Eagles on top for good.
Junior James Thompson IV (Baton Rouge, La.-Parkview Baptist) led the way for the Eagles, registering his 19th double-double of the season with 22 points and 14 rebounds. Redshirt junior Elijah Minnie (Pittsburgh, Pa.-Lincoln Park (Robert Morris)) added his third double-double of the campaign with 13 points and 10 boards, while fellow redshirt junior Paul Jackson (Stone Mountain, Ga.-Martin Luther King Jr.-Eastern Kentucky)) added 15 points and four assists. Bond's final line was another stat-stuffer, as the senior added seven points, six rebounds, five assists, two blocks, and a steal.
Perhaps the biggest play of the game came with under 40 seconds to play and the Eagles ahead by only two, as Central Michigan had what appeared to be an open look from three for a chance to go ahead. From the opposite side of the floor, Bond swatted the shot attempt and it was collected by Minnie, who was fouled immediately and promptly sank both free throws on the other end.
Eastern trailed by as many as seven points over the final 10 minutes of play, but a resilient defensive effort fueled an efficient offensive attack on the other end of the floor. During that timeframe, the Eagles forced the Chippewas into four of their seven turnovers for the game, and held the home to just 3-of-10 shooting from the floor.
EMU dominated points in the paint for the game, 46-16, and won the overall shooting percentage battle as well, 47.5 to 37.3. The factor that made the game so close was behind the three-point line, as CMU shot a blistering 42.3 (11-of-26) percent from downtown. The Chips had the advantage at the free throw line in the game, 92.3 percent to 73.3 percent, but the Eagles went 8-of-9 down the stretch to help build their final lead to five.
The other big advantage in the game came on the boards, as Eastern out-rebounded Central 43-30 for the game. The double-doubles by Thompson and Minnie marked the third time this season that the duo has logged double figures in points and rebounds in the same game.
Eastern returns to the friendly confines of the Convocation Center, Tuesday, Feb. 20, when it takes on MAC West-leading Toledo at 7 p.m.
Team Stats
EMU
CMU
FG%
.475
.373
3FG%
.150
.423
FT%
.733
.923
RB
43
30
TO
10
7
STL
6
3
Game Leaders
Pts
22
FGM
10
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Pts
15
FGM
6
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Pts
13
FGM
5
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Pts
9
FGM
3
3FGM
2
FTM
1
Players Mentioned
G
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