XAVIER 73, KENT STATE 59
MICHIGAN STATE 90, WESTERN MICHIGAN 46
BOWLING GREEN 101, OHIO WESLYEYAN 60
INDIANA 85, NORTHERN ILLINOIS 40
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The first home game for the Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team under 1987 alumnus and first year Head Coach, Stan Heath, ended quite poetically as his team fought back from 16 points down to defeat Illinois State University, 103-98, in double overtime, inside the Convocation Center, tonight, Nov. 12.
The Eagles (1-1, 0-0 MAC) had four players score in double figures, led by senior Monty Scott, who had 28 points and four steals. Junior Bryce McBride added 23 points and eight rebounds off the bench, and freshman Noah Farrakhan chipped in 17 points, six rebounds, four assists, and two steals as well.
On the defensive end, senior center Axel Okongo pulled down six total rebounds, three offense, and three defensive. All in all, the effort on the offensive boards helped the Green and White record 14 second chance points.
How It Happened
Eastern Michigan struggled out of the gate, shooting just 10-of-31 (32.26%) from the field, including 2-of-9 (22.22%) from the three-point line. The cold half resulted in a 12-point deficit, 44-32 heading into the locker room.
EMU fought back, eventually taking a 62-60 lead with 10:28 to go in the contest., thanks to a deep ball from M. Scott. The two teams went back-and-forth for the remaining 10 minutes, creating a 79-79 stalemate to send the game to overtime. In the first overtime, the Eagles and Redbirds traded blows, with both teams making a shot in the final minute to make it a 90-90 game as time expired.
Illinois State then snagged a 92-90 advantage early in the second overtime before Eastern Michigan responded by going on a 7-0 run to seize a 97-92 lead with 3:04 to go in the period. The Eagles held onto the lead for the rest of the game for the 103-98 win.
XAVIER 73, KENT STATE 59
CINCINNATI, OH -- The Flashes led at halftime 36-31 and were up 48-43 with 14:12 remaining. However, with the game tied at 52-all with 10:25, to go, Xavier went on a 16-2 run before winning 73-59 at the Cintas Center.
Sincere Carry led KSU with 18 points, followed by Justyn Hamilton (13) and Giovanni Santiago (10). Malique Jacobs had a team-high nine rebounds, but Xavier out-rebounded the Flashes 48-29 overall.
Kent State made 19 of 54 (32.5%) from the field overall and connected on 36.4 percent outside the arc. Xavier made 40.3 percent overall and just 20.7 percent (6 of 29) from long distance. Musketeers guard Paul Scruggs, who was 2 of 10 on treys, tallied 23 points to lead all scorers.
MICHIGAN STATE 90, WESTERN MICHIGAN 46
EAST LANSING, Mich. – The Western Michigan men's basketball team held a six-point lead in the first half, but a 23-4 Michigan State run helped the Spartans overtake the Broncos on their way to a 90-46 win on Friday night at the Breslin Center in East Lansing, Mich.
Mack Smith knocked down three triples on his way to a team-high 13 points for the Broncos. Markeese Hastings added a career-high 12 points, snagged a team-high eight rebounds and had a pair of blocks.
Trailing 7-5 in the early going, Western Michigan used a trio of three-pointers to put together a 10-2 run and grab a 15-9 advantage with 13:09 to go in the first half. MSU (1-1) responded with the next nine points to spark a 23-4 extended run which put the hosts ahead, 32-19.
Michigan State ended the half with seven straight to take a 46-25 lead into the locker room. The Spartans continued to increase their advantage in the second half, and Western Michigan did not get any closer than 21 after the break.
The Broncos had a tough night shooting, making 18-of-68 from the floor. Michigan State connected on 34-of-66 field goals for the evening. Western Michigan won the turnover battle, forcing MSU into 13 miscues while committing 10.
BOWLING GREEN 101, OHIO WESLYEYAN 60
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - The Bowling Green State University men's basketball program picked up a 101-60 win over the Ohio Wesleyan Battling Bishops on Friday night (Nov. 12). The win pushes the Falcons to 1-0 on the season when playing on Bill Frack Court at the Stroh Center and grants the Orange and Brown their first win of the 2021-22 season, now 1-1. It was an all-around team effort that earned the win, seeing six different players reach double-digit scoring in the contest.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Falcons came out strong, jumping to a 12-point lead, 17-5, less than four minutes into the game. The early charge was sparked by a Joe Reece steal and slam, making it 7-2.
The ensuing push was led by Trey Diggs, hitting three early three-pointers to quickly accumulate nine of the Falcons' first 17 points.
The Falcons continued to push themselves on both sides of the ball, reaching a 20-point lead before the halfway point of the first half.
Ohio Wesleyan would trim the lead below 20 with just under five minutes left in the first half, but a strong finish increased the Bowling Green lead. The Orange and Brown would use an 18-6 run to end the first half, capped off by a buzzer-beating three from Samari Curtis as time expired.
Out of halftime, the Falcons continued adding to the lead, eclipsing the 30-point-lead mark less than three minutes into the second half thanks to a coast-to-coast layup from Brenton Mills.
Over the next 10 minutes of game time, Bowling Green used a 23-7 run to add to their lead, growing to a 46-point advantage with over seven minutes remaining.
The Falcons maintained that lead for the rest of the game, having a game-high 46-point lead as late into the game as 45 seconds remaining.
STAT LEADERS
Trey Diggs: 20 points, 6 rebounds (3 OFF/3 DEF)
Daeqwon Plowden: 14 points, 6 rebounds (2/4)
Myron Gordon: 13 points, 4 assists, 4 rebounds (3/1)
Gabe O'Neal: 12 points, 4 rebounds (3/1)
Joe Reece: 11 points, 5 rebounds (1/4)
Cam Young: 11 points, 7 rebounds (1/6)
INDIANA 85, NORTHERN ILLINOIS 40
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Keshawn Williams scored a career-high 21 points as the Northern Illinois University men's basketball team fell to Indiana, 85-49, on Friday night (Nov. 12) at Assembly Hall.
With the contest knotted at seven in the early going, Indiana used a seven-point burst to take a 14-7 lead with 12:46 to play in the opening half.
The Indiana lead was still seven, 16-9, when the Hoosiers used a six-point spurt to push their advantage to 22-9 just past the midway point of the first stanza. Indiana then scored 12-straight to take its lead to 34-11 before Williams ended the run with a fastbreak layup.
Williams led NIU with seven first half points as Indiana was in front, 47-20, at the intermission. Trayce Jackson-Davis had 17 for the Hoosiers as Indiana shot 51.7 percent (15-of-29) from the field in the opening 20 minutes.
In the second half, Williams continued to be the hot hand for the Huskies as he went 5-of-8 from the field in the second 20 minutes, and 4-of-5 from the charity stripe, as he netted 14 of his game-high 21 after the break.
Indiana took advantage of 23 Huskie turnovers, turning them into 26 points, while NIU scored just eight points of Indiana's 15 miscues. The Hoosiers also took advantage inside as they held a 36-18 edge in points in the paint in the contest.
Jackson-Davis finished with a team-high 19 points for Indiana, Xavier Johnson added 13 points while Race Thompson added 12 points and 10 rebounds.