AKRON 65, MORGAN STATE 59
WRIGHT STATE 80, BOWLING GREEN 71
BRADLEY 89, EASTERN MICHIGAN 61
HARTFORD, Conn. – The Buffalo Bulls (1-2, 0-0 MAC) dropped their contest against nationally ranked UConn(3-0, 0-0 BIG EAST) Tuesday evening, 84-64.
After trailing 7-0 early into the contest, the Bulls battled back to make it an 11-10 UConn lead at the under-12 media timeout. Out of the timeout, Zid Powell grabbed a defensive board and made an open layup to give the Bulls a 12-11 lead. In the stretch, Buffalo held UConn to 1 for their last 14 from the floor.
UConn grabbed the lead back after a made free throw to make it 15-14 with 8:16 left in the half. That would be the closest the game would be as the Huskies pulled away. At the half, the Bulls trailed 44-28. Armoni Foster led the team in scoring at the half with nine points.
Buffalo got in foul trouble early in the game and could not recover. Compared to UConn's 13 fouls, the Bulls finished with 23 on the night with two players fouling out. Tristen Newton of UConn punished Buffalo as he finished 14-of-17 from the free throw line. He went on to finish the game with a triple double (22 pts., 10 rbs., 11 assts.).
Kidtrell Blocker and Foster paced the Bulls with 11 points each. Freshman Isaac Jack had a remarkable game underneath battling UConn's bigs. Jack finished with nine points, three rebounds, and two blocks. He was also perfect on the night as he went 4-for-4 on the floor and 1-1 from the charity stripe.
AKRON, Ohio – Behind a relentless defense and a massive scoring edge from the foul line, the Akron Zips downed visiting Morgan State 65-59 Tuesday evening at James A. Rhodes Arena.
The two sides traded runs and defensive stands throughout, with the Zips (2-1) seizing control for good down the stretch.
Junior forward Enrique Freeman posted his second double-double of the season to pace Akron, notching 17 points and 13 rebounds. Senior guard Xavier Castañeda added 16 in the win and sophomore guard Nate Johnson contributed 11.
After the Bears (1-3) claimed a 44-42 edge midway through the second half, the Zips battled back and increased their lead to five on a wing 3-pointer by graduate student guard Trendon Hankerson with 6:19 remaining. Johnson continued the decisive 11-2 run with a driving dunk to beat the shot clock, putting his squad ahead 56-49 with 5:34 remaining and a second triple from Hankerson moments later pushed the lead to 10.
Akron's defense held the visitors without a point for a crucial 3:47 span during the same stretch, topping off a strong defensive outing.
Both sides utilized pressure and aggressive defense from the outset, leading to a close contest that saw Akron gradually build an early lead despite struggles at the foul line. It was the defense that set the tone, with the Zips forcing nine first-half turnovers they converted into 10 points. Castañeda (12 points) and Freeman (10) paced the Akron offense in the opening half.
The offense came on late in the period, helping key a late 10-4 to give momentum to the blue and gold.
Back-to-back 3-pointers by Johnson, the second with 1:25 left in the half, boosted the Akron lead to double digits for the first time at 36-26. Castañeda delivered a big shot to end the half, draining a 24-foot 3-point bomb from beyond the top of the key and completing the four-point play at the foul line to stake the Zips to a 40-28 halftime edge.
Senior guard Isaiah Burke led Morgan State with 18 points and senior guard Malik Miller chipped in with 10 in the loss.
DAYTON, Ohio - Bowling Green stayed close throughout the game, but Wright State pulled away late to register an 80-71 final in favor of the Raiders Tuesday at the Nutter Center. The loss moves the Falcons to 2-1 on the young season with St. Bonaventure up next this Saturday.
Leon Ayers III led BGSU scoring for the third straight game, tallying 22 points for his second consecutive 20-point output. Samari Curtis followed closely with a season-high 16 points while adding five assists, four steals and three rebounds to his stat line. Rashaun Agee rounded out the double-digit scorers with 12.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Wright State opened the game with a 5-0 run, but the Falcons quickly responded with a step-back jumper followed by a triple, both from Leon Ayers III, to tie it up at 5-5. Wright State added a layup before the first media timeout, holding a 7-5 advantage at the break.
Wright State increased its lead before a 4-0 run by the Falcons just before the media timeout, narrowing the Raiders' lead to 22-18 at the stoppage.
The Falcons continued to narrow the gap, drawing the deficit to just one at 23-22 before a 9-0 run pushed the Wright State lead to 32-22.
Bowling Green recorded a 5-0 run to close the first half, heading to the locker room with the score at 32-27 Wright State.
The Falcons rattled off a 7-2 run to start the second half and tied the game up at 34-34. Wright State moved up 36-34, but a Kaden Metheny triple pushed the Falcons out in front.
Wright State was able to accumulate a 5-0 run later in the second half to move back in front 48-41, but Bowling Green remained close.
Wright State built the lead back to a six-point advantage and used a late push to expand its advantage.
STAT LEADERS
Leon Ayers III: 22 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal
Samari Curtis: 16 points, 5 assists, 4 steals, 3 rebounds
Rashaun Agee: 12 points, 6 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 assist
Chandler Turner: 8 points, 3 rebounds, 1 steal
PEORIA, Ill. (EMUEagles.com) -- Sophomore Emoni Bates totaled a team-high 20 points, but the Eastern Michigan Eagles fell to Bradley 89-61 on the road Tuesday, Nov. 15. The game was part of the Cancun Challenge for both squads.
The Eagles (1-2) had two players score in double figures, led by Bates, who had 20 points and six rebounds. Colin Golson Jr. tacked on 11 points and Noah Farrakhan added six points.
How It Happened
Eastern Michigan struggled out of the gate, falling behind 41-21 heading into halftime. Bradley kept widening its lead after intermission, constructing an 87-56 advantage before Eastern Michigan went on a 5-0 run, finished off by Tyson Acuff's three, to shrink the deficit to 87-61 with 1:40 to go in the contest. Bradley responded and outscored the Eagles the rest of the way, ending the game with a final score of 89-61. Eastern Michigan took care of business in the paint, recording 22 of its 40 points in the lane.
Game Notes
» With the loss, the Eagles fall to 1-2 on the year while the Braves improve to 2-1.
» Tuesday's game was part of the Cancun Challenge. Both teams will play twice inside the Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya in Cancun, Mexico, next week with Eastern taking part in the Mayan Division and Bradley playing in the Riviera Division.
» For the second game in a row, Bates led the team in scoring and reached the 20-point mark as he finished with 20. Bates also connected on three treys for the second game in a row, marking the second time in his career - and second game in a row - he has done so.