 EASTERN MICHIGAN 76, FERRIS STATE 60 The win leaves the Eagles at 3-10 overall and with momentum heading into their 37th Mid-American Conference season with a Saturday, Jan. 8, 7 p.m. game at Toledo.
EMU senior forward Brandon Bowdry turned in the 30th double-double of his career with 18 points and 11 rebounds, while sophomore guard Derek Thompson added 19 points, including making 5-of-9 three-point field goals. Darrell Lampley chipped in 12 points.
Ferris, now 8-5, was led by senior guard Darien Gay with 23 points, which included five triples. Senior center Justin Keenan added 14 points and nine rebounds for the Bulldogs.
EMU HITS 50 PERCENT
Eastern ended the game shooting 50 percent from the field, making 29-of-58 shots while also connecting on 8-of-19 threes for 42.1 percent. Ferris shot 40.7 percent on 22-of-54 from the field and the Bulldogs made 9-of-24 threes. Eastern won the board battle, 38-25.
Ferris opened the game on a quick jumper by Gay with just 16 seconds elapsed, but Eastern came right back on a layup by Bowdry just 22 seconds later.
The visitors went on to build an eight-point lead, 17-9, when Keenan hit a jumper at the 14:17 mark, but once again the Eagles fought back, pulling within two, 24-22, on a three-point field goal by Antonio Green at the 6:57 mark.
Thompson hit his third three-ball of the half to tie the game at 29-all at the 4:30 mark of the first half and immediately followed with an off-balance triple to give the Eagles their first lead of the game, 32-29, with 3:45 left on the clock.
Eastern kept its lead at three before senior wing Jay Higgins closed out the half on a long triple with 3.2 left for a 38-32 Eagles' advantage heading into intermission.
Bowdry finished the first half with seven points and eight rebounds, while Thompson made 4-of-5 triples for 14 points. Keenan led the Bulldogs with 12.
SECOND HALF SURGE
The Eagles came out of halftime with a vengeance, scoring five straight to boost the lead to 11, 43-32, in the first minute.
The home squad kept the offense rolling, building its lead to 19, 62-43, on a three from Green with 11:44 left.
The visitors would rely on the three-point shot to get back into the game, cutting Eastern's advantage to nine, 66-57, with 6:24 left on a triple by Kenny Brown.
Eastern managed to off that brief Ferris rally and up its lead to 15, 74-59, on a layup by Kamil Janton with 3:42 left in the game and finished with the 16-point margin.
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