2023-12-02 03:22:32
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Postgame Press Conference | Photo Gallery
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University men’s basketball team topped Lake Superior State University, 68-53, as junior Tyson Acuff (Detroit, Mich./Cass Technical/Duquesne) scored 24 points to lead the way for EMU Friday, Dec. 1, inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center.
How It Happened
Eastern Michigan started out the scoring by going on an 8-0 run, culminating in a three from Acuff, to take an early lead with 15:32 left in the first half. Lake Superior State then responded to tie things up at 29-29 heading into halftime. Eastern Michigan got a boost from behind the arc in the period, hitting five shots to account for 15 of its 29 points.
After intermission, Eastern Michigan grabbed a 60-50 lead before going on a 6-0 run, finished off by redshirt junior John McGriff’s (Glenn Dale, Md./Bishop McNamara/Binghamton) layup, to grow its advantage to 66-50 with 51 seconds to go in the contest. The Lakers narrowed the margin somewhat before the game was over, but the Eagles still cruised the rest of the way for the 68-53 win. Eastern Michigan took care of business in the paint, recording 22 of its 39 second-half points in the lane.
Game Notes
» Eastern moved to 5-3 on the season while Lake Superior State moved to 4-1.
» Eastern Michigan was 28-of-63 (44.4%) from the floor and 6-of-19 (31.6%) from three-point range while Lake Superior State was 18-of-55 (32.7%) from the floor and 8-of-24 (33.3%) from three-point range.
» Acuff scored 24 points, marking the 10th time he has scored 20-plus points in his career. Acuff is the only player in the country with an active streak of five games with 24-plus points. Acuff has scored 20-plus points in six-straight games for the first time in his career.
» Acuff has scored at least 13 points in each of the first eight games of the 2023-24. Acuff is the first Eagle since Brandon Bowdry to score at least 13 points in each of the team’s first seven games. Bowdry started the 2009-10 season with 13-straight contests with 14-plus points.
» Acuff is approaching 1,000 career points and sits at 849 career points after his 24-point performance. Acuff netted 239 points in his two seasons at Duquesne.
» Acuff is at 106 career three-pointers after eclipsing the century mark in career threes at the University of North Dakota, Nov. 26. Acuff, who made two three-pointers against LSSU, has made multiple three-pointers in each of the last six games.
» Acuff entered the contest ranking fourth in the nation in scoring at 22.6 points per game. His 24 points against LSSU upped his scoring average to 22.8 points per game.
» Junior Yusuf Jihad (Farmington, Mich./North Farmington/Oakland) recorded a career-high eight rebounds to go with a season-high 12 points.
» Junior Jalin Billingsley (Cleveland, Ohio/Lutheran East/Georgetown) posted a season-high 11 points and a season-high six rebounds off the bench. Billingsley dished out a career-high three assists.
» EMU had three players with double-digit points for the fifth-straight game and fifth time this season (Acuff, 24; Jihad 12; Billingsley, 11).
» Redshirt freshman Derik Pranger (Parker, Colo./Colorado Prep) blocked two shots, recording his first career blocks in the game. Pranger joins Jihad and freshman Arne Osojnik (Ljubljana, Slovenia/Dream City Christian) as Eagles to record multiple blocks in a game this season.
» Sophomore Cyril Martynov (Barrie, Ontario/Lawrenceville/Georgia Tech) made his first career start while sophomore Orlando Lovejoy (Detroit, Mich./Summit Academy North) drew his first start of the season. Lovejoy scored a season-high six points while Martynov equaled his career high with eight points and hauled in a career-high six rebounds.
» Eastern, which hit six threes against Lake Superior State, has now hit at least one triple in 590-straight games. EMU last failed to score from downtown Jan. 24, 2004, when Miami University held the Eagles to 0-of-7 from behind the arc.
Historical Notes
» Friday’s meeting was the third-ever meeting between Eastern Michigan and Lake Superior State. EMU leads the series, 3-0.
» Eastern Michigan has a 3-0 start at home for the 10th time in the last 12 seasons after EMU defeated Georgia Southern, Nov. 11, and Cleveland State, Nov. 18. EMU had a streak of nine-straight seasons with a 3-0 or better start at home starting with the 2011-12 campaign.
Next Up
Eastern Michigan is scheduled to play Oakland University Friday, Dec. 8, at 7 p.m. inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center.
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For the most up-to-date information on the Eagles, continue to visit EMUEagles.com. Fans can also follow the team on social media, including Twitter (@EMU_MBB) and Instagram (@EMUMBB).
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