8-8, 1-2MAC
Eastern Michigan
10-6, 2-1MAC
Turnovers And Free Throws Doom Bulls At Eastern Michigan
1/12/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
YPSILANTI, MI – The University at Buffalo, The State University of New York men's basketball team recorded 23 turnovers on Tuesday night and sent the host Eastern Michigan Eagles to the free throw line 47 times in an 81-69 loss at the Convocation Center. The loss evens UB's record to 8-8 as they fall to 1-2 in conference play.
The opening half was tight throughout as neither team held more than a five-point lead during the opening 20 minutes of play. The Eagles scored the first five points of the contest before the Bulls answered with a 6-0 run. A three-pointer from junior Blake Hamilton gave the Bulls a 14-9 lead, which would be their largest lead of the game. A three-point play from senior Rodell Wigginton put the Bulls ahead 30-27 with 1:38 left, but four points over the final minute from EMU gave it a 32-31 lead into the break.
Another three from Hamilton kept UB within four with 10:58 left in the second half when EMU went on a 6-0 run to take a 56-46 lead with 9:14 remaining. The Eagles increased their lead to 13 with 7:07 left, but a fast-break layup from junior Willie Conner pulled the Bulls back within eight with 5:07 remaining. The Eagles took their largest lead of the game at 75-61 with 3:15 left. Eastern Michigan made 30 trips to the free throw line in the second half alone.
"I didn't think we guarded very well as they were taking us off the dribble all night and the turnovers continue to plague us whether teams are playing man or zone against us," said head coach Nate Oats. "We can't have 20 plus turnovers at this level of basketball and expect to win, especially on the road."
Hamilton led the Bulls with his first career double-double as he had 16 points and a career-high 12 rebounds. Conner added 14 points, while junior David Kadiri finished with a career-high 13 points off the bench in 14 minutes of action.
Freshman Nick Perkins, who was playing in his hometown of Ypsilanti, MI, finished with a game and career-high 13 rebounds. Wigginton added nine points for the Bulls, while Skeete finished with eight.
The Bulls held a huge edge on the boards in the game, 49-32, including finishing with 20 offensive rebounds. However, the Bulls turned it over 23 times, while EMU finished with just eight turnovers.
The other story of the night came at the free throw line where the two teams combined to shoot 82 free throws. The Bulls went 21-of-35 from the free throw line, while Eastern Michigan went 35-of-47 from the charity stripe.
UB will return home on Saturday afternoon when it hosts Central Michigan at 3:30 pm at Alumni Arena. The game will be the second half of a doubleheader with the UB women, who face Akron at 1pm.
