Central Michigan University Athletics
Central Michigan University
Eastern Mich
Chippewas Can't Hold On Against EMU, 71-68
1/10/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 10, 2004
MOUNT PLEASANT - Central Michigan University frittered away three 12-point leads in dropping a 71-68 Mid-American Conference men's basketball battle with Eastern Michigan University here Saturday afternoon.
The Chippewas led 42-30 with 1:32 to play in the first half before settling on a 42-32 edge at the break. CMU also led by 12 in the second half at 47-35 and 49-37, the last one coming at 17:16.
However, EMU kept clawing back in the second half and took its first lead at 61-60 with 7:03 remaining. The Eagles then claimed the lead for good at 69-68 with 43 seconds to play.The Chippewas had one last chance to tie it on the final possession but T.J. Meerman's three attempt was off the mark.
"Two big things hurt us," CMU coach Jay Smith said. "They went to the offensive glass and we missed some wide open shots.
"We can't get more wide open on the arc and we haven't been able to knock them down the last three games."
The loss was CMU's third in a row, dropping its record to 3-10 for the season and 0-3 in MAC action. Eastern Michigan is now 6-5 overall and 1-2 in conference play.
The Eagles overcame 23 turnovers for their second straight win, buoyed in a large part by a 39-28 edge in rebounding. John Bowler had a game-high 12 caroms for EMU while Gerrit Brigitha countered with 11 for the Chippewas.
Brigitha stole game-high scoring laurels with 24 points, 19 coming in the first half. Three more Chippewas reached double digits with David Hoskins, Meerman and Kevin Nelson meshing 10 apiece.
Markus Austin led EMU with 21 points followed by James Jackson and Bowler with 11 each.
Frigid shooting from behind the three-point line helped doom CMU as it netted just 4-of-19 for the game for 21.1 percent. The Chippewas hit on 24-of-56 shots from the floor for 42.9 percent shooting for the game.
The Eagles hit 46.3 percent from the field for the game, dropping 7-of-16 from behind the three-point line for 43.8 percent.
The 6-8 Brigitha kept his hot streak going in the last four games. He's now scored 29, 26, 29 and 24 in those outings, connecting on 41-of-52 from the floor.
CMU next hits the road for a Wednesday, Jan. 14, MAC contest at Ball State. The Chippewas then play at Bowling Green on Sunday, Jan. 18, before returning to Rose Arena for a Wednesday, Jan. 21, contest with Miami University.
NOTES:
* The Chippewas shot 30 percent in the second half after connecting on 55 percent of their field goals in the first half.
* CMU's bench was outscored 23-6.
* Gerrit Brigitha's double-double was the second of his career.
* After hitting a career-high six three-pointers at Loyola-Chicago, Kevin Nelson has made just one three-pointer in each of the last four games.
* The loss marked the second time this season that CMU surrendered a 12-point lead and lost. The Chippewas were also up on Loyola-Chicago but couldn't hold on.
