Central Michigan University
Eastern Michigan
Eagles Drop Chippewas, 80-69
3/1/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 1, 2006
MOUNT PLEASANT - The Mid-American Conference's leading scorer and rebounder raised his season averages on Wednesday night as Eastern Michigan's John Bowler notched a double-double of 21 points and 14 rebounds in leading the visiting Eagles to an 80-69 victory over Central Michigan University.
Bowler entered the game leading the league in both categories with averages of 19.7 points and 10.3 rebounds per game. The 6-9 forward was 7-for-11 from the floor and 7-for-11 from the line and his damage on the boards helped the Eagles outrebound CMU, 38-28.
The Chippewas started strong as freshman Chris Kellermann notched eight of CMU's first 10 points. Justin Blevins scored a layup to give the Chippewas a 12-5 lead five minutes into the game but the Eagles went on an 11-0 run to take a four-point advantage shortly after that. CMU led on just two occasions the rest of the game.
John Tiemeyer hit a turnaround jumper over Bowler to make it 22-21 with 5:53 left before the break but EMU closed the half on a 9-3 run and took a five-point lead into intermission, 30-25.
Central had the advantage just once in the second half, a one-point edge when Sefton Barrett had a layup to make it 35-34 at the 17:02 mark. Barrett ended up scoring 26 points in the second half en route to a career-high 29 but EMU's 59 percent field goal percentage in the second frame was too much for CMU in the end.
The Eagles improved to 7-19 overall, 3-14 in the MAC while the Chippewas dropped to 4-22, 1-16 in league play.
Senior Danny McElhinny came off the bench to score 21 points for EMU, including six treys and freshman Carlos Medlock added 17.
Kellermann finished with 15 points and three three-pointers for CMU. Giordan Watson tallied 13 before fouling out with 2:49 left.
EMU doubled up the Chippewas in three-pointers with 10 to CMU's five.
CMU closes the regular season on Saturday with a home game against Toledo. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m.
NOTES:
- The loss give CMU the No. 12 seed in the Mid-American Conference Tournament which begins on Monday at campus sites. The Chippewas will travel to the No. 5 seed, which could be Northern Illinois, Western Michigan or Ohio, depending on Saturday's results around the league.
- Sefton Barrett's previous career-high was 27 at Marshall last season on Jan. 2, 2005.
- The Chippewa bench was outscored 29-4.
- CMU, the MAC's leading shot blocking team, tied its season high with 10. The Chippewas also blocked 10 shots in their home game against their other in-state rival, Western Michigan.
- Sefton Barrett needs just two more blocks this season to move into CMU's single season top 10 list.
- Chris Kellermann has now hit 15 three-pointers in the last four games combined after hitting 21 through the first 22 games of the year.
- John Tiemeyer's two blocked shots were a career high while Justin Blevins' three tied his career best.
- EMU has now won six straight in the series.
