BOX SCORE
QUOTES
YPSILANTI, Mich. -- LaMarcus Lowe tied a Western Michigan school record with seven blocked shots and David Kool notched his first career double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds as the Broncos defeated Eastern Michigan, 53-45, in front of 1,663 at the Convocation Center on Saturday afternoon.
The Broncos (7-11, 4-1 MAC) remain in a first place tie with Buffalo (12-5, 4-1 MAC) for the best record in the Mid-American Conference, one-half game ahead of Ball State, which plays tomorrow against Toledo. Western Michigan and Buffalo square off in Kalamazoo at University Arena on Tuesday at 7 p.m.
Shawntes Gary added 16 points for the Broncos and Derek Drews added eight points against the Eagles (3-16, 1-4 MAC), as WMU took a commanding lead in the race for the Michigan MAC Championship with road wins over EMU and Central Michigan this season.
The Broncos held their 11th opponent of the season and sixth straight under 40 percent shooting as the Eagles managed to hit only 33.3 percent, including just 2-of-15 three-pointers. The Broncos also forced 16 turnovers, including a career-high five steals from Kool and three from Gary. Gary moved into 10th all-time in career steals at WMU with 101. WMU outscored EMU, 26-9, in points off turnovers.
After pushing their seven-point halftime lead to nine, 32-23, with 16:37 remaining after a Gary layup, the Eagles responded with four-straight capped by a one-handed dunk from Will Cooper, 32-27, with 15:39 to play. Amid the ensuing excitement, the Eagles lost Andre Ricks and he buried a three-pointer from the left wing to start a 9-0 run over the next 2:47 to take a 14-point lead, 41-27, with 12:41 to play.
The Broncos couldn't put away the Eagles and they closed to within four points, 49-45, after Cooper's free throw with 1:43 to play. Eastern Michigan wouldn't score again as Gary hit a jumper in the paint with 51 seconds left and Kool converted on two free throws with 27 seconds to play. Lowe put the exclamation point on the victory with back-to-back blocks on jumpers by Brandon Bowdry in the final 19 seconds.
Eastern Michigan opened the game on an 11-2 run and still led by eight, 14-6, after a Zane Gay three with 12:30 left in the half. Gary hit a layup to start a 10-0 run over 3:21 to put WMU back on top, 16-14, after a fast break steal and layup by Kool.
EMU scored the next two baskets to regain the lead, 18-16, but then Lowe had a dunk off a feed from Drews and then hit one free throw after being fouled on another dunk attempt to put WMU back up, 19-18, with 4:05 to play. EMU hit a free throw to tie the game with 2:41 left in the half, but wouldn't score the rest of the half. Kool hit four free throws on back-to-back possessions and then Martelle McLemore found Drews for a three-pointer with seven seconds left to put WMU up seven, 26-19, at halftime.
