Ypsilanti, Mich. (February 17, 2007)-- Brandon Bowdry scored 14 points for Eastern Michigan as the Eagles defeated Manhattan 65-51 in an O'Reilly's ESPNU Bracketbuster game. Devon Austin led all Manhattan scorers with 16 points, but the Jaspers shot just 35 percent from the field as Manhattan lost its fourth game in a row, dropping its record to 12-15 overall. The win improves Eastern Michigan's record to 10-16 overall.
With the Jaspers leading 7-4 early in the first half, Eastern Michigan's Jesse Bunkley knocked a shot down from three, which was the beginning of an 18-8 Eagles run that gave the home side a 22-15 lead, their largest of the half. The Jaspers would answer back with a 7-0 run of their own to get within 22-21, with baskets coming from Frank Traore, Austin, and Jamel Ferguson.
Leading by just one, 27-26 at halftime, the Eagles exploded out of the gate in the second half with a 17-4 run to take a 44-30 with 12:14 to play. The run essentially put the game out of reach for the cold shooting Jaspers, who shot just 33 percent in the second half.
Austin's 16 points came on the same floor where his older brother Markus starred for four seasons. An alum of Eastern Michigan, Markus is the program's 11th all-time leading scorer with 1,425 points.
With the loss, Manhattan's has now dropped three straight Bracketbuster games, sending their record to 1-3 in such games.
The Jaspers return to MAAC play this Thursday when they travel up to Albany, N.Y. to take on Siena. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
