March 11, 2016 – MAC Semifinals
(1) Ohio (22-6, 12-4 MAC) vs (4) Eastern Michigan (15-14, 9-7 MAC)
This is where we've fallen the last two years in the conference tourney. Two years ago we were the 2 seed and lost to 3 seed EMU in the semis. Last year we were the 1 seed and lost to Ball State in the semifinals.
EMU is rated 77 OVR (76 off/77 def/77 sht/86 reb). We haven't played a game out against them since that tourney game 2 seasons ago. Their roster has almost completely turned over since then.
Scouting
PG Jeremee Alleyne – JR – 67 OVR – 86 speed/83 quickness. 74 defense, godawful. 77 close/67 med/71 3. 79 off the dribble. 81 hands/84 passing... much better passing (C hands/B passing). 8.1 ppg/4.9 apg.
SG Woody Karis – JR – 74 OVR – 6'5, big for a SG for whatever its worth. 86 speed/84 quickness, 78 defense(very low). 80 close/78 med/76 3. 78 off the dribble/79 in traffic. 81 steals which his solid. Hopefully Lamkin and Santiago can abuse the poor defense all game. 8.3 ppg/5.2 rpg/3.7 apg. 76 drb rating is great for a guard.
SF Kirby Summers – SR – 73 OVR – 78 speed/74 quickness. 80 defense, B- for a SF, not bad, not great. 79 close/74 med/64 3. 77 off the dribble/75 in traffic. 75 defensive awareness is pretty solid too FWIW. 9.2 ppg/4.3 rpg.
PF Kentrell Warner – JR – 72 OVR – 6'10”, 81 orb/79 drb, 74 post offense/74 post defense. 82 close/84 in traffic. Good leaper for a big guy(76) and strong (72). But hopefully the poor post play and rebounding gives us an edge here. 10.6 ppg/5.7 rpg. Warner will have a height edge over Bright.
C Dameon Archibong – JR – 71 OVR – 6'11” - 76 orb/78 drb, fairly poor(C), 77 post offense/74 post defense. 83 close/81 in traffic. Looks pretty average. He does lead the team with 12.8 ppg this year.
Everyone in their lineup has 4 bars or more of experience. Its a balanced, experienced starting 5. They appear to be fairly awful defensively. They also don't run very deep, 7 guys rated 60+ (actually 8 but a bakcup PF is hurt). Seems like we ought to have an edge here.
Our team unity is up to 67. Theirs is 61.
Half
| Time
| OHIO
| EMU
| Notes
|
1
| 12:55
| 10
| 12
| With very few stoppages in play I go ahead and call a timeout to get the backups in. I was ready to call for them around the 14 minute mark. Slow start, they spend some time in a 2-3 which we are continuing to struggle against when we see it.
|
1
| 7:50
| 24
| 27
| Back and forth, we led by 1, then them for awhile, but they took a 27-22 lead and we just cut it down to 3. Timeout EMU.
|
1
| 6:15
| 28
| 34
| We're in a stretch where they are scoring every single possession and I can't seem to do shit about it. Seems time to call a timeout and get the starters back in.
|
1
| 4:00
| 34
| 41
| Their best player, Karis, has 16 points... urgh.
|
1
| 2:15
| 40
| 43
| Ahhh, 6-2 run gets us a 6th man boost and back on the right track, I'd like to get the lead back before halftime.
|
| HALF
| 47
| 48
| Well I'll take a 1 point game after letting them stay ahead the last part of the half. No defense, anywhere. Both teams are shooting over 60%. They're 19-31, 4-7 from 3. Karis has 14, Summers 8. They're a combined 8-11 from the field.
Watson leads us with 10, he had 0 when the starters came back out with 6 minutes left and he went on a tear. Garcia, Lamkin and Lufkin all have 6 points. Hopefully we can make them miss a few shots in the 2nd half.
|
2
| 17:45
| 49
| 55
| Karis hits a 3 and I put Murphy on him hoping he can make some kind of difference. They start on a 7-2 run though and go up 6. After a blocked shot against Watson leading to a layup on the other end they get a 6th man boost and I call a timeout.
|
2
| 16:00
| 53
| 55
| A couple stops and a couple scores and its a 2 point game again. Watson and Murphy both have 3 fouls. I'm hoping to get to the 13 minute mark without them picking up #4.
|
2
| 14:25
| 58
| 57
| Lufkin with a 3 point play and we take the lead by 1.
|
2
| 12:25
| 62
| 60
| We go up 3, Karis scores his 20th point on a 3 that ties it. We get Watson another bucket inside and they call a timeout. Backups are in.
|
2
| 10:00
| 64
| 65
| Back and forth 1 point game now with 10 minutes left.
|
2
| 6:20
| 75
| 71
| It was back and forth for a bit until we took a 1 point lead, got a steal and got Santiago a 3 pointer to go up 4. That's where the lead sits now as the starters come in to finish off the game. Karis has 22 for them.
|
2
| 5:30
| 77
| 75
| Watson commits his 4th foul. He gets a stuff while he's getting the foul though and that's enough to send the crowd off for a 6th man bonus.
|
2
| 5:10
| 80
| 75
| After a lucky break on a tipped pass we recover the ball and Lamkin hits an open 3 to give us our biggest lead this half, up 5.
|
2
| 5:05
| 82
| 75
| Their PG loses control of the ball in the backcourt, Lamkin picks it up and goes in for a layup, 7 point lead!
|
2
| 4:30
| 82
| 77
| Watson fouls out and allows Karis a 3 point play opportunity in the process. Grundy in to finish the game off at center. The FT is no good and we remain up 5.
|
2
| 2:25
| 84
| 79
| We just ran a good 1:15 off the clock, but unfortunately they end up blocking a 3 by Lufkin as the shot clock expires(we got an offensive rebound extending the possession earlier). Their ball down 5.
|
2
| 2:10
| 84
| 81
| They score quickly to make it a 3 point game. I call a timeout to quiet the 6th man.
|
2
| 1:30
| 84
| 83
| We have a shot blocked on our end, Karis misses an open 3 for them thank goodness, but they get the offensive board and putback.
|
2
| 1:18
| 86
| 83
| Lamkin gets by his man easily and scores on a layup. 3 point lead.
|
2
| 0:43
| 86
| 83
| Lufkin with a steal on the other end! We run a play that gets lufkin an open midrange jumper but he cannot hit it. Up 3, their ball.
|
2
| 0:36
| 88
| 85
| They score quickly on their end and have to foul. Murphy hits the front end...misses the back end but Lufkin grabs the board! They foul again. Lufkin makes the 1st...misses the 2nd. Way to go, 2-4 at the line, they're still within 3.
|
2
| 0:20
| 90
| 85
| Whew, Karis misses a 3. Bright is fouled after the rebound, their 9th so its tsill 1 and 1. He makes both.
|
I make one more free throw and its enough.
Ohio 91
Eastern Michigan 87
All 5 of their starters end up in double figures. Karis leads them with 24 points and 5 assists. Summers scores 14, both their big men score 12, and PG with 10. They shot over 50% for the game, 36-66. We shoot even better, 33-54, also 21-26 from the line. We outrebound them 24-19 as well.
Murphy: 6 points/4 assists
Lamkin: 19 points
Lufkin: 12 points
Bright: 7 points/10 boards
Watson: 14 points
Grundy: 10 points/5 boards
Garcia: 8 points
Santiago: 8 points