The Eastern Michigan University men’s basketball team lost 75-55 to Santa Clara University in its first game of the Santa Clara Cable Car Classic that was held in Santa Clara, California.
EMU senior guard Darrell Lampley scored 14 points and recorded two steals and was 4-for-4 behind the free throw line. Red-shirt sophomore guard J.R. Sims had 10 points and three total rebounds. Junior center Jamell Harris was the leading rebounder for the Eagles with four total rebounds.
Santa Clara junior guard Kevin Foster recorded 25 points and two steals. Junior center Niyi Harrison scored 13 points and 13 total rebounds.
While Eastern Michigan waited to play Santa Clara, Wagner and the Air Force Academy squared off in the first game of the tournament. It was Wagner that won over Air Force 72-61 and the Seahawks waited for the winner of the EMU-Santa Clara contest for the tournament championship.
Santa Clara got the scoring going early with a 5-2 lead in the first two minutes. The score was 10-2 when EMU called a timeout at the 16:31 mark in the first half. EMU started crawling back with a dunk by center Da’Shonte Riley and Lampley making a layup. Eastern Michigan got within three points after Austin Harper completed a jump shot and SCU then went on a 13-0 run late in the first half. SCU had a halftime lead of 25-18.
A comeback was not in the cards for EMU as the Eagles trailed by 27 points late in the first half; the final score was 75-55 for Santa Clara.
The Eagles play Air Force in the consolation game tonight at 6 p.m. Pacific time while Santa Clara faces Wagner for the championship for an 8:15 p.m. PST tip off.
EMU start the Mid-American Conference schedule Jan. 7 on the road against Northern Illinois. The Eagles will return to the Convocation Center on Jan. 11 for a contest against rival Central Michigan for a 7 p.m. tip off.
