Eastern Michigan tops Vermont 70-50 in basketball opener

By foxsports
Published

YPSILANTI, Mich. (AP) Willie Mangum had 18 points and four steals to lead Eastern Michigan to a 70-50 win Friday over Vermont on the first day of the college basketball season.

Tim Bond scored 15 points and Brandon Nazione added 10 rebounds and 10 points for the Eagles.

Ernie Duncan had 14 points and Kurt Steidl added 11 points and 12 rebounds for the Catamounts, who led 30-27 at halftime.

Vermont trailed 41-39 with 12:29 left after a 3-pointer by Duncan. The Eagles went on a 15-3 run to extend the lead to 56-42 on a jumper by Mangum with 5:03 remaining.

Eastern Michigan played without top-scorer Raven Lee, who was suspended indefinitely for violation of team rules on Friday. The junior guard averaged 16.7 points last season.

The Vermont-Eastern Michigan game was one of two Division I men's games that began at 11 a.m. to get things rolling. The other game was Kean University at Columbia.