Eastern Michigan Athletics
EMU to Host Akron Wednesday Night
1/31/2007 2:20:57 AM | Men's Basketball
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EAGLES HOST AKRON FOR THIRD CONSECUTIVE CROSS-DIVISIONAL GAME
: The men’s hoops squad will host Akron in a Mid-American Conference cross-divisional tilt, Wednesday night, Jan. 31, at the Convocation Center. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. The Eagles are 8-12 (3-4 MAC) on the year and enter tonight’s game after snapping a three-game MAC skid by defeating Buffalo, 89-76, Jan. 28. Meanwhile, the Zips are 15-4 (6-1 MAC) following a 69-36 home victory over Western Michigan, Jan 27.THE SERIES: This is the 32nd meeting between the two schools with Akron leading 17-14. The Zips have won the last four meetings and holds an 8-3 advantage over the last 12 games. Last season, the ZIps defeated the Eagles twice, 79-61, at the James A. Rhodes Arnea, Jan. 21, 2006 and 77-72 at the Convocation Center, Feb. 11, 2006.
SCOUTING THE ZIPS: Akron has two players averaging double figures paced by senior forward and MAC Player-of-the-Year candidate Romeo Travis who leads the team in scoring averaging 13.6 points-per-game which ranks 10th in the MAC. Travis also ranks 16th on Akron’s career scoring chart with 1,263 points (108 career games). He is also the program’s all-time blocked shots leader with 132. Junior guard Cedrick Middleton is second on the team in scoring, averaging 11.0 ppg off the bench. Senior guard Dru Joyce leads the team in assists with 85 which ranks second in the MAC. As a team, Akron sits in first place in the MAC East Division with a 6-1 record. The team also ranks first in the conference in scoring offense (76.8 ppg), scoring margin (76.8 offense, 60.0 defense, (+16.8 margin), field goal percentage (48.7 percent) and three-point field goal percentage (39.7 percent.)
MEN’S HOOPS DRAWS MANHATTAN FOR BRACKETBUSTER SATURDAY, FEB. 17: The EMU men’s basketball team will square off against Manhattan College from the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Saturday, Feb. 17, at the Convocation Center. The announcement was made Jan. 30 as part of the BracketBuster presented by ESPNU and O’Reilly Auto Parts’ pool release. The time for the contest is 4 p.m. and will be the second leg of a doubleheader with the EMU women’s basketball team taking on Toledo at 2 p.m. This marks the fourth consecutive year the Eagles have participated in a BracketBuster contest.
MEDLOCK OUT FOR SEASON: Sophomore point guard Carlos Medlock (Detroit, Mich.-Murrary Wright) will be sidelined for the rest of the season due to a broken right foot head coach Charles E. Ramsey announced Jan. 29. The 6-foot, 170-pound guard, suffered the injury during the second half of the Eagles’ 89-76 victory over Buffalo in the Convocation Center, Jan., 28. "This is an adverse blow to our team," said Charles E. Ramsey. "Any time you lose your floor general and leading scorer, it hurts, but we have young men that now get an opportunity to fill the void and grow in our program."
DAMBROT RETURNS TO EMU: Akron head coach Keith Dambrot was an assistant coach at Eastern Michigan from 1986-89 under then head coach Ben Braun (now at California). During the 1987-88 season, Dambrot helped the Eagles to a 22-8 overall record and a 14-2 first place MAC record. The team defeated Western Michigan and Ohio to claim the MAC tournament title and made its first NCAA tournament appearance against Pittsburgh in which the Eagles lost, 108-90.
HOME SWEET HOME: The EMU men’s basketball team currently has a 6-3 home record. It is the best home start since the 2004-05 campaign when the team went 5-1 against Marshall, Rochester College, Canisius, North Dakota State and Cleveland State. At home the Eagles average 66.7 ppg, shooting 40.2 percent from behind the arc while their opponents average 64.8 ppg hitting 34.2 percent from three-point range. Conversely, the Eagles are 1-6 on the road, scoring 58.6 ppg while their opponents are averaging 73.7 ppg.
HALL OF FAME FEB. 10: The 31st Annual EMU Athletic Hall of Fame, sponsored by the E-Club Alumni Chapter, will be held Saturday, Feb. 10, 2007, in the atrium of the Convocation Center. The Class of 2006 includes: Greg Howe (baseball), Carole Huston (athletic administration), Dazel Jules (men’s track), Peter Linn (men’s-women’s swimming head coach), Bob Lints (football), Nikki Stubbs (volleyball), and Gary Tyson (men’s basketball). Tickets for the Hall of Fame are $35 and can be ordered by calling 487-2284
LAST TIME OUT, EAGLES LIGHT UP THE SCOREBOARD: Behind a career-high 26 points from sophomore point guard Carlos Medlock, the Eastern Michigan University men’s basketball team defeated the University at Buffalo, 89-76, Sunday night, Jan. 28, in a Mid-American Conference cross-divisional game in the Convocation Center. The victory snapped a three-game losing skid for the Eagles and eclipses the team’s win total of seven from last season. EMU used two second half runs to score 89 points, its highest point total this season. The last time EMU scored at least 89 points was Dec. 23, 2004 when the Eagles defeated Cleveland State, 89-76, at the Convocation Center. It also was the most points in a MAC victory since Feb. 21, 2000 when EMU defeated Western Michigan, 93-71.
SUNDAY OUTING: EMU’s victory over Buffalo is the first of three Sunday outings for the Eagles in the 2007 portion of the schedule. Eastern is slated to host Ball State Sunday, Feb. 25, in a 2 p.m. game that is scheduled for Comcast Local television coverage. The Eagles will close out the regular season with a Sunday, March 4, date at Northern Illinois.
EMU MEN’S BASKETBALL GAMES TO BE TELEVISED
ON COMCAST LOCAL: The EMU men will have at least four games televised during the upcoming 16-game Mid-American Conference schedule. The league has dropped from an 18-game ledger down to 16 games this season. Comcast Local (channel 8 in Ypsilanti) is available in approximately two million households throughout the state of Michigan along with the markets of Muncie, Ind., Indianapolis, Ind. and Fort Wayne, Ind.Date Opponent Result/Time
Jan. 13 at Ball State W, 56-52
Jan. 20 at West. Mich. L, 80-84
Feb. 13 at Toledo 7 p.m.
Feb. 25 vs. Ball State 2 p.m.
MEDLOCK LEADING THE WAY: Sophomore Carlos Medlock currently leads the team with 63 assists which also ranks ninth in the MAC. As a team, the Eagles have tallied 307 assists which ranks ninth in the league. The point guard has also led all EMU scorers with double digits in nine games this season, tallying 23 points vs. Davidson (Nov. 10), 13 vs. Central Conn. State (Nov. 11) ,11 at Detroit (Nov. 29), 20 vs. N. Colorado (Dec. 21), 23 vs. North Dakota State (Jan. 3), 15 vs. Central Michigan (Jan. 6), 18 vs. Toledo (Jan. 16), 23 at Western Michigan (Jan. 20) and a career-high 26 vs. Buffalo (Jan 28).
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING: Several EMU players are near the top in the latest Mid-American Conference statistical report.
Scoring
16. Carlos Medlock 13.2
24. Jesse Bunkley 11.3
Rebounding
12. Brandon Bowdry 5.3
Assists
9. Carlos Medlock 3.32
Free Throw Percentage
3. Carlos Medlock 73-87 (83.9)
Steals
4. Carlos Medlock 1.84
3-Point Field Goal %
14. Jesse Bunkley 50-131 (38.2)
3-Point Field Goal Made
4. Jesse Bunkley 2.50
14. Carlos Medlock 1.58
Asst./Turnover Ratio
10. Carlos Medlock 0.89
Offensive Rebounding
13. Brandon Bowdry 2.00
BENCH PLAYERS HELPING OUT: So far this season, the bench players for the men’s basketball team have more then held their own when called upon by head coach Charles E. Ramsey. Bench players have scored 504-of-1,300 (38.7 percent) of the Eagles total points while hitting 61-of-150 total three pointers with 103-of-238 assists. Defensively, bench players have tallied 280-of-632 rebounds, 51-of-146 steals and 14-of-36 blocks.
MR. INTANGIBLE: EMU junior guard Travis Lewis (Kalamazoo, Mich.-Loy Norrix) returned home Saturday, Jan. 20, when the Eagles took on Western Michigan. Lewis graduated from Kalamazoo’s Loy Norrix H.S. before signing with EMU and played a complete game tallying seven points, a season -high three steals and six rebounds with one assist and 2-for-2 at the free throw line. Lewis is not asked to score a lot of points but he does everything else with his nonstop hustle and 100 percent effort on every play. Since his return to the basketball team after playing football as a starting wide receiver, Lewis has tallied 30 assists, 19 steals, 55 rebounds and one block in 13 games.
HITTING FROM THE CHARITY STRIPE: The EMU men’s basketball team is currently fourth in the MAC in free throw percentage, connecting on 265-of-385 shots (69.6 percent) from the line. Carlos Medlock leads the team, hitting 73-of-87 free throws for an 83.9 percent clip which ranks third in MAC free-throw percentage. Jarred Axon (Jackson, Mich.-Jackson-Schoolcraft C.C.) is 26-for-31 (83.9 percent) while Craig Cashen (Cincinnati, Ohio-St. Xavier) has hit 15-of-18 for 83.3 percent.
TRIFECTA, YOU BET YA: EMU ranks third in the MAC in three-point field goal percentage (36.5 percent) and third in three-pointers made, hitting 150-of-411 attempts. Junior Jesse Bunkley (Detroit, Mich.-CMA-Mott C.C.), sophomore Carlos Medlock and freshman Devon Dumes (Indianapolis, Ind.-Decatur Central) have established themselves as the go-to- guys from three-point range. So far, Bunkley has connected on 50-of-131 tries (38.2 percent), Medlock has knocked down 30-of-85 shots (35.3 percent) while Dumes has hit 27-of-91 attempts (29.7 percent). Bunkley also currently ranks fourth in the MAC with his 50 three-pointers (2.50 per game). Defensively, EMU is seventh in three-point field goal percentage defense, limiting opponents to 35.2 percent from beyond the arc.
COACHES CHECK IN: All 12 Mid-American Conference men’s head basketball coach will take part in a weekly teleconference each Monday morning of the season. The call-in schedule is listed below and the number is 719.457.2679.
Time Coach
10:00-10:07 Steve Hawkins (WMU)
10:08-10:15 Stan Joplin (Toledo)
10:16-10:23 Rob Judson (NIU)
10:24-10:31 Reggie Witherspoon (Buff.)
10:32-10:39 Ernie Zeigler (CMU)
10:40-10:47 Ronny Thompson (BSU)
10:48-10:56 Tim O’Shea (Ohio)
10:57-11:04 Charlie Coles (Miami)
11:05-11:12 Jim Christian (KSU)
11:13-11:20 Charles E. Ramsey (EMU)
11:21-11:28 Dan Dakich (BGSU)
11:29-11:36 Keith Dambrot (Akron)
DEFENSE IS STEALING THE SHOW: The Eagles currently have 146 steals which ranks eighth in the Mid-American Conference. The team notched a season-high 18 steals versus Davidson (Nov. 10) and 12 against CCSU (Nov. 11). The 18 steals was the most tallied by the team since it got 22 rips against Navy, 1-7-04. Sophomore Carlos Medlock ranks fourth in the MAC in steals with 35 on the year.
NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE WAS NO CUPCAKE: The EMU men’s basketball team entered the Mid-American Conference section of the schedule battle tested as the Eagles have played some very tough competition. Six of the Eagles’ non-conference opponents have outstanding records. Davidson (13-3), Michigan (16-6), Marquette (19-4), San Diego (13-9), Tulsa (12-6) and North Dakota State (13-6) are a combined 86-34 on the year.
CLEANING THE GLASS: The Eagles have out-rebounded five teams this season, Northern Colorado by 13, 41-28, (Dec. 21), Chicago State by 20, 44-22, (Dec. 9), Northern Illinois by three, 38-35, Toledo by seven, 31-24 (Jan. 16) and Western Michigan by six, (Jan. 20) The Eagles are 2-3 in games in which they out-rebound their opponent. Freshman Brandon Bowdry (Taylor, Mich.-Truman) leads the team and currently ranks 13th in the MAC with 107 total rebounds (40 offensive, 67 defensive) for a 5.4 average-per game. His 38 offensive rebounds also ranks 13th in the MAC (2.00 per game).
EAGLES PUTTING THE CLAMPS ON DEFENSIVELY: EMU has held nine of its last 12 opponents to 70 points or fewer. The last time EMU held five straight Division I opponents under 70 points was in the 1991 post season. At the MAC tournament, EMU limited Kent to 47, BG to 66 and Toledo to 66. At the NCAA tourney, EMU held Mississippi State to 56 and Penn State to 68. Over the first eight games this year EMU posted a 1-7 record while allowing its opponents 76.6 points-per-game compared to 63.6 by the Eagles for a -13 scoring margin. However, over the last 12 games, EMU has posted a 7-5 record and limited its competition to 65.5 ppg while scoring 65.9 ppg for a +0.4 scoring margin.
MATTHEWS-DOBBINS ESTABLISHING INSIDE PRESENCE: Junior James Matthews (Detroit, Mich.-Denby-Marquette) and freshman Justin Dobbins Cleveland, Ohio-Glenville) have added depth and productivity to the Eagles’ front line. After sitting out the first eight games, Matthews returned to the team against Northern Colorado (Dec. 21) and grabbed six boards with four points. He also scored a season-high 12 points against IPFW (Dec. 31). Dobbins returned to the team from a foot injury after missing the first five games and has notched 66 total rebounds while scoring 5.3 ppg in 15 games played. He also poured in a career-best 12 points against Eastern Illinois (Dec. 28).
