EMU Hits The Road For Sunday Afternoon Tilt in Alabama

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) - The EMU men's basketball team will open the road portion of the 2012-13 schedule before returning back to Ypsilanti for four-straight home tilts, when it heads 722 miles south to Jacksonville, Ala. to take on the Gamecocks of Jacksonville State University Sunday, Nov. 11. Tipoff between the Gamecocks and EMU Eagles is slated for 2 p.m., Sunday afternoon, at Pete Mathews Coliseum.

The Gamecocks opened their 2012-13 campaign Friday, Nov. 9, with a 93-63 win against the Reinhardt University Eagles.

EAGLES OPEN SEASON WITH 66-52 WIN: The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team officially kicked off the 2012-13 college basketball season and the EMU “Ice Man” Classic with a 66-52 victory over Rochester College Friday, in the friendly confines of the Convocation Center. Prior to the contest, members of the 2011-12 EMU men's basketball team received their championship rings and raised a banner for capturing the MAC West Division crown one year ago.

Three Eagles reached double digits as senior Derek Thompson ed the way with 14 points followed by 12 points each from redshirt junior Daylen Harrison and true freshman Ray Lee. Rochester's Maynard led all scorers with 27 points.

ALL-TIME VERSUS JACKSONVILLE STATE: The Eagles and the Gamecocks have met just once prior to Sunday's matchup. The only other time EMU and JSU have squared off was back on Feb 19, 2011, in the ESPN Bracketbuster game. Eastern won that game 63-60 at the Convocation Center.

Derek Thompson connected on a three-point field goal from deep on the right baseline with just 2.8 seconds remaining to break a 60-all tie and give the Eagles team a 63-60 win over a Jacksonville State University team, Feb. 19, in a BracketBuster game. Brandon Bowdry recorded the 36th double-double of his career with 28 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Green and White, while guard Antonio Green added 15 points for the Eagles.

OFFENSIVE EXPLOSION: EMU opened up its 2012-13 campaign with an exciting offensive performance against Rochester College. The Eagles shot 49.0 percent (25-for-51) from the floor, while hitting 33.3 percent (4-for-12) of their shots from beyond the arc. Derek Thompson went 4-for-6 from the three-point line with 14 points, while “true” freshman Ray Lee and redshirt junior Daylen Harrison posted 12 points in the 66-52 victory at the Convocation Center.

NEW FACES IN THE CROWD: The EMU men's hoops squad has a slew of new faces on the court this season for second-year Head Coach Rob Murphy's Eagles. Returning this season after sitting out due to transfer rules will be redshirt juniors Glenn Bryant, Daylen Harrison, and sophomore Josh Lyle.

Junior James Still is eligible for the 2012-13 campaign after transferring from Henry Ford Community College, while Mike Talley will sit out the season for EMU as a junior transfer, but will be eligible for the 2013-14 campaign with a pair of seasons left, as a redshirt junior.

Other new faces to Ypsilanti, Mich. will be a pair of freshmen guards, Ray Lee and Jalen Ross .

FILLING IN HIS SHOES: In 2011-12, Darrell Lampley was the starting point guard for the 2012 MAC West Divsion Champion Eagles. With the graduation of Lampley, the Eagles had to fill a Third Team All-MAC performer's shoes, and Head Coach Rob Murphy thinks he has done just that with a pair of freshmen point guards.

Ray Lee and Jalen Ross will be vying for the starting point guard positon for the first few games of the 2012-13 campaign. Both Lee and Ross were extremely talented point guards for their respective high school teams. Lee known more for his offensive scoring ability, while Ross is more of a “true” point guard who can distribute the ball and play strong defense.

BLOCKING HIS WAY IN THE RECORD BOOKS: Eastern Michigan senior forward, Jamell Harris, posted 40 blocks last season which ranks as the ninth-most in EMU laurels. The Euclid, Ohio native trails former EMU defensive great Theron Wilson (1992-96) by 121 blocks. Harris sits second in the record books with 136 career blocks.

Harris not only has been a force blocking shots, but he has made a name for himself on the glass as well. With 403 career rebounds, he is tied for 41st all-time with Tony King (1990-95) in EMU history. Kennedy McIntosh (1967-71) has the most with 1,426.

EAGLES PICKED TO FINISH SECOND IN THE WEST: EMU was picked to finish second in the West Division in the 2012-13 Mid-American Conference preseason poll by the MAC News Media Panel. The announcement was made in Cleveland Tuesday, Oct. 30. Second-year Head Coach Rob Murphy and his Eagles received 118 votes, which was shy of only the University of Toledo's 143 votes in the West Division. Following Toledo and EMU in the poll was Western Michigan (88), Ball State (74), Northern Illinois (46) and Central Michigan (35).

CELBRATING THE FIRST MAC WEST TITLE IN HISTORY: Prior to the Eagles' 2012-13 opening matchup against Rochester College, Nov. 9, the Green and White received their 2012 MAC West Championship rings and raised a banner for winning the division with a record of 9-7 in conference tilts. It was Eastern Michigan's first ever divisional title since the conference moved to the division format in 1997-98.

LOOKING FORWARD TO TOP-NOTCH TALENT: The EMU men's basketball team has a schedule chock-full of top-notch NCAA talent for the 2012-13 campaign. Throughout the next few months, Eastern will take on three teams ranked in the NCAA top-ten polls.
   First, Dec. 3, the Eagles will travel to Syracuse, N.Y. to take on the No. 9/9-ranked Orange of Syracuse University. Next, Dec. 20, EMU makes the short trek down Washtenaw to take-on in-county rival University of Michigan who comes into the polls ranked No. 5/5. And, finally Eastern heads to Lexington, Ky. to take on the 2012 NCAA National Champion University of Kentucky Wildcats, Jan. 2. The Wildcats come into the 2012-13 campaign ranked No. 3/3.

FOR THE 116th TIME: The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team kicked off its 116th season of competition Friday, Nov. 9, 2012, when the Eagles played host to the Rochester College Warriors. Eastern won the matchup 66-52.

Eastern played its first season in 1897-98 and split games with Detroit, losing a 2-0 decision before coming back for a 4-0 victory. The Eagles are are 68-48 in season openers.

EAGLES OPEN UP BASKETBALL FOR THE 2012 NCAA SEASON: The game between Rochester and Eastern Michigan, Nov. 9, at noon was the first game played by any NCAA Division I team in the 2012-13 basketball season.

Eastern Michigan Athletics

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