EMU Hosts Siena Heights for Final Game of 2012

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) - The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team will take on its third National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) institution of the season Friday, Dec. 28, when it plays host to the Siena Heights University Saints.
   This post-Christmas matchup will be the first between Siena Heights and the Eagles. Although there are just 37.0 miles between the Convocation Center and Adrian, Mich. where Siena Heights is located, the two teams have never met.

FINDING THE GAME AT HOME: The Eagles' matchup with the Saints will be broadcast on WEMU (89.1 FM). Veteran play-by-play voice Chad Bush will be on the call with EMU Assistant Athletic Director for Media Relations Greg Steiner as the color commentator for the game.
   However, the game will also be available for viewing on Eagle All-Access. Eagles All-Access is a subscription-based format in which subscribers can pay for 24-hour access, a monthly pass or a yearly pass to watch all EMU athletic events streamed live.

ALL-TIME VERSUS SIENA HEIGHTS: The Eagles will take on another in-state competitor Friday, Dec. 28. Eastern will square off with the Siena Heights University Saints. This is the first time that EMU and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) institution have faced off on the hardwood.

ALMOST SOME COMEBACK KIDS: Eastern almost came back from a 14-point deficit when hosting Oakland, Dec. 22. The Eagles were able to tie the game up when J.R. Sims hit one-of-two free throws with 18 seconds left on the clock. However, Ryan Bass of Oakland hit a jumper with just over a second left to give the Golden Grizzlies the win at the Convocation Center.

HAVE TO HIT THE FREE ONES: Free throw shooting proved to be the difference down the stretch in the Eagles' loss to Oakland. Despite hitting 73.7 percent of its shots from the charity stripe in the second half, Eastern shot just 50 percent (3-of-6) from the line in the final minute of its first home loss of the 2012-13 campaign.

ROSS WITH A CAREER DAY: Freshman Jalen Ross posted 17 points, four assists, three rebounds and two steals in the EMU's loss to Oakland. His 17 points almost doubled his previous career-high of nine points that he scored at No. 2 Michigan.

LUCKY NUMBER SEVEN: EMU entered Saturday's game against Oakland looking to win their seventh-straight game at home to start the season. The last time the Green and White accomplished that feat was the 1997-98 season in which the Eagles rattled off ten straight home wins en route to qualifying for the NCAA Tournament. Eastern has won six straight at home to start a season twice since then, but has not been able to get to the lucky number seven.

FIRST HALF DROUGHTS: In the past two road contests, the Eagles have gone through major scoring droughts in the first twenty minutes of play. In the Windy City against UIC, the Green and White went over nine minutes without finding the basket. Against No. 2-ranked Michigan, Eastern got off to an early 6-2 lead before going nearly eight minutes until scoring its next points.

EARLY SEASON TESTS: The non-conference schedule has not been kind to the Eagles this season. Coach Rob Murphy's squad has had to face two top-five teams on the road in No. 4 Syracuse, Dec. 3, and No. 2 Michigan, Dec. 20. Since games against ranked teams have been recorded (1995-96 season), Eastern Michigan has never faced a pair of the nation's top-ten teams, let alone two top-five teams.

IN THE NATIONAL RANKS: As of the last NCAA statistical update (Dec. 16), the Eagles boasted the 27th-best scoring defense in the country at 57.6 points per game this season. EMU is also tied for 20th in the NCAA in blocked shots per game (5.6). Defensively, the Eagles hold their opponents to a 37.9 percent field goal percentage which is tied for 33rd in the country.
   Da'Shonte Riley is tied for 20th in the nation for blocked shots per game (2.7).

KENTUCKY IS UP AHEAD: The Eagles will take on another nationally ranked institution Wednesday, Jan. 2, when they travel to Lexington, Ky. to take on the defending 2012 NCAA national champion University of Kentucky Wildcats. This will be the first meeting between Kentucky and Eastern Michigan.

Eastern Michigan Athletics

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