EMU Looks for Second Straight When Miami Comes Calling

EAGLES WORKING FOR TWO-STRAIGHT AT HOME: After falling to 0-2 in Mid-American Conference play, the Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team picked up its first conference victory against Central Michigan, 58-52, Jan. 15. EMU is looking to keep things rolling by making it two-straight conference victories at home when they take on the Miami University RedHawks Saturday, Jan. 19. Tip is set for 2:04 p.m. at the Convocation Center.
    Eastern is now 8-9 on the campaign and 1-2 in conference play with senior guard Derek Thompson leading the way offensively, posting 11.5 points per game. Leading the Eagles in rebounding is junior center Da'Shonte Riley who is posting 6.1 rebounds per game. Other notables this season have been transfers Glenn Bryant and Daylen Harrison. Bryant is posting 9.6 points per contest, while Harrison has been averaging 9.4 points and 5.2 rebounds per game in his first season competing for EMU.
    The RedHawks come into the contest boasting a 7-8 record, going 2-1 in three MAC games this season. Allen Roberts has notched 13.3 points per game this season, while Will Felder leads Miami with 4.5 rebounds a game, and Quinten Rollins is posting 4.5 assists per game.

FINDING THE GAME AT HOME: The Eagles' contest with the RedHawks will be broadcast on WEMU (89.1 FM). Veteran play-by-play voice Chad Bush will be on the call from the Convocation Center alongside EMU Assistant Athletics Director Greg Steiner as the analyst.
    In addition to the WEMU broadcast, fans are encouraged to check out Eagle All-Access where they can not only listen to Chad and Greg's broadcast but watch a live stream of Saturday's game and all home games for the 2012-13 season. Eagle All-Access is a subscription-based service, starting as low as $6.95.

ALL-TIME VERSUS MIAMI: This weekend's game will mark the 67th all-time meeting between the RedHawks and Eagles. Miami holds the all-time series edge, 46-20. EMU and MU first met during the 1974-75 campaign when Allan Freund was in his third season at the helm. The then-Hurons dropped a road contest, 60-57, Feb. 5, 1975. That team went 12-14 on the season and 4-9 in its first season competing in the Mid-American Conference.
    In the last meeting between these teams, Eastern dropped a 62-57 decision on the road in the Eagles' only overtime game of the 2011-12 campaign. Darrell Lampley led the Eagles with 17 while Derek Thompson added 10. Da'Shonte Riley chipped in 11 rebounds to go along with eight points and a block.

TIME TO REVERSE THE CURSE: Eastern has not defeated Miami in its last 16 attempts, as the RedHawks have won each game since the Eagles last topped them during the 1996-97 campaign. The last EMU victory over MU came, Feb. 6, 1997, when the Eagles took an 82-77 decision in venerable Bowen Field House. The then-Redskins later returned the favor during that season, dropping the Eagles, 86-77, Oxford, Ohio, Feb. 24, 1997, to begin the streak of 16-straight. Miami also topped EMU by 20, 96-76, in EMU's second game of the 1997 MAC Tournament, March 8, at the SeaGate Centre in Toledo, Ohio.

EASTERN NOTCHES FIRST MAC VICTORY OF 2012-13: The Eagles ended its losing skid and earned its first Mid-American Conference win over Central Michigan University, 58-52, Jan. 15, at the Convocation Center. The Eagles avenged a pair of losses from last season against the Chippewas.
    EMU's defense posted a season-high eleven blocks, anchored by forward Glenn Bryant who denied a season-high five shots. Jalen Ross led the Eagles in scoring with 13 points and was one-of-three EMU players to hit double figures.

NOT SO CLUTCH: The Eagles went just 17-of-30 (56.7 percent) from the free throw line in the second half of their victory against Central Michigan. Despite their woes at the line, EMU was able to hold on to its lead until the end. Eastern led by as many as 13 in the second half of its first MAC victory this season.

WELCOME TO THE BLOCK PARTY: Eastern posted a season-high 11 blocks in its first Mid-American Conference victory of the 2012-13 campaign, Jan. 15, against Central Michigan. EMU has posted double-digit blocks in three games this season. First EMU notched 10 against Eastern Illinois, Nov. 16, and Siena Heights, Dec. 28.
    Individually, Eastern has posted six seperate four-or-more block performances this season. Jamell Harris first posted four blocks in EMU's win against Eastern Illinois, Nov. 16. Da'Shonte Riley has worked for four-or-more blocks in four games this season, including a season-high six blocks against No. 4-ranked Syracuse, Dec. 3. Finally, Glenn Bryant stuffed five shots against Central Michigan Tuesday night, which was a career-high for the redshirt junior transfer.

RILEY MAKING HISTORY: After 17 games this season Da'Shonte Riley has posted 39 blocked shots, which rank as the 10th most in a single season. He is averaging 2.3 blocks per game and is on pace to stuff 59 shots this season which would tie him with Brian Nolan (1988-89) for the fifth-most blocks in a single season. Theron Wilson (1992-93) holds the record for the most blocks in a single season with 96.

BLOCKING HIS WAY INTO 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 99 blocks. Harris sits second in the record books with 156 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 472 career rebounds, he is tied for 24th all-time with Ryan Prillman (1999-03). Kennedy McIntosh (1967-71) has the most with 1,426.

BENCH PRODUCTION: Despite posting a losing record through its first two MAC contests of the 2012-13 campaign, the Eagles have seen a lot of production from its non-starters in those games. First against Ball State, Jan. 9, the Eagles' bench outscored the Cardinals' bench, 28-2. In its loss to Bowling Green, Eastern's bench outscored the Falcons' bench, 19-4. In MAC games, EMU's bench is outscoring its opponents' bench, 47-6.
    Overall this season, Eastern is outscoring its opponents benches by 78 points, 354-276.

NEXT ON THE DOCKET, WESTERN MICHIGAN: After hosting a pair of MAC games the Green and White will hit the road again Wednesday, Jan. 23, when it travels to Kalamazoo, Mich. in anticipation of another in-state rivalry game. The Eagles will square off with the Broncos of Western Michigan University at Universty Arena.
    Last season, Eastern saw a pair of victories against the Broncos. First, the Eagles played host to WMU, Jan. 18, 2012, and saw a 62-59 win in wich the Eagles won in an overtime battle at the Convocation Center. The second matchup with the Broncos was not without drama, as Eastern's Darrell Lampley hit a four-foot teardrop jumper on the right side of the lane with one second left to give the Eagles a 54-53 win, Feb. 29, 2012, at University Arena.

FIGHTING THE ROAD WOES: Eastern Michigan has yet to win a game on the road this season and holds a record of 0-7 away from the Convocation Center. EMU is shooting just 34.2 percent on the road, and hitting just 27 percent of its shots from beyond the arc. The Eagles look to turn around their road blues by picking up their first victory on the road Wednesday, Jan. 23, when they travel to Western Michigan.

Eastern Michigan Athletics

Related News

Next Event

Related Videos