Eastern Michigan Athletics
Saturday, January 24
Mount Pleasant, Mich.
4:30 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
at
Central Michigan
Photo by: Scott W. Grau/Icon SMI
Eagles Look to Return to Form at Central Michigan
1/23/2015 12:10:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Eastern will travel to Mount Pleasant, Mich. for a MAC West matchup on Saturday
| Game Notes | Live Video | Live Audio | Live Stats |
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- After falling on the road in a Mid-American Conference cross-divisional contest Wednesday, Jan. 21, at Bowling Green State University, the Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team will hit the road again for a game at Central Michigan University, Jan. 24. The Eagles (12-6, 1-4 MAC) will take on a hot-shooting Chippewa (13-3, 3-2 MAC) team at McGuirk Arena Saturday afternoon at 4:30 p.m. The game will be the second leg of a doubleheader as the CMU women's team will be squaring off with Akron at 1 p.m.
FINDING THE GAME AT HOME: The Eastern Michigan versus Central Michigan contest can be found on 89.1 FM WEMU and ESPN3. Fans can dial into 89.1 FM or listen over the internet to the smooth sounds of veteran play-by-play voice, Chad Bush. Joining Bush on the call will be analyst Assistant Athletic Media Relations Director Sean Hostetter. Coverage of the game on 89.1 will begin at 4:20 p.m.
For those who prefer to watch the game, it will be broadcast on ESPN3. Fans with access to ESPN will be able to tune into the game on ESPN3 or the WatchESPN app.
ALL-TIME VERSUS CENTRAL MICHIGAN: The Eagles are behind in the series with CMU as Eastern trails by a tally of 90-98. While the Chippewas own an eight-game lead in the history of these programs, EMU got the best of Central Michigan last season. In fact, the Eagles went a perfect 3-0 versus the Mount Pleasant, Mich.-based institution. All three wins were by at least 12 points.
Last season, Eastern took all three matchups between the two squads, first knocking off the Chippewas at the McGuirk Arena, 72-59, Jan. 18, before Central left Ypsilanti with a pair of losses. First, the Eagles came away from a 64-42, Feb. 26, before a 72-60 victory in the first round of the MAC Tournament, March 10.
FINDING THE GAME AT HOME: The Eastern Michigan versus Central Michigan contest can be found on 89.1 FM WEMU and ESPN3. Fans can dial into 89.1 FM or listen over the internet to the smooth sounds of veteran play-by-play voice, Chad Bush. Joining Bush on the call will be analyst Assistant Athletic Media Relations Director Sean Hostetter. Coverage of the game on 89.1 will begin at 4:20 p.m.
For those who prefer to watch the game, it will be broadcast on ESPN3. Fans with access to ESPN will be able to tune into the game on ESPN3 or the WatchESPN app.
ALL-TIME VERSUS CENTRAL MICHIGAN: The Eagles are behind in the series with CMU as Eastern trails by a tally of 90-98. While the Chippewas own an eight-game lead in the history of these programs, EMU got the best of Central Michigan last season. In fact, the Eagles went a perfect 3-0 versus the Mount Pleasant, Mich.-based institution. All three wins were by at least 12 points.
Last season, Eastern took all three matchups between the two squads, first knocking off the Chippewas at the McGuirk Arena, 72-59, Jan. 18, before Central left Ypsilanti with a pair of losses. First, the Eagles came away from a 64-42, Feb. 26, before a 72-60 victory in the first round of the MAC Tournament, March 10.
LIKELY LOOK FOR CENTRAL MICHIGAN..
| # | Name | Pos. | Cl. | Ht. | Wt. | ppg | rpg | apg | Hometown-Previous School |
| 2 | Luke Meyer | F | Fr. | 6-11 | 221 | 6.8 | 3.5 | 0.7 | Addison, Mich.-Addison |
| 4 | Rayshawn Simmons | G | Jr. | 6-4 | 185 | 10.0 | 3.8 | 4.6 | St. Louis, Mo.-Moberly Area C.C. |
| 5 | Braylon Rayson | G | So. | 5-9 | 185 | 1.9 | 3.5 | 1.3 | Dallas, Texas-West Mesquite |
| 15 | Chris Fowler | G | Jr. | 6-1 | 191 | 14.3 | 2.9 | 6.5 | Southfield, Mich.-Detroit Country Day |
| 34 | John Simons | F | Jr. | 6-8 | 221 | 11.1 | 5.9 | 0.7 | Cadillac, Mich.-Cadillac |
A LOOK AT CMU: CMU comes out with one of the best offenses in the country. Central Michigan averages 85.1 points per game, good for second in the country, while it also leads the country in three-point baskets made per game, hitting at a 42.3 percent clip. John Simons and Josh Kozinski lead the three-point shooting charge as Simons hits 51.2 percent of his tripletries, while Kozinski knocks down 45.9, good for second and 14th in the NCAA. The Chips have four players averaging double-digits, and Chris Fowler ranks 10th in the nation in assists at 6.5 per game.
MAC WOES: Eastern Michigan was impressive in the non-conference campaign, posting a 12-2 record, while holding teams to just 56.9 points per game and a 34.2 shooting percentage. Things have not been so great for the Eagles since starting Mid-American Conference play. EMU is allowing teams to score 65.4 points per contest and knock down 40.1 percent of its shots. On the offensive side, Eastern hit on 41.5 percent of its shots in non-conference but have been held to just 36.7 percent in MAC games.
BOND BREAKS OUT: EMU true freshman Tim Bond did not play in the first 13 games of the season due to injury. However, since recovering, Bond has appeared in all five Mid-American Conference games. Bond's best game came against Bowling Green, Jan. 21, when the Baltimore, Md. native went off for career-highs in nearly every category. Bond scored 13 points on 4-of-11 shooting, including knocking down his only three-point try of the season. The 6-foot-6 combo guard went 4-of-6 from the free throw line, while recording the first two assists of his career. On the defensive side, Bond rejected the Falcons on three times, while picking BGSU's pocket on one occasion.
IS 60 THE KEY?: It seems that the Eagles offense has lost its luster since entering Mid-American Conference play. In fact, the Green and White has passed the 60-point plateau on just one occasion, an 82-81 overtime loss at Miami. Prior to the MAC campaign, Eastern had been held to less than 60 points on just two occasions. Both games came against Big Ten opponents, as the Eagles scored just 45 in a win over Michigan and 46 in a loss at Michigan State.
CHIP DIP: Eastern Michigan senior Karrington Ward ate the Chippewas alive in his first season donning the Green and White. In three matchups with CMU, Ward averaged 17.7 points and 8.7 rebounds per game. The 6-foot-7 forward hit on 47.2 of his overall shot opportunities, while also knocking down 42.9 percent of his 21 three-point attempts. The Lockport, Ill. native also averaged one block and 1.7 steals per game in the Eagles' three victories versus CMU last year.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN?: Last season, the Chippewas had one of the best offenses in the Mid-American Conference, however Eastern Michigan kept CMU in check during all three games. CMU averaged 72.5 points per game last year, but the Eagles held them to just 53.7. In addition, EMU held a team that shot 43.4 percent on the season to just a 33.1 clip, including the Chips scoring just 42 points in an Eagles' victory at the Convocation Center.
LAST YEAR AT McGUIRK: Last year, the Eagles came away from McGuirk Arena with a 72-59 win. Despite leading by just four in the first half, EMU exploded for 47 points in the final 20 minutes in large part to Mike Talley scoring a career-best 21 points, while Karrington Ward went for a double-double of 15 points and 15 rebounds. The Eagles shot just 7.7 percent from beyond the arc in the won.
TALLEY RECORDS HIS 1,000th CAREER POINT: Eastern Michigan senior guard Mike Talley has proven his talent year in and year out at the NCAA Division I level and the Detroit, Mich. proved it on Saturday, Jan. 17, in the Eagles win over Northern Illinois. The 6-foot tall point guard stepped to the free throw line with just 21 seconds on the clock and knocked down the first of two free throws to record the 1,000th point of his career. Talley started his career at Duquesne, where he spent two seasons. In his first year as a Duke, Talley notched 222 points, averaging 6.9 per game before recording 231 in his sophomore campaign for a total of 453. Add that the 548 he scored at EMU following the game with NIU, and Talley has 1,001 career points as a collegiate student-athlete.
GETTING THE MONKEY OFF YOUR BACK: No one saw it coming, but Eastern Michigan started the first three games of MAC play without a victory. Finally, the Green and White was able to knock off a gritty Northern Illinois team Saturday, Jan. 17, by a score of 54-46 at the Convocation Center, grabbing their first conference victory of the 2014-15 campaign.
LEE TRYING TO CHART TOP: Redshirt-sophomore Raven Lee holds the record for the most points scored by a freshman in a single season at Eastern Michigan. The Detroit, Mich. native is trying to make a push to become the highest scorer as a sophomore as well. Currently, Lee has scored 261 points this year and is averaging 14.5 points per game. Without including any postseason contests, the six-foot three-inch combo guard is on pace to amass 435 points this year which would rank eighth on the sophomore scoring list at Eastern Michigan.
GETTING DEFENSIVE: Although Eastern Michigan is well-known for its defensive abilities, the Eagles had one of their best defensive performances of the season versus Northern Illinois. EMU held the Huskies to just 46 points which was the second-lowest point total by any NCAA Division I team the Green and White has squared off with. Eastern held Rochester College to a season-low 35 points earlier in the season.
MAC WOES: Eastern Michigan was impressive in the non-conference campaign, posting a 12-2 record, while holding teams to just 56.9 points per game and a 34.2 shooting percentage. Things have not been so great for the Eagles since starting Mid-American Conference play. EMU is allowing teams to score 65.4 points per contest and knock down 40.1 percent of its shots. On the offensive side, Eastern hit on 41.5 percent of its shots in non-conference but have been held to just 36.7 percent in MAC games.
BOND BREAKS OUT: EMU true freshman Tim Bond did not play in the first 13 games of the season due to injury. However, since recovering, Bond has appeared in all five Mid-American Conference games. Bond's best game came against Bowling Green, Jan. 21, when the Baltimore, Md. native went off for career-highs in nearly every category. Bond scored 13 points on 4-of-11 shooting, including knocking down his only three-point try of the season. The 6-foot-6 combo guard went 4-of-6 from the free throw line, while recording the first two assists of his career. On the defensive side, Bond rejected the Falcons on three times, while picking BGSU's pocket on one occasion.
IS 60 THE KEY?: It seems that the Eagles offense has lost its luster since entering Mid-American Conference play. In fact, the Green and White has passed the 60-point plateau on just one occasion, an 82-81 overtime loss at Miami. Prior to the MAC campaign, Eastern had been held to less than 60 points on just two occasions. Both games came against Big Ten opponents, as the Eagles scored just 45 in a win over Michigan and 46 in a loss at Michigan State.
CHIP DIP: Eastern Michigan senior Karrington Ward ate the Chippewas alive in his first season donning the Green and White. In three matchups with CMU, Ward averaged 17.7 points and 8.7 rebounds per game. The 6-foot-7 forward hit on 47.2 of his overall shot opportunities, while also knocking down 42.9 percent of his 21 three-point attempts. The Lockport, Ill. native also averaged one block and 1.7 steals per game in the Eagles' three victories versus CMU last year.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN?: Last season, the Chippewas had one of the best offenses in the Mid-American Conference, however Eastern Michigan kept CMU in check during all three games. CMU averaged 72.5 points per game last year, but the Eagles held them to just 53.7. In addition, EMU held a team that shot 43.4 percent on the season to just a 33.1 clip, including the Chips scoring just 42 points in an Eagles' victory at the Convocation Center.
LAST YEAR AT McGUIRK: Last year, the Eagles came away from McGuirk Arena with a 72-59 win. Despite leading by just four in the first half, EMU exploded for 47 points in the final 20 minutes in large part to Mike Talley scoring a career-best 21 points, while Karrington Ward went for a double-double of 15 points and 15 rebounds. The Eagles shot just 7.7 percent from beyond the arc in the won.
TALLEY RECORDS HIS 1,000th CAREER POINT: Eastern Michigan senior guard Mike Talley has proven his talent year in and year out at the NCAA Division I level and the Detroit, Mich. proved it on Saturday, Jan. 17, in the Eagles win over Northern Illinois. The 6-foot tall point guard stepped to the free throw line with just 21 seconds on the clock and knocked down the first of two free throws to record the 1,000th point of his career. Talley started his career at Duquesne, where he spent two seasons. In his first year as a Duke, Talley notched 222 points, averaging 6.9 per game before recording 231 in his sophomore campaign for a total of 453. Add that the 548 he scored at EMU following the game with NIU, and Talley has 1,001 career points as a collegiate student-athlete.
GETTING THE MONKEY OFF YOUR BACK: No one saw it coming, but Eastern Michigan started the first three games of MAC play without a victory. Finally, the Green and White was able to knock off a gritty Northern Illinois team Saturday, Jan. 17, by a score of 54-46 at the Convocation Center, grabbing their first conference victory of the 2014-15 campaign.
LEE TRYING TO CHART TOP: Redshirt-sophomore Raven Lee holds the record for the most points scored by a freshman in a single season at Eastern Michigan. The Detroit, Mich. native is trying to make a push to become the highest scorer as a sophomore as well. Currently, Lee has scored 261 points this year and is averaging 14.5 points per game. Without including any postseason contests, the six-foot three-inch combo guard is on pace to amass 435 points this year which would rank eighth on the sophomore scoring list at Eastern Michigan.
GETTING DEFENSIVE: Although Eastern Michigan is well-known for its defensive abilities, the Eagles had one of their best defensive performances of the season versus Northern Illinois. EMU held the Huskies to just 46 points which was the second-lowest point total by any NCAA Division I team the Green and White has squared off with. Eastern held Rochester College to a season-low 35 points earlier in the season.
Players Mentioned
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