Eastern Michigan Athletics
Saturday, February 21
DeKalb, Ill.
7 p.m. CT
Eastern Michigan University
at
Northern Illinois
Photo by: Steve King/KingStudios
Eagles Head West to Square Off with Northern Illinois
2/19/2015 4:45:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Tipoff between the Eagles and Huskies is set for 7 p.m. CT
| Game Notes | Live Video | Live Audio | Live Stats |
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- After a strugglesome home showing against the University at Buffalo, the Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team hits the road for a Mid-American Conference West Division matchup with Northern Illinois University Saturday, Feb. 21. The Eagles (16-10, 5-8 MAC) dropped a 78-63 decision at the hands of Buffalo Wednesday, Feb. 18, while the Huskies (10-14, 4-9 MAC) are coming home off of a 68-66 loss to the Central Michigan Chippewas at McGuirk Arena. Tipoff at the NIU Convocation Center is slated for 7 p.m. CT, however, the contest is the second leg of a doubleheader with the Northern Illinois women's basketball team. The women's contest is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. with the men's game starting 30 minutes following.
FINDING THE GAME AT HOME: The Eastern Michigan versus Northern Illinois matchup can be found on 89.1 FM WEMU and Eagle All-Access. 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. The pregame show and analysis will begin at 6:50 p.m. on Saturday.
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 NORTHERN ILLINOIS: Saturday marks 90th time that Northern Illinois and Eastern Michigan have met on the hardwood, with the Eagles trailing 51-38. The Green and White has had the Huskies' number as of late though, winning eight of the last 10 meetings, all of which have been under Head Coach Rob Murphy. Since Murphy took over, prior to the 2011-12 campaign, the Eagles are 8-2 against NIU, having played them three times in each of the first three years that Murphy has coached in Ypsilanti.
Earlier this year, the Green and White knocked off Northern Illinois, 54-46, for the Eagles first MAC win of the year, Jan. 17. Raven Lee led all players with 24 points, and was the only Eagle to notch double-figure scoring. The Detroit, Mich. native shot 58.3 percent from the field (7-of-12), and was nearly flawless from the free throw line after going 7-of-8 from the charity stripe. The pair of Karrington Ward and Brandon Nazione led the team on the boards, grabbing nine and eight rebounds, respectively. The victory also marked a milestone for a member of the EMU squad, as Mike Talley recorded the 1,000th point of his collegiate career.
DOUBLING UP: Eastern Michigan senior forward Karrington Ward has been on a tear since his ailing ankle returned to 100 percent. In fact, he has posted double-doubles in all three games since he had been listed at full strength. Since the Green and White's loss at Ohio where Ward saw just four minutes of game action, the Lockport, Ill. native is posting 19.3 points and 10.3 rebounds per contest. In addition, the 6-foot-7 senior is shooting at a 48.6 percent clip, while knocking down 56.3 percent of his three point attempts to go along with 81.3 percent of his attempts from the charity stripe. A good indicator that Ward's ankles are back to full strength is the amount of minutes he is spending on the floor. He is averaging 37.3 minutes per game since returning to full health.
THE EMERGENCE: After averaging just 16.2 minutes per game over his first 10 of the year, EMU freshman guard Tim Bond has not only entered the starting lineup but has been picking up prime minutes. The Baltimore, Md. native is playing an average of 34.7 minutes in the last three games, but his production has been key. The 6-foot-6 guard is scoring 11 points per game to go along with a 46.7 percent shooting percentage in those games.
STAT STUFFING: In the Eagles' loss against Buffalo, Karrington Ward recorded his third-straight double-double to go along with another impressive defensive performance. Ward swatted five of the Bulls' shots, while stripping the opposition on two occasions. The five blocks is just one shy of his career-high six, which he recorded versus Coppin State earlier this year, Dec. 23, 2014.
LETTING IT FLY: The EMU men's hoops squad shot just 29.6 percent from the three point line in its 78-63 loss to Buffalo, Feb. 18. What is more startling is not the poor efficiency, but the amount of shots the Green and White took from long range. Eastern took 64 shots in the contest and 27 of them were three-balls. That is 42.2 percent of the team's shot total.
WARD NAMED MAC WEST PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Karrington Ward was named the Mid-American Conference West Division Player of the Week, the league office announced Monday, Feb. 16. It is the first time the Lockport, Ill. native has garnered the award in his career.
Ward put together an incredible week as the Eagles went 2-0, defeating Miami and Akron in back-to-back games. The six-foot seven-inch high flier averaged 18.5 points and 10 rebounds over the week, playing 37-of-40 minutes in each of the victories. Ward shot 52.2 percent from the floor, while knocking down 60 percent of his three point shot attempts. In addition, he hit 77.8 percent of his free throw opportunities while playing gritty defense, blocking two shots per game and picking the opponent's pocket once per contest.
WHEN THEY'RE HOT, THEY'RE HOT: Its safe to say that the Eagles have three dynamic scorers in Raven Lee, Mike Talley and Karrington Ward. In fact, when any two of these three score 15-or-more points in a single game, the Eagles have been quite successful. In games when at least two of these three student-athletes score 15-or-more points, the Green and White is 8-3. When Lee teams up with Talley the Eagles are 3-1, when its Lee and Ward, they're 4-1. And finally, when all three score at least 15, Eastern Michigan is 1-0 on the year.
TIC-TAC-TURNOVER: Eastern Michigan is forcing the competition into 15.3 turnovers per game this season. The Eagles have forced their opponents into 20-or-more turnovers on five separate occasions, including when the Green and White forced both Longwood and Miami into 24. The Eagles hold a +3.1 in turnover margin, which ranks as the best in the MAC and 22nd nationally. Eastern has been forced into more turnovers than the opposition on just five occasions this season.
WHERE WE STAND: Although we're past the midway point of the 2015 Mid-American Conference season the MAC Tournament seedings are still far from locked in as many teams continue to jockey for position. Currently, Bowling Green, Central Michigan, Kent State and Toledo tied in first play with a 9-4 record, while Akron is nipping at their heels with a record of 8-5. Tied for sixth are Buffalo and Western Michigan, while the Eagles sit at 5-8, which is tied with Miami for the No. 8 spot. Since Miami has beaten league leading Bowling Green, who is 9-4 and EMU's best win is against Akron (8-5), MU would claim the eighth seed. Northern Illinois and Ohio are each a single game behind Miami and EMU, while Ball State rests in the basement at 2-11.
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 with 380 points. The Detroit, Mich. native is trying to make a push to become the highest scorer as a sophomore as well. Currently, Lee has scored 420 points this year and is averaging 16.2 points per game. Without including any postseason contests, the six-foot three-inch combo guard is on pace to amass 501 points this year which would rank third on the sophomore scoring list at Eastern Michigan, trailing former Eagle Ricky Cottrill for second with 582 points.
FINDING THE GAME AT HOME: The Eastern Michigan versus Northern Illinois matchup can be found on 89.1 FM WEMU and Eagle All-Access. 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. The pregame show and analysis will begin at 6:50 p.m. on Saturday.
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 NORTHERN ILLINOIS: Saturday marks 90th time that Northern Illinois and Eastern Michigan have met on the hardwood, with the Eagles trailing 51-38. The Green and White has had the Huskies' number as of late though, winning eight of the last 10 meetings, all of which have been under Head Coach Rob Murphy. Since Murphy took over, prior to the 2011-12 campaign, the Eagles are 8-2 against NIU, having played them three times in each of the first three years that Murphy has coached in Ypsilanti.
Earlier this year, the Green and White knocked off Northern Illinois, 54-46, for the Eagles first MAC win of the year, Jan. 17. Raven Lee led all players with 24 points, and was the only Eagle to notch double-figure scoring. The Detroit, Mich. native shot 58.3 percent from the field (7-of-12), and was nearly flawless from the free throw line after going 7-of-8 from the charity stripe. The pair of Karrington Ward and Brandon Nazione led the team on the boards, grabbing nine and eight rebounds, respectively. The victory also marked a milestone for a member of the EMU squad, as Mike Talley recorded the 1,000th point of his collegiate career.
LIKELY LOOK FOR THE HUSKIES...
| # | Name | Pos. | Cl. | Ht. | Wt. | ppg | rpg | apg | Hometown-Previous School |
| 5 | Travon Baker | G | Jr. | 5-11 | 170 | 7.8 | 1.5 | 2.8 | Detroit, Mich.-Consortium |
| 21 | Keith Gray | F | R-Jr. | 6-7 | 240 | 1.0 | 1.7 | 0.0 | Chicago, Ill.-Brooks Academy |
| 23 | Aaric Armstead | G | So. | 6-5 | 190 | 11.5 | 4.7 | 0.6 | Chicago, Ill.-La Jolla Prep |
| 33 | Anthony Johnson | G | Sr. | 6-3 | 190 | 10.2 | 2.3 | 0.6 | Chicago, Ill.-Purdue |
| 52 | Jordan Threloff | C | Sr. | 6-9 | 255 | 8.3 | 7.4 | 0.4 | DeKalb, Ill.-Illinois State |
DOUBLING UP: Eastern Michigan senior forward Karrington Ward has been on a tear since his ailing ankle returned to 100 percent. In fact, he has posted double-doubles in all three games since he had been listed at full strength. Since the Green and White's loss at Ohio where Ward saw just four minutes of game action, the Lockport, Ill. native is posting 19.3 points and 10.3 rebounds per contest. In addition, the 6-foot-7 senior is shooting at a 48.6 percent clip, while knocking down 56.3 percent of his three point attempts to go along with 81.3 percent of his attempts from the charity stripe. A good indicator that Ward's ankles are back to full strength is the amount of minutes he is spending on the floor. He is averaging 37.3 minutes per game since returning to full health.
THE EMERGENCE: After averaging just 16.2 minutes per game over his first 10 of the year, EMU freshman guard Tim Bond has not only entered the starting lineup but has been picking up prime minutes. The Baltimore, Md. native is playing an average of 34.7 minutes in the last three games, but his production has been key. The 6-foot-6 guard is scoring 11 points per game to go along with a 46.7 percent shooting percentage in those games.
STAT STUFFING: In the Eagles' loss against Buffalo, Karrington Ward recorded his third-straight double-double to go along with another impressive defensive performance. Ward swatted five of the Bulls' shots, while stripping the opposition on two occasions. The five blocks is just one shy of his career-high six, which he recorded versus Coppin State earlier this year, Dec. 23, 2014.
LETTING IT FLY: The EMU men's hoops squad shot just 29.6 percent from the three point line in its 78-63 loss to Buffalo, Feb. 18. What is more startling is not the poor efficiency, but the amount of shots the Green and White took from long range. Eastern took 64 shots in the contest and 27 of them were three-balls. That is 42.2 percent of the team's shot total.
WARD NAMED MAC WEST PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Karrington Ward was named the Mid-American Conference West Division Player of the Week, the league office announced Monday, Feb. 16. It is the first time the Lockport, Ill. native has garnered the award in his career.
Ward put together an incredible week as the Eagles went 2-0, defeating Miami and Akron in back-to-back games. The six-foot seven-inch high flier averaged 18.5 points and 10 rebounds over the week, playing 37-of-40 minutes in each of the victories. Ward shot 52.2 percent from the floor, while knocking down 60 percent of his three point shot attempts. In addition, he hit 77.8 percent of his free throw opportunities while playing gritty defense, blocking two shots per game and picking the opponent's pocket once per contest.
WHEN THEY'RE HOT, THEY'RE HOT: Its safe to say that the Eagles have three dynamic scorers in Raven Lee, Mike Talley and Karrington Ward. In fact, when any two of these three score 15-or-more points in a single game, the Eagles have been quite successful. In games when at least two of these three student-athletes score 15-or-more points, the Green and White is 8-3. When Lee teams up with Talley the Eagles are 3-1, when its Lee and Ward, they're 4-1. And finally, when all three score at least 15, Eastern Michigan is 1-0 on the year.
TIC-TAC-TURNOVER: Eastern Michigan is forcing the competition into 15.3 turnovers per game this season. The Eagles have forced their opponents into 20-or-more turnovers on five separate occasions, including when the Green and White forced both Longwood and Miami into 24. The Eagles hold a +3.1 in turnover margin, which ranks as the best in the MAC and 22nd nationally. Eastern has been forced into more turnovers than the opposition on just five occasions this season.
WHERE WE STAND: Although we're past the midway point of the 2015 Mid-American Conference season the MAC Tournament seedings are still far from locked in as many teams continue to jockey for position. Currently, Bowling Green, Central Michigan, Kent State and Toledo tied in first play with a 9-4 record, while Akron is nipping at their heels with a record of 8-5. Tied for sixth are Buffalo and Western Michigan, while the Eagles sit at 5-8, which is tied with Miami for the No. 8 spot. Since Miami has beaten league leading Bowling Green, who is 9-4 and EMU's best win is against Akron (8-5), MU would claim the eighth seed. Northern Illinois and Ohio are each a single game behind Miami and EMU, while Ball State rests in the basement at 2-11.
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 with 380 points. The Detroit, Mich. native is trying to make a push to become the highest scorer as a sophomore as well. Currently, Lee has scored 420 points this year and is averaging 16.2 points per game. Without including any postseason contests, the six-foot three-inch combo guard is on pace to amass 501 points this year which would rank third on the sophomore scoring list at Eastern Michigan, trailing former Eagle Ricky Cottrill for second with 582 points.
Players Mentioned
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