Eastern Wraps Homestand with Siena Heights Saturday

Men's Basketball vs. Siena Heights
Date	Wednesday, Dec. 19 \| 7 p.m.
Venue	Ypsilanti, Mich. \| Convocation Center (8,754)
Preview Info	EMU Notes
Live Stats	Fan Stats \| Media Stats
Watch	ESPN+
Twitter	@EMUHoops \| @EMUAthletics
Tickets	Order Tickets Online or call 734.487.3669

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) - The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team finishes its three-game homestand by welcoming Siena Heights University to the Convocation Center Saturday, Dec. 22, at 2 p.m.
   The Eagles are 5-6 on the season after falling 52-48 to UC Irvine, Dec. 19. The Saints have lost two straight and are 8-6 on the season, and take on Division I opponent Purdue Fort Wayne Thursday, Dec. 20.
   The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ with Ryan Wooley on play-by-play and Greg Steiner providing analysis. Additional coverage can be found by following @EMUHoops on Twitter, and through live stats at EMUEagles.com.

MINNIE RISING: Redshirt senior Elijah Minnie (Pittsburgh, Pa.-Lincoln Park (Robert Morris)) has seen his production rise over the past three games, scoring 24, 16, and 15 points respectively in that time. The forward has also made more three-point baskets in that time frame (10) than he had previously on the season (six).

DEFENSIVE SHOWDOWN: By holding UC Irvine to just 52 points Wednesday, Dec. 19, EMU set a new season-best for points allowed and lowered the team's defensive field goal percentage to 42.6 percent.
   Unfortunately, Eastern's 48-point output against the Anteaters was its third-lowest offensive production of the season.

ANOTHER NEW LOOK FIVE: Eastern Michigan has used five different starting lineups in its first 11 games, as the game against UC Irvine marked the fourth consecutive game with a new starting five. Redshirt senior Elijah Minnie returned to the starting rotation, while redshirt sophomore Ty Groce (Ypsilanti, Mich.-Lincoln) came off the bench. James Thompson IV (Baton Rouge, La.-Parkview Baptist), Damari Parris (Bowie, Md.-Evelyn Mack Academy (Trinity Valley C.C.), Paul Jackson (Stone Mountain, Ga.-Martin Luther King Jr. (Eastern Kentucky)), and Boubacar Toure (Dakar, Senegal-Phase One Academy (Grand Canyon)) rounded out the rest of the starters against UC Irvine, Dec. 19.

IS MCADOO BACK(ADOO)?: Sophomore Kevin McAdoo (Pontiac, Mich.-West Bloomfield) started the season hot, averaging 9.9 points through the first four games he played, with the Eagles going 3-1 over that stretch. Over the next five games, however, Eastern is just 1-4 and the shooting guard has put up just 4.8 points per game.
   Though EMU lost to UC Irvine, McAdoo looked more like himself, dropping in 11 points on 40-percent shooting, while also swiping two steals.

SWIPER NO SWIPING: The Eagles are having a "down" season compared to previous years in the defense category, currently ranking fourth in the Mid-American Conference in scoring defense (69.4 ppg), and coming in sixth in defensive field goal percentage (42.6) after leading both categories in 2017-18.
   In fact, after leading the league in steals by nearly 50 a season ago, Eastern is currently third in the MAC in steals.

TURNOVER CITY: Though not having as many steals this season, Eastern is still forcing opponents into plenty of turnovers. EMU's opponents have been forced into 15-or-more turnovers six times this season, including in its most recent game against UC Irvine, Dec. 19. Central State's 22 turnovers, Dec. 8, set a season-high.

THREE-POINT WOES: Eastern Michigan has had two-fold troubles at the three-point line this season, shooting just 28.4 percent from downtown on offense, while allowing opponents to shoot 35.3 percent. In fact, the Eagles have made (61) three's and have allowed (109) so far in 2018-19.

THREE-POINT TROUBLES, CONT.: Eastern Michigan has yet to make double-digit three pointers in a game this season, yet has allowed opponents to make eight-or-more long-range shots in eight games this year. Only three, Duke, Boston, and UC Irvine have not.

ALL-TIME VS SIENA HEIGHTS: The Eagles have a 3-0 all-time record against the Saints, having last played them in the 2016-17 season, with a final score of 117-55. James Thompson IV had 23 points in 21 minutes, while the team had 26 assists. The other two wins came in 2015-16, (79-34), and in 2012-13, (87-49). Eastern has never shot below .500 against Siena Heights, averaging 55.7 percent shooting from the field.

HOME COURT ADVANTAGE: Eastern Michigan has won 97 of its 124 home games during the Rob Murphy era of Eagles' basketball. EMU has racked up a solid home-court advantage inside the friendly confines of the Convocation Center since the doors opened during the 1998-99 campaign, winning 63.1 percent of the contests played in the building, piling up a 190-120 all-time mark.

CHASING DOWN THE REBOUND RECORD: Senior James Thompson IV is the NCAA's active career rebound leader with 1,193 during his three-plus seasons with Eastern. The Baton Rouge, La. native needs 226 boards to pass all-time EMU record holder Kennedy McIntosh. He is also second in the NCAA in active career double-doubles with 61 and trails McIntosh as EMU's all-time leader by 17.

ON THE HORIZON: After Christmas, the Eagles will travel to Lawrence, Kan. to take on Kansas University in Allen Fieldhouse, Dec. 22. The Jayhawks are currently ranked No. 1 in the NCAA AP Top 25 poll, while Eastern is 2-1 all-time against Big 12 teams.

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Players Mentioned

Ty Groce

Paul Jackson

Kevin McAdoo

Elijah Minnie

Damari Parris

James Thompson IV

Boubacar Toure

Eastern Michigan Athletics