EMU Hoops Kicks Off Three-Game Home Stretch with Central State

Men's Basketball vs. Central State
Date	Saturday, Dec. 8 \| 12 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 welcomes Central State University to the friendly confines of the Convocation Center Saturday, Dec. 8 at 12 p.m.
   The Eagles are now 4-5 on the season after falling on the road to Northeastern University, 81-67, Dec. 1. The Marauders have lost five-straight games, most recently suffering a 107-69 setback to Lincoln University, Dec. 5.
   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.

FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING: By coming off the bench at Northeastern, Dec. 1, EMU big man James Thompson IV (Baton Rouge, La.-Parkview Baptist) missed the first start of his career. Limited to just 20 minutes because of a lingering injury, the Baton Rouge, La. native responded with 11 points and a team-high nine rebounds.

UPS-AND-DOWNS: Redshirt senior Elijah Minnie (Pittsburgh, Pa.-Lincoln Park (Robert Morris)) has battled through some ups-and-downs in 2018-19, but busted out for a 24-point performance at Northeastern, Dec. 1. The Pittsburgh, Pa. native shot 44 percent from the floor and knocked down five shots from beyond the three-point line. Minnie also grabbed a season-high six rebounds.

MURPHY TAKING ON HIS ALMA MATER: Eastern head coach Rob Murphy played for the Marauders from 1993-96, earning Central State's Defensive Player of the Year honors during the 1995-96 season.

PARRIS PASSING THE ROCK: Since moving into the point guard role against TCU, Nov. 26, junior Damari Parris (Bowie, Md.-Evelyn Mack Academy (Trinity Valley C.C.)) has had games of seven and eight assists while committing just one turnover in each contest. The Bowie, Md. native had just seven assists through the first seven games.

ANOTHER NEW LOOK FIVE: After toying with the lineup over the last three games, Eastern settled on a new look that gives the Eagles five starting lineups used in the first nine games. Redshirt senior Elijah Minnie entered the fray against Northeastern, while senior James Thompson IV came off the bench. Redshirt sophomore Ty Groce (Ypsilanti, Mich.-Lincoln) returned as one of the forwards, joining Damari Parris, Paul Jackson (Stone Mountain, Ga.-Martin Luther King Jr. (Eastern Kentucky)), and Boubacar Toure (Dakar, Senegal-Phase One Academy (Grand Canyon) in the starting lineup.

THREE-POINT WOES: Eastern Michigan has had two-fold troubles at the three-point line this season, shooting just 29.1 percent from downtown on offense, while allowing opponents to shoot 36.1 percent. In fact, the Eagles have made nearly half as many three's (48) as they have allowed (91) 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 seven games this year. Only two, Duke and Boston, have not.

ALL-TIME VS CENTRAL STATE: Saturday marks the seventh time in program history that Eastern Michigan has played Central State, having defeated CSU in the friendly confines of the Convocation Center last season, 80-65.
   The Eagles have won three straight in the series, with the last win before the 2017-18 season coming Jan. 29, 1972, 109-86, when EMU was still a member of the NAIA.

MURPHY VS NON-D1 OPPONENTS: In head coach Rob Murphy's eight years at the helm of the Eagles, the Green and White are a perfect 25-0 against non-division I opponents, including 4-0 last year.
   The 2018-19 season once again sees Eastern taking on four opponents from lower divisions, having already defeated Rochester College (77-67, Nov. 6), and Goshen College (97-74, Nov. 11). After playing Central State, EMU wraps up its home non-conference schedule with a game against Siena Heights University, Dec. 22.

HOME COURT ADVANTAGE: Eastern Michigan has won 96 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 61.6 percent of the contests played in the building, piling up a 189-119 all-time mark.

CHASING DOWN THE REBOUND RECORD: Senior James Thompson IV is the NCAA's active career rebound leader with 1,185 during his three-plus seasons with Eastern. The Baton Rouge, La. native needs 241 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: Eastern Michigan continues its three-game home stretch Wednesday, Dec. 19, with a 7 p.m. game against CollegeInsider.com Top 25 opponent UC Irvine.

EMU Hoops Kicks Off Three-Game Home Stretch with Central State

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Players Mentioned

Ty Groce

Paul Jackson

Elijah Minnie

Damari Parris

James Thompson IV

Boubacar Toure

Eastern Michigan Athletics