Eastern Michigan Athletics
Friday, January 4
Convocation Center
9 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
vs
Buffalo
Photo by: Walt Middleton Photography
Eastern Kicks Off #MACtion Against No. 20 Buffalo Friday Night
1/2/2019 4:07:00 PM | Men's Basketball
The Eagles host the Bulls for a 9 p.m. tip time in the Convocation Center
| Men's Basketball vs. Buffalo | |
| Date | Friday, Jan. 4 | 9 p.m. |
| Venue | Ypsilanti, Mich. | Convocation Center (8,754) |
| Preview Info | EMU Notes |
| Live Stats | Fan Stats | Media Stats |
| Watch | CBS Sports Network |
| Listen | WEMU (89.1 FM) |
| @EMUHoops | @EMUAthletics | |
| Tickets | Order Tickets Online or call 734.487.3669 |
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) - The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team kicks off Mid-American Conference action Friday, Jan. 4, as it welcomes No. 20 University at Buffalo to the Convocation Center for a 9 p.m. matchup.
The Eagles fell to 6-7 on the season with a 87-63 loss at No. 5 Kansas, Dec. 29, while the Bulls most recently rolled to victory over cross-town rival Canisius, 87-72, on the same day.
The game will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network with Ben Holden on play-by-play, Michael O'Donnell providing analysis. Eastern fans can also listen to Chad Bush and Matt Dery on WEMU 89.1. Additional coverage can be found by following @EMUHoops on Twitter, and through live stats at EMUEagles.com.
ANOTHER SHOWDOWN AGAINST THE TOP 25: Eastern Michigan is set to take on its third Associated Press Top 25 opponent of the season in No. 20 Buffalo after already taking on No. 1 Duke in Durham and No. 5 Kansas in Lawrence earlier this season.
Buffalo represents just the second team to come into the Convocation Center ranked in the Top 25, joining the University of Massachusetts, who came away with a 69-57 victory Dec. 3, 2013 when ranked No. 21.
THAT'S MORE LIKE IT: After having just two double-doubles through the first 11 games, senior James Thompson IV (Baton Rouge, La.-Parkview Baptist) has accomplished the feat in back-to-back games, with 17 points and a season-best 16 rebounds against Siena Heights and an impressive 15-point, 14-rebound performance at No. 5 Kansas.
SPARK FROM THE BENCH: The Eagles got a spark of the bench against Kansas from redshirt senior Paul Jackson (Stone Mountain, Ga.-Martin Luther King Jr. (Eastern Kentucky)), who scored 15 points, and redshirt sophomore Ty Groce (Ypsilanti, Mich.-Lincoln), who pulled down a career-high 10 rebounds.
In fact, the Eastern bench outscored the Jayhawks' bench, 30-21, marking the fifth time this season the Eagles finished with more bench points than a DI opponent.
ANOTHER NEW LOOK FIVE: Eastern Michigan has used seven different starting lineups in its first 13 games, as the matchup at No. 5 Kansas marked the sixth consecutive game with a new starting five. Redshirt junior Boubacar Toure (Dakar, Senegal-Phase One Academy (Grand Canyon) returned to the starting lineup, while redshirt sophomore Ty Groce came off the bench. Toure joined sophomores Malik Ellison (Flint, Mich.-Beecher) and Kevin McAdoo (Pontiac, Mich.-West Bloomfield), as well senior James Thompson IV and redshirt senior Elijah Minnie (Pittsburgh, Pa.-Lincoln Park (Robert Morris) in the starting five for the Eagles game against the Jayhawks, Dec. 29.
45TH MAC SEASON: The 2018-19 season will be the 45th for the Eagles in the Mid-American Conference. The first year of MAC play for EMU was 1974-75 when the then-Hurons went 12-14 and 4-9 in league play.
Eastern has three Mid-American Conference championships on its shelf: 1987-88, 1990-91 and 1995-96. Additionally EMU captured the tournament title in 1997-98.
ALL-TIME VS. BUFFALO: Eastern Michigan and the University at Buffalo have squared off 26 times in program history, with the Eagles trailing by four games in the all-time series with a record of 11-15.
The two teams began the series with an Eastern win, 88-76, Jan. 15, 1971. After another win for the then-Hurons in the 1972 season (109-96), the two teams did not play one another again until the Bulls began Mid-American Conference play in the 1998-99 season.
#MACTION OPENER AGAINST BUFFALO: EMU and UB have opened up conference play against one another three times since Buffalo joined the league. The Eagles are 1-2 against the Bulls in MAC lid lifters, with its lone win coming Jan. 5, 2000, by a 73-53 final.
WE'LL BE SEEIN' YA SOON: Eastern and Buffalo are playing one another twice in the regular season for the first time since the 2015-16 season. The 14 days between contests is the second-shortest layoff for the two teams, as they played one another just 12 days apart in the 2003-04 season.
EMU and UB have played one another twice in the regular season three times: 2002-03, 2003-04, and 2015-16. In each instance, the teams split the series.
AGAINST RANKED TEAMS: During the Rob Murphy era, the Eagles have taken on opponents ranked in the AP's Top 25 poll 12 times (Duke x2, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisville, Michigan, Michigan State, UMass, and Syracuse x3).
Since the 1976-77 season, Eastern has played 43 games against Top 25 opponents and hold a record of 2-41.
LAST RANKED WIN: EMU's last victory over a ranked opponent in the regular season was a lifetime ago. Literally. No player on the current Eastern Michigan team was alive when the Green and White defeated No. 14-ranked Wisconsin in the Bowen Field House in Ypsilanti, Dec. 10, 1994. Eastern came out on top of the Badgers with a 92-76 win.
CHASING DOWN THE REBOUND RECORD: Senior James Thompson IV is the NCAA's active career rebound leader with 1,230 during his three-plus seasons with Eastern. The Baton Rouge, La. native needs 196 boards to pass all-time EMU record holder Kennedy McIntosh. He is also first in the NCAA in active career double-doubles with 63 and trails McIntosh as EMU's all-time leader by 15.
LATE NIGHT IN YPSI: The 9 p.m. start time for Friday's contest is the latest tip time for an Eastern game in two seasons. The Eagles also tipped at 9 p.m. when it played on the American Sports Network hosting Ball State, Jan. 24, 2017.
Fans are used to seeing the Eagles as early birds, playing five games before noon during the Rob Murphy era. This will be just the second 9 p.m. start time during that time frame.
MINNIE RISING: Redshirt senior Elijah Minnie has seen his production rise over the past four games, scoring 24, 16, 15, 10, and 13 points respectively in that time. The forward has shot 41.5 percent from the floor and 31.8 percent from downtown in the last five games.
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 seven times this season, including in its most recent game at Kansas, Dec. 29. The Jayhawks coughed the ball up 17 times.
SWIPER NO SWIPING: The Eagles are having a "down" season compared to previous years in the defense category, currently ranking seventh in the Mid-American Conference in scoring defense (70.9 ppg), and coming in 10th in defensive field goal percentage (43.9) after leading both categories in 2017-18.
In fact, after leading the league in steals by nearly 50 a season ago, Eastern is currently second in the MAC in steals per game (8.1) and total steals (105).
GOODBYE 2018: As the calendar flips to 2019, EMU says goodbye to a successful 2018 year. The Eagles wound up with a 19-16 record, finished second in the MAC West, made the MAC Tournament semifinal, and had the MAC Defensive Player of the Year in Tim Bond.
BUFFALO'S YPSI TIES: The University at Buffalo has some strong ties to Ypsilanti and southeast Michigan, as head coach Nate Oats and senior Nick Perkins both spent significant time in the mitten.
Perkins is a Ypsilanti native that led Milan High School to a state title in 2015. Oats was a highly-decorated coach at Romulus High School for 11 seasons, where he coached former Eastern standout Ray Lee and won a state title in 2013.
THREE-POINT WOES: Eastern Michigan has had two-fold troubles at the three-point line this season, shooting just 26.3 percent from downtown on offense, while allowing opponents to shoot 35.5 percent. In fact, the Eagles have made (72) three's and have allowed (124) 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 nine games this year. Only four, Duke, Boston, UC Irvine, and Kansas have not.
LEADING THE LEAGUE: The Eagles have players at or near the top of multiple categories in the Mid-American Conference, as Boubacar Toure leads the league in shooting percentage (65.8) and James Thompson IV leads in offensive rebounding (3.8).
Thompson is also third in the league in field goal percentage (63.2) and total rebounding (9.8). Toure is also second in the league in blocked shots per game (1.8).
ON THE HORIZON: EMU hits the road for its first taste of #MACtion away from the Convocation Center Tuesday, Jan. 8 as it takes on Ball State University in Muncie, Ind. at 7 p.m.
The Eagles fell to 6-7 on the season with a 87-63 loss at No. 5 Kansas, Dec. 29, while the Bulls most recently rolled to victory over cross-town rival Canisius, 87-72, on the same day.
The game will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network with Ben Holden on play-by-play, Michael O'Donnell providing analysis. Eastern fans can also listen to Chad Bush and Matt Dery on WEMU 89.1. Additional coverage can be found by following @EMUHoops on Twitter, and through live stats at EMUEagles.com.
ANOTHER SHOWDOWN AGAINST THE TOP 25: Eastern Michigan is set to take on its third Associated Press Top 25 opponent of the season in No. 20 Buffalo after already taking on No. 1 Duke in Durham and No. 5 Kansas in Lawrence earlier this season.
Buffalo represents just the second team to come into the Convocation Center ranked in the Top 25, joining the University of Massachusetts, who came away with a 69-57 victory Dec. 3, 2013 when ranked No. 21.
THAT'S MORE LIKE IT: After having just two double-doubles through the first 11 games, senior James Thompson IV (Baton Rouge, La.-Parkview Baptist) has accomplished the feat in back-to-back games, with 17 points and a season-best 16 rebounds against Siena Heights and an impressive 15-point, 14-rebound performance at No. 5 Kansas.
SPARK FROM THE BENCH: The Eagles got a spark of the bench against Kansas from redshirt senior Paul Jackson (Stone Mountain, Ga.-Martin Luther King Jr. (Eastern Kentucky)), who scored 15 points, and redshirt sophomore Ty Groce (Ypsilanti, Mich.-Lincoln), who pulled down a career-high 10 rebounds.
In fact, the Eastern bench outscored the Jayhawks' bench, 30-21, marking the fifth time this season the Eagles finished with more bench points than a DI opponent.
ANOTHER NEW LOOK FIVE: Eastern Michigan has used seven different starting lineups in its first 13 games, as the matchup at No. 5 Kansas marked the sixth consecutive game with a new starting five. Redshirt junior Boubacar Toure (Dakar, Senegal-Phase One Academy (Grand Canyon) returned to the starting lineup, while redshirt sophomore Ty Groce came off the bench. Toure joined sophomores Malik Ellison (Flint, Mich.-Beecher) and Kevin McAdoo (Pontiac, Mich.-West Bloomfield), as well senior James Thompson IV and redshirt senior Elijah Minnie (Pittsburgh, Pa.-Lincoln Park (Robert Morris) in the starting five for the Eagles game against the Jayhawks, Dec. 29.
45TH MAC SEASON: The 2018-19 season will be the 45th for the Eagles in the Mid-American Conference. The first year of MAC play for EMU was 1974-75 when the then-Hurons went 12-14 and 4-9 in league play.
Eastern has three Mid-American Conference championships on its shelf: 1987-88, 1990-91 and 1995-96. Additionally EMU captured the tournament title in 1997-98.
ALL-TIME VS. BUFFALO: Eastern Michigan and the University at Buffalo have squared off 26 times in program history, with the Eagles trailing by four games in the all-time series with a record of 11-15.
The two teams began the series with an Eastern win, 88-76, Jan. 15, 1971. After another win for the then-Hurons in the 1972 season (109-96), the two teams did not play one another again until the Bulls began Mid-American Conference play in the 1998-99 season.
#MACTION OPENER AGAINST BUFFALO: EMU and UB have opened up conference play against one another three times since Buffalo joined the league. The Eagles are 1-2 against the Bulls in MAC lid lifters, with its lone win coming Jan. 5, 2000, by a 73-53 final.
WE'LL BE SEEIN' YA SOON: Eastern and Buffalo are playing one another twice in the regular season for the first time since the 2015-16 season. The 14 days between contests is the second-shortest layoff for the two teams, as they played one another just 12 days apart in the 2003-04 season.
EMU and UB have played one another twice in the regular season three times: 2002-03, 2003-04, and 2015-16. In each instance, the teams split the series.
AGAINST RANKED TEAMS: During the Rob Murphy era, the Eagles have taken on opponents ranked in the AP's Top 25 poll 12 times (Duke x2, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisville, Michigan, Michigan State, UMass, and Syracuse x3).
Since the 1976-77 season, Eastern has played 43 games against Top 25 opponents and hold a record of 2-41.
LAST RANKED WIN: EMU's last victory over a ranked opponent in the regular season was a lifetime ago. Literally. No player on the current Eastern Michigan team was alive when the Green and White defeated No. 14-ranked Wisconsin in the Bowen Field House in Ypsilanti, Dec. 10, 1994. Eastern came out on top of the Badgers with a 92-76 win.
CHASING DOWN THE REBOUND RECORD: Senior James Thompson IV is the NCAA's active career rebound leader with 1,230 during his three-plus seasons with Eastern. The Baton Rouge, La. native needs 196 boards to pass all-time EMU record holder Kennedy McIntosh. He is also first in the NCAA in active career double-doubles with 63 and trails McIntosh as EMU's all-time leader by 15.
LATE NIGHT IN YPSI: The 9 p.m. start time for Friday's contest is the latest tip time for an Eastern game in two seasons. The Eagles also tipped at 9 p.m. when it played on the American Sports Network hosting Ball State, Jan. 24, 2017.
Fans are used to seeing the Eagles as early birds, playing five games before noon during the Rob Murphy era. This will be just the second 9 p.m. start time during that time frame.
MINNIE RISING: Redshirt senior Elijah Minnie has seen his production rise over the past four games, scoring 24, 16, 15, 10, and 13 points respectively in that time. The forward has shot 41.5 percent from the floor and 31.8 percent from downtown in the last five games.
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 seven times this season, including in its most recent game at Kansas, Dec. 29. The Jayhawks coughed the ball up 17 times.
SWIPER NO SWIPING: The Eagles are having a "down" season compared to previous years in the defense category, currently ranking seventh in the Mid-American Conference in scoring defense (70.9 ppg), and coming in 10th in defensive field goal percentage (43.9) after leading both categories in 2017-18.
In fact, after leading the league in steals by nearly 50 a season ago, Eastern is currently second in the MAC in steals per game (8.1) and total steals (105).
GOODBYE 2018: As the calendar flips to 2019, EMU says goodbye to a successful 2018 year. The Eagles wound up with a 19-16 record, finished second in the MAC West, made the MAC Tournament semifinal, and had the MAC Defensive Player of the Year in Tim Bond.
BUFFALO'S YPSI TIES: The University at Buffalo has some strong ties to Ypsilanti and southeast Michigan, as head coach Nate Oats and senior Nick Perkins both spent significant time in the mitten.
Perkins is a Ypsilanti native that led Milan High School to a state title in 2015. Oats was a highly-decorated coach at Romulus High School for 11 seasons, where he coached former Eastern standout Ray Lee and won a state title in 2013.
THREE-POINT WOES: Eastern Michigan has had two-fold troubles at the three-point line this season, shooting just 26.3 percent from downtown on offense, while allowing opponents to shoot 35.5 percent. In fact, the Eagles have made (72) three's and have allowed (124) 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 nine games this year. Only four, Duke, Boston, UC Irvine, and Kansas have not.
LEADING THE LEAGUE: The Eagles have players at or near the top of multiple categories in the Mid-American Conference, as Boubacar Toure leads the league in shooting percentage (65.8) and James Thompson IV leads in offensive rebounding (3.8).
Thompson is also third in the league in field goal percentage (63.2) and total rebounding (9.8). Toure is also second in the league in blocked shots per game (1.8).
ON THE HORIZON: EMU hits the road for its first taste of #MACtion away from the Convocation Center Tuesday, Jan. 8 as it takes on Ball State University in Muncie, Ind. at 7 p.m.
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