EMU Heads to Kalamazoo to take on Western Michigan

Men's Basketball vs. Western Michigan
Date	Saturday, Jan. 26 \| 2 p.m.
Venue	Kalamazoo, Mich. \| University Arena (5,421)
Preview Info	EMU Notes
Live Stats	Fan Stats
Watch	ESPN+
Listen	WEMU 89.1 FM
Twitter	@EMU Hoops \| @EMUAthletics

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) - The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team hits the road to take on in-state rival Western Michigan University Saturday, Jan. 26. The inter-division Mid-American Conference showdown will tip at 2 p.m. in University Arena.
   The Eagles dropped its most recent game against Bowling Green State University inside the Convocation Center, Jan. 22, by a 80-67 final. Meanwhile, Western Michigan fell to 0-6 in MAC play with an 81-76 loss on the road to Ohio University.
   The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ with Mike Monaco on play-by-play, Austin Richie providing analysis, and Samantha Mattlin acting as sideline reporter. Eastern fans can also listen to Chad Bush and Kyler Ludlow on WEMU 89.1. Additional coverage can be found by following @EMUHoops on Twitter, and through live stats at EMUEagles.com.

FIVE FOR FIGHTING: For the third time this season, Eastern Michigan had five players score in double figures in the same game when senior James Thompson IV (16), sophomore Kevin McAdoo (13), redshirt senior Elijah Minnie (12), redshirt senior Paul Jackson (11), and redshirt junior Boubacar Toure (11) did so against Bowling Green, Jan. 22. The starting quintent also achieved the feat against Kent State Jan. 12, while Thompson, Jackson, Minnie, and McAdoo were joined by redshirt freshman Tariq Silver and redshirt junior Ty Groce in double-digits against Siena Heights, Dec. 22.
   The Eagles' starting five accounted for 63 of 67 points in EMU's setback to BGSU.

TOUGHEST IN THE MAC: The Eagles' record of 8-11 is a bit misleading for those not paying attention. Eastern has played the 11th-hardest schedule in the country (according to KenPom), including three games against Associated Press Top-25 teams and two against opponents in the top-10.
   Miami is the next-closest team with the 70th-most difficult schedule in the country.

ALL-TIME VS. WESTERN MICHIGAN: Eastern Michigan and Western Michigan are playing for the 110th time in program history Saturday, with the Broncos holding the all-time edge, 60-49. The Eagles are 16-32 playing in Kalamazoo, but came out on top a season ago when the two did battle in University Arena, Feb. 27.
   The Green and White won by a 74-58 final over Western in the second meeting of the 2017-18 season, marking its fifth win of an eventual seven-game winning streak. WMU won the showdown in Ypsilanti earlier in the season, 71-57.

AGAINST WESTERN IN THE MURPHY ERA: Since head coach Rob Murphy began his tenure as the bench boss for Eastern Michigan in the 2011-12 season, he has accumulated an overall record of 8-6 against Western, but is just 2-4 when playing in Kalamazoo.

LAST TIME IN THE ZOO: EMU's win in Kalamazoo last season not only punched the Eagles' ticket to Cleveland for the Mid-American Conference Tournament, but it also marked the first win in University Arena since a 54-53 victory, Feb. 29, 2012.
   Then-redshirt junior Paul Jackson scored a game-high 21 points and added eight assists, while fellow redshirt junior Elijah Minnie dropped in 18 with a then-career-high nine rebounds. Then-junior James Thompson IV added 14 points and seven rebounds, and senior Tim Bond stuffed the stat sheet with 10 points, eight boards, six assists, and four steals.

CHASING DOWN THE REBOUND RECORD: Senior James Thompson IV is the NCAA's active career rebound leader with 1,302 during his three-plus seasons with Eastern. The Baton Rouge, La. native needs 125 boards to pass all-time EMU record holder Kennedy McIntosh. He is also first in the NCAA in active career double-doubles with 67 and trails McIntosh as EMU's all-time leader by 11.

CRASHING THE BOARDS: Eastern Michigan has made a living crashing the boards in the 2018-19 season. The Eagles not only lead the Mid-American Conference in offensive rebounds, but their 13.8 boards on the offensive side is 12th-best in the NCAA. Senior James Thompson IV is the country's leader in offensive rebounds per game at 4.26.

MAKING IT RAIN: After attempting just two three-point field goals in his career (going 1-for-2), senior James Thompson IV has decided to show off his range in his EMU swansong. The Baton Rouge, La. native has made two shots from downtown twice this season, and is shooting 54.5 percent (6-of-11) from long range.

SIXTH TIMES A CHARM: After using a different starting lineup for seven consecutive games, Eastern Michigan rolled out the same starters for the sixth straight game against Bowling Green, Jan. 22. Redshirt senior Paul Jackson was joined by sophomore Kevin McAdoo, redshirt junior Boubcar Toure, senior James Thompson IV, and redshirt senior Elijah Minnie in the starting five for each #MACtion game of the season.

SWIPER NO SWIPING: The Eagles are having a "down" season compared to previous years in the defense category, currently ranking fifth in the Mid-American Conference in scoring defense (70.9 ppg), and coming in ninth in defensive field goal percentage (44.0) after leading both categories in 2017-18.
THREE-POINT WOES: Eastern Michigan has had two-fold troubles at the three-point line this season, shooting just 29.5 percent from downtown on offense, while allowing opponents to shoot 35.1 percent. In fact, the Eagles have made 115 three's and have allowed 174 in 2018-19.

FOUR SCORERS IN FOUR GAMES (SO FAR): For the fourth time this season, Eastern Michigan had four-or-more players score double-digits in a Mid-American Conference game when a quintet accomplished the feat against Bowling Green, Jan. 22. Senior James Thompson IV (16), sophomore Kevin McAdoo (13), redshirt senior Elijah Minnie (12), redshirt senior Paul Jackson (11), and redshirt junior Boubacar Toure (11) most recently accomplished the feat.

LEADING THE LEAGUE: Eastern Michigan sits on top of the MAC in offensive rebounds per game (14.3), thanks in large part to senior James Thompson IV. The forward leads the league in offensive rebounding by more than a full rebound (4.3) this season, while also sitting in second in the league in field goal percentage (65.9) and rebounding (10.5). The forward also has the top rebounding mark in MAC-only action, pulling down 12.0 boards per contest.
   Redshirt junior Boubacar Toure leads the league in field goal percentage at 68.2 percent and is fifth in rebounding at 8.1 caroms per contest.

ON THE HORIZON: Eastern Michigan continues its run through inter-division foes Tuesday, Jan. 29, as it travels to Mount Pleasant, Mich. to take on in-state rival Central Michigan University iat 7 p.m. game.

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Players Mentioned

Tim Bond

Ty Groce

Paul Jackson

Kevin McAdoo

Elijah Minnie

Tariq Silver

James Thompson IV

Boubacar Toure

Eastern Michigan Athletics