Eastern Michigan Basketball Ready to Close Out Season-Opening Homestand

Men's Basketball vs. Michigan-Dearborn
Date	Thurrsday, Nov. 14 \| 7 p.m.
Venue	Ypsilanti, Mich. \| Convocation Center (8,754)
Preview Info	EMU Notes
Live Stats	Live Stats
Watch	ESPN3
Twitter	@EMUHoops \| @EMUAthletics

YPSILANTI, Mich. -- The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team will close out its season-opening three-game homestand against the University of Michigan-Dearborn Thursday, Nov. 14, inside the Convocation Center, with tipoff slated for 7 p.m.
   The game will be broadcast on ESPN3 with Ryan Wooley on play-by-play and Greg Steiner providing analysis. Additional coverage can be found through live stats via EMUEagles.com or by following @EMUHoops on Twitter.

STARTING WITH A WIN: Eastern Michigan has compiled a 73-49 record in season openers over its 122 seasons of basketball, including an 8-1 record in opening games during the Rob Murphy era.
   The Eagles beat Siena Heights, Nov. 8, 93-51, to start the 2019-20 season. Junior Ty Groce was one of six players to reach double-digits in points, as he matched his career-high and led the team with 15 points. Additionally, redshirt senior Boubacar Toure contributed 13 points and 10 rebounds en route to his first double-double of the season and the ninth of his EMU career.

LAST TIME VS MICHIGAN-DEARBORN: The first-and-only meeting between Michigan-Dearborn and Eastern Michigan resulted in a 97-73 victory for the Eagles, Nov. 12, 2017. It was a 27-10 run to start the second half that fueled the win, along with 27 points from Elijah Minnie, who shot .500 from downtown. James Thompson IV added a double-double as well, nabbing 13 rebounds and scoring 14 points.
   The Eagles scored 52 points in the paint to the Wolverines 24, and received help off the bench in the way of 21 points, while UMD had 7.

STRAIGHT DEALIN': EMU was straight dealin' with its second consecutive 20 assist game. Junior Noah Morgan led the team with five dimes, while freshman Shamar Dillard, and juniors Yeikson Montero and Darion Spottsville each dished out three assists.
   The Eagles had two games with 20-or-more assists during the 2018-19 campaign, Central State (26), Dec. 8, 2018, and Goshen (21), Nov. 11, 2018.

HOME COURT ADVANTAGE: EMU has won 103-of-137 games at home during the Rob Murphy era. Since opening its doors during the 1998-99 campaign, EMU has boasted a 196-125 record at the Convocation Center.

SHOWING SOME INTERNATIONAL LOVE: Eastern is showing some international love with two new players joining the team from overseas; juniors Yeikson Montero, from the Dominican Republic, and Thomas Binelli from Italy.
   Montero, originally from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, joins the Eagles by way of Pensacola State. He averaged 13.9 points per game during his two year run with the Pirates, including a 16.8 average during his final season.
   Binelli, from Bologna, Italy, joins EMU from Monroe College. During his two years with the Mustangs, he averaged 11.3 points per game and 4.7 rebounds.

OPENING IN YPSI: EMU has started the season at home in eight of the last nine seasons, with a 8-0 record in those games. During this stretch, the Eagles have outscored their opponent, 514-383.

MAC PRESEASON POLL: EMU was picked to finish sixth in the west division of the Mid-American Conference, announced by the league office, Oct. 31. The early favorites in the west is Toledo, who received 11 first place votes, while Bowling Green was the top pick to win it all in the MAC Tournament.

East Division Predicted Order of Finish
1. Bowling Green (9 first place votes) - 69 points
2. Buffalo (3) - 58
3. Kent State - 43
4. Miami - 37
5. Akron - 33
6. Ohio - 12

West Division Predicted Order of Finish
1. Toledo (11 first place votes) - 69 points
2. Northern Illinois - 52
3. Ball State (1) - 51
4. Central Michigan - 41
5. Western Michigan - 23
6. Eastern Michigan - 16

2020 Tournament Predicted Champion: Bowling Green (6), Toledo (2), Buffalo (10), Kent State (1), Miami (1), Northern Illinois (1)

Preseason All-MAC East Division Team
Justin Turner, Bowling Green, R-Jr., Guard
Dylan Frye, Bowling Green, Sr., Guard
Phillip Whittington, Kent State, Jr., Forward
Nike Sibande, Miami, Jr., Guard
Jayvon Graves, Buffalo, Jr., Guard

Preseason All-MAC West Division Team
Eugene German, Northern Illinois, Sr., Guard
Tahjai Teague, Ball State, R-Sr., Forward
Marreon Jackson, Toledo, Jr., Guard
Luke Knapke, Toledo, Sr., Center
Michael Flowers, Western Michigan, Jr., Guard
Dave DiLeo, Central Michigan, Sr., Forward

EAGLES ABROAD: Eastern Michigan will travel abroad this season as a part of the Jersey Mike's Jamaica Classic. While there, they will play game against UMBC and North Carolina A&T. This is not the first time in the Rob Murphy era that the Eagles have traveled overseas. During the 2016-17 season, EMU flew to the Bahamas and played three exhibition games against Bahamian National Teams.

BACK FOR MORE: The Eagles welcome back key returners in redshirt senior Boubacar Toure, and juniors Ty Groce and Jalen King, who are ready to lead a team of new faces. Last season, Toure totalled 243 rebounds, averaging 7.8 per contest, which was good for sixth in the MAC. With the departure of former Eagle James Thompson IV, EMU looks for those numbers to increase this season. Groce, the Ypsilanti native, made appearances in all 31 games last season, starting in 11, shooting 43.2 percent from the floor, and, a team leading 75.6 percent from the charity stripe. King looks to take a step forward this season and make a bigger impact on the team, having worked hard over the summer on his defense and finishing touch. The Pasco, Wash. native averaged 6.2 minutes per game in 19 appearances, totalling 22 rebounds and 19 points, in 2018-19.

WHAT WAS LOST: After losing 1,674 points (75%) and 670 rebounds (89%) of production from the 2018-19 team, EMU is in search of new offensive leaders this season. The top returner in each category from last year's squad is redshirt senior Boubacar Toure (266 points, 243 rebounds), a likely candidate to be a production leader this season.

SHORT CHANGE: EMU had 10-or-fewer assists in 16 game last year and held a record of 4-12 in those contests. Through one game this season, the Eagles appear to have remedied a solution, as the team combined to dish 20 dimes against Siena Heights, Nov. 8.

SPREADING THE WEALTH: Six Eagles reached double-digits in points for the second consecutive game, Nov. 12, against Goshen, the first being against Siena Heights, Nov. 8. 2018. Redshirt junior Ty Groce, who matched a career-high with 15 points against the Saints, shattered his personal-best by hitting 19 against the Maple Leafs. Junior Chris Barnes added 16 points and a team-high five steals, while fellow junior Yeikson Montero contributed 14 points off the bench. Redshirt senior Boubacar Toure and freshman Chris James both tallied 11 points and six offensive-rebounds. Junior Noah Morgan bagged 10 points and led the team in assists with five.

"PUT ME IN, COACH": The Eagles have utilized a deep lineup to start the season, as all 10 players to enter the game against Goshen, Nov. 12, made at least one field goal, as well as having one-or-more steal. The Green and White bench outscored the Maple Leafs, 45-20, and the Siena Heights Saints, 41-25, Nov. 8.

FRESHMAN SPOTLIGHT: Freshman Chris James scored 11, making it the second time, in as many games, that he's reached double-digits in points. Fellow freshman, Shamar Dillard, in his first career start, led the team from downtown with a pair of back-to-back threes. The South Bend, Ind. native also set career-highs with three assists and three steals.

BOUBACAR BOOST: With 10 new faces, the Green and White will look to redshirt senior Boubacar Toure this season, for guidance. The Dakar, Senegal native finished the 2018-19 season with 243 rebounds, averaging out to 8.9 per contest, which was good for sixth in the MAC. The redshirt senior also ended the year with 42 blocks, landing fourth in the conference.

RELOADING: Head Coach Rob Murphy would rather reload than rebuild. Eastern welcomes in 10 new players in 2019-20, six of which are from junior colleges, including juniors Yeikson Montero, Noah Morgan, Thomas Binelli, Darion Spottsville, Miles Gibson, and redshirt junior Chris Barnes.
   Morgan joins the Eagles from Northwest Florida State, where he spent one season, averaging 8.9 points per game on 48 percent shooting from the floor and 41 perecent from downtown. Spottsville arrives to Ypsilanti from South Mountain Community College where he put up 11.1 points per game, and averaged a conference leading 2.5 steals per game. Gibson, while at Northwest Kansas Tech, put up 15.6 points per contest in his two-year career, including a 19.2 points per game average during his second season. Barnes scored 65 points and pulled down 44 rebounds while playing at Tulsa.

GROCE PROFIT: Redshirt junior Ty Groce has led the Eagles in scoring in back-to-back games, hitting 15 points against Siena Heights, Nov. 8, and setting a career-high with 19 over Goshen, Nov.12. The Ypsilanti, Mich. native is averaging 17 points per game, with a .556 field goal percentage, improving from last seasons averages of five ppg, and a .432 fgp.

ON THE HORIZON: EMU will travel to the University of North Texas as a part of the Jersey Mike's Jamaica Classic, Saturday, Nov. 16.. The game against the Mean Green is slated to begin at 3 p.m. CT. This will be the first time the two teams have faced off. Additional coverage can be found through live stats via EMUEagles.com, by following @EMUHoops on Twitter, or by listening to WEMU 89.1.

Eastern Michigan Basketball Ready to Close Out Season-Opening Homestand

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Players Mentioned

Chris Barnes

Thomas Binelli

Shamar Dillard

Miles Gibson

Ty Groce

Chris James

Jalen King

Elijah Minnie

Yeikson Montero

Noah Morgan

Darion Spottsville

James Thompson IV

Boubacar Toure

Eastern Michigan Athletics