Eastern Michigan Athletics
Saturday, November 16
Denton, Texas
3 p.m. CT
Eastern Michigan University
4-0,0-0MAC
56
at
51
North Texas
-13,00 CUSA
1
2
F
Eastern Mich.
29
27
56
North Texas
22
29
51
Photo by: Steve King/KingStudios
Men's Hoops Defeats North Texas to Remain Undefeated, 56-51
11/16/2019 6:24:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Ty Groce hits double-digits for the third time in four games
DENTON, Texas, (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team remains undefeated in the 2019-20 campaign after posting a 56-51 victory over the University of North Texas Saturday, Nov. 16, at the UNT Coliseum. The win is the first for EMU in the Lone Star State in six chances under Head Coach Rob Murphy.
The first road test of the year for Eastern (4-0, 0-0 MAC), Murphy's squad fought back from deficits in both halves to defeat North Texas (1-3, 0-0 C-USA), a team that posted 20-plus wins in each of the previous two seasons.
Redshirt junior Ty Groce (Ypsilanti, Mich.-Lincoln) led EMU in scoring with 15 points, while also tallying three blocks and four steals. Groce has now recorded double-digit scoring efforts in three-of-four contests for the Green and White. Joining the Ypsilanti, Mich. native in double-digits was junior Yeikson Montero (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic-Redemption Christian Academy (Pensacola State)) who contributed 14 points, along with four assists and three steals. Montero's points and assist numbers tied career-bests for the first-year Eagle, matching his performances against Goshen, Nov. 12, and Michigan-Dearborn, Nov. 14, respectively. Redshirt senior Boubacar Toure (Dakar, Senegal-Phase One Academy (Grand Canyon)) pulled down a team leading eight rebounds and added two steals, anchoring a defensive effort that held the Mean Green to its second-lowest point total of the season.
As a team, Eastern Michigan shot 40.8 percent (20-49), while North Texas hit 37.5 percent from the field (18-48). Despite being out-rebounded, 34-31, and outscored in the paint, 20-18. The Green and White were able to collect 13 steals in the contest, helping to stifle the North Texas offensive attack.
The Eagles went back-and-forth with UNT the entire contest. Up one, 23-22, with just over one minute to play in the first half, Eastern used back-to-back triples by Montero and Groce to extend its lead to seven, 29-22, the score that would remain heading into the break.
EMU was met by a rejuvenated North Texas squad out of the first half recess. The Mean Green hit three shots in-a-row to pull ahead, 33-32, five minutes into the half. The two teams went on to trade punches for the middle portion of the second half, as evident by the knotted score, 38-38, with 10:32 remaining. With 7:48 left in the contest, Montero hit a trey to put the Eagles up by five, 46-41. UNT battled for the remainder of the contest, but EMU proved too powerful in the end.
With 12 seconds left in the game, Groce came up with a clutch steal. After a UNT foul, junior Noah Morgan (Mount Vernon, N.Y.-Mount Vernon (Northwest Florida State)) knocked-in a pair of free throws before Toure contributed one as well, helping EMU to seal-the-deal, 56-51.
Following the win over North Texas, Eastern Michigan will fly to Montego Bay, Jamaica to play against UMBC Friday, Nov. 22 at 2 p.m. Part of the Jersey Mike's Jamaica Classic, the Eagles and Retrievers will square off for the first time in their respective program histories. Fans can follow the action on CBS Sports Network, or by following along on live stats at EMUEagles.com.
The first road test of the year for Eastern (4-0, 0-0 MAC), Murphy's squad fought back from deficits in both halves to defeat North Texas (1-3, 0-0 C-USA), a team that posted 20-plus wins in each of the previous two seasons.
Redshirt junior Ty Groce (Ypsilanti, Mich.-Lincoln) led EMU in scoring with 15 points, while also tallying three blocks and four steals. Groce has now recorded double-digit scoring efforts in three-of-four contests for the Green and White. Joining the Ypsilanti, Mich. native in double-digits was junior Yeikson Montero (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic-Redemption Christian Academy (Pensacola State)) who contributed 14 points, along with four assists and three steals. Montero's points and assist numbers tied career-bests for the first-year Eagle, matching his performances against Goshen, Nov. 12, and Michigan-Dearborn, Nov. 14, respectively. Redshirt senior Boubacar Toure (Dakar, Senegal-Phase One Academy (Grand Canyon)) pulled down a team leading eight rebounds and added two steals, anchoring a defensive effort that held the Mean Green to its second-lowest point total of the season.
As a team, Eastern Michigan shot 40.8 percent (20-49), while North Texas hit 37.5 percent from the field (18-48). Despite being out-rebounded, 34-31, and outscored in the paint, 20-18. The Green and White were able to collect 13 steals in the contest, helping to stifle the North Texas offensive attack.
The Eagles went back-and-forth with UNT the entire contest. Up one, 23-22, with just over one minute to play in the first half, Eastern used back-to-back triples by Montero and Groce to extend its lead to seven, 29-22, the score that would remain heading into the break.
EMU was met by a rejuvenated North Texas squad out of the first half recess. The Mean Green hit three shots in-a-row to pull ahead, 33-32, five minutes into the half. The two teams went on to trade punches for the middle portion of the second half, as evident by the knotted score, 38-38, with 10:32 remaining. With 7:48 left in the contest, Montero hit a trey to put the Eagles up by five, 46-41. UNT battled for the remainder of the contest, but EMU proved too powerful in the end.
With 12 seconds left in the game, Groce came up with a clutch steal. After a UNT foul, junior Noah Morgan (Mount Vernon, N.Y.-Mount Vernon (Northwest Florida State)) knocked-in a pair of free throws before Toure contributed one as well, helping EMU to seal-the-deal, 56-51.
Following the win over North Texas, Eastern Michigan will fly to Montego Bay, Jamaica to play against UMBC Friday, Nov. 22 at 2 p.m. Part of the Jersey Mike's Jamaica Classic, the Eagles and Retrievers will square off for the first time in their respective program histories. Fans can follow the action on CBS Sports Network, or by following along on live stats at EMUEagles.com.
Team Stats
EMU
UNT
FG%
.408
.375
3FG%
.250
.400
FT%
.688
.778
RB
31
34
TO
14
19
STL
13
6
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
14
FGM
5
3FGM
2
FTM
2
Pts
7
FGM
2
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Pts
5
FGM
2
3FGM
0
FTM
1
Players Mentioned
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