Men's Basketball Travels North to Battle Michigan State

Men's Basketball at No. 15/18 Michigan State
Date	Saturday, Dec. 21 \| 7 p.m. ET
Venue	East Lansing, Mich. \| Breslin Center
Preview Info	EMU Notes
Live Stats	Fan Stats \| Media Stats
Watch	Big Ten Network (Channel 256 - Xfinity Metro Detroit Area)
Listen	WEMU (89.1 WEMU-FM)
Twitter	@EMUHoops \| @EMUAthletics

EAST LANSING, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team heads north to East Lansing, Mich. to take on No. 15/18 Michigan State University Saturday, Dec. 21, at the Breslin Center. Tip is slated for 7 p.m. The Eagles enter the contest coming off a 60-55 victory against Northeastern at home, Dec. 17. The Green and White held the Huskies' high-powered offense to 32.7 percent from the field, which is well below their season average of 50.3 percent that ranks 10th across the country. Additionally, EMU limited NU to 35.5 percent from deep, which proved vital as the Huskies entered the contest third in the nation with a 42.3 percent clip. MSU enters the contest after a trip to Northwestern, Dec. 18. The Spartans bested the Wildcats, 77-72, improving to a 8-3 record. Michigan State is on a three-game winning streak following the 87-75 loss to No. 10 Duke, Dec. 3, in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
    Fans can enjoy the action on the Big Ten Network or listen to WEMU (89.1) where Chad Bush will have the call. As always, fans can follow along on EMUEagles.com/livestats or on Twitter by following @EMUHoops.

IN HOT PURSUIT: With a 9-1 start, EMU has its best 10-game opening to a season in the Rob Murphy era, and matches the 1996-97 squad who reached the Mid-American Conference championship game, ultimately losing to Miami.

SHUT 'EM DOWN: The Green and White leads the MAC and ranks 10th in the nation holding their opponents to 57.1 points per game. The Eagles have held seven opponents to under 55 points in 2019. This fierce defense has outscored the opposition by double-digits in four games this season and is sixth in the MAC with a scoring margin of 12.7.

PRESSURE LEADS TO TURNOVERS: The Eastern Michigan defense is forcing opponents to turn the ball over 19.5 times a game, which leads the MAC and ranks eighth among D1 teams. EMU also holds a 4.3 turnover margin (195-152), which is good for second in the league.

FINDERS KEEPERS: The Eagles currently rank second in the NCAA and lead the Mid-American Conference with 11.3 steals per game. In-state foe Central Michigan is second in the league with 10.5. The Green and White have stolen the ball 113 times this season, including 22 times against Goshen, Nov. 11, which leads the MAC for single game performances, and 15 times against UMBC in the Jamaica Classic, tying for the most in Classic history. Redshirt junior Ty Groce leads the team with 1.9 steals per game (19 this season), good for sixth in the MAC, followed closely by junior Yeikson Montero's 1.8 steals per game.
   Six players have double-digit steals on the season, Groce (19), Montero (18), junior Noah Morgan (16), redshirt senior Boubacar Toure (15), and juniors Chris Barnes and Darion Spottsville each have 10.

CREEPING TOWARDS THE POLLS: Eastern Michigan received 32 points for the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 Poll in its most recent release, the week of Dec. 16. The last EMU team to receive votes was the 2018-19 squad, which received 13 points on Dec. 3, 2018. The last time the Eagles cracked into the poll was during the 2017-18 campaign. EMU was ranked in the poll twice, hitting its best spot, No. 22, Nov. 20, 2017.

BOXOUT: Eastern Michigan leads the MAC in rebounding defense, holding the oppositions to 32.1 rebounds per game this season. The Eagles are followed closely by Ohio at 32.5.

DARION DISHING DIMES: Junior Darion Spottsville is the general on the court for the Eagles, leading the team with 24 assists this season. In the Green and White's contest against Detroit Mercy, Dec. 7, the Phoenix, Ariz. native registered seven of the teams 12 assists in the game. The junior guard has led the team in assists three times this season.

.500 OR BETTER: The Eagles have four players that are shooting 50 percent-or-better from the field, keeping EMU in the No. 2 spot among MAC team with a 45.9 field-goal percentage (235-512).The Green and White are led by redshirt senior Boubacar Toure, hitting at 66.7 percent on 40-of-60 shooting. The Dakar, Senegal native is followed by juniors Jalen King at 63.2 percent (12-of-19), and Thomas Binelli and Chris Barnes, both shooting 50 percent Binelli has sunk 8-of-16, all from deep, in three games of play, and Barnes is hitting 27-of-54.

TY TEARING THROUGH: Redshirt junior Ty Groce is thriving this season, leading the team with 126 points (12.6 ppg) through 10 games. The Ypsilanti, Mich. native has hit double-digits in seven games in 2019-20, and in the last four-straight games (10 at UC Irvine, Nov. 30; 23 vs. Valpo, Dec. 3; 16 at Detroit Mercy, Dec. 7; 10 vs. Northeastern, Dec. 17). Groce has led the Green and White in scoring over five games this year, including a career-high 23 points versus Valpo, Dec. 3. The versatile redshirt junior also posted a career-best in rebounds (11) against UMBC, Nov. 22, in the Jersey Mike's Jamaica Classic and tied his career-high in blocks (3) at North Texas, Nov. 16.
   During the 2018-19 season, Groce finished the season with 160 points and 101 rebounds; numbers that he is on pace to shatter this year, having already grabbed 53 rebounds.

DOUBLE-DIGIT DEDICATION: Eastern Michigan is being led by three players averaging double-digits in scoring. Redshirt junior Ty Groce leads the team with 12.6 points per game, while juniors Noah Morgan and Yeikson Montero are scoring 10.8 points each, respectively. Montero is the only Eagle to reach double-digits in eight of the ten games this year, with a career-best 16 points at Detroit Mercy, Dec. 7. Both Groce and Morgan have reached double-figure scoring in seven games in 2019. The scoring duo posted career-highs in points (Groce - 23; Morgan - 21) against Valpo, Dec. 3.

CHARITY STRIPE: The Eagles have found their way to the charity stripe 249 times so far this season, which ranks 30th in the nation and fourth in the MAC. Through 10 games in 2018, the Eagles attempted 143 free throws, which is 106 less from their current total. In fact, the Green and White have had more free-throw attempts than its opponent in each game played this year, holding a 1.9 margin against the opposition, almost doubling their number.
   Converting those opportunities into points, junior Chris Barnes leads the team from the charity stripe, shooting 94.4 percent on 17-of-18, The Compton, Calif. native is followed by freshman Shamar Dillard who hits 81 percent from the free-throw line, sinking 17-of-21.

TOURE TAKEOFF: Redshirt senior Boubacar Toure is shooting a team leading 66.7 percent (40-60) from the field this year, and averaging 3.5 offensive boards a game (35), which is good for third in the Mid-American Conference. The Dakar, Senegal native shot 5-of-7 (14 pts., 12 rebs.) against UC Irvine in a double-double performance, Nov. 30, then came home to the Convocation Center and shot 6-of-8 (13 pts.) against Valparaiso, Dec. 3. The redshirt senior has been efficient while shooting but also anchors the Eagles 2-3 zone, having tied his career-high in blocks (4) at Detroit Mercy, Dec. 7. The redshirt senior center ranks fifth in the MAC in both total blocks with 14 and blocks per game (1.4).

LAST TIME AGAINST MICHIGAN STATE: The last time the Eagles and Spartans collided was a Nov. 13, 2015, contest ending in a 89-65 MSU victory. Eastern could not stop the red-hot three-point shooting of No. 3/4 ranked Michigan State as the Spartans shot 45 percent (9-20) from beyond the arc, to EMU's 25.3 percent (5-19). Ty Toney led the team with 18 points, followed by Willie Mangum IV who finished with 10. On the other end of the court, Eastern Michigan's defense put pressure on, forcing the Spartans to 13 turnovers that were converted into 15 points. In the end, MSU hit three shots from downtown in four minutes and went on a 24-12 run to close out the contest.

SCOUTING MICHIGAN STATE: Led by 25-year head coach Tom Izzo, Michigan State enters Saturday evening's game coming off a close 77-72 victory over Big Ten conference foe Northwestern, Dec. 8. The Spartans hold a 3-1 home record with its only home loss to No. 10 Duke, 75-87, Dec. 3 in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Michigan State's leading scorer is senior Cassius Winston (17.3 ppg), who has made a team-high 22 3-pointers. Along with Winston, junior Xavier Tillman and sophomore Aaron Henry are scoring in double figures at 13.1 ppg and 10.0 ppg, respectively.

ALL-TIME VS. MICHIGAN STATE: Eastern Michigan trails Michigan State 4-29 in the all-time series, with its last win coming in the 1987-88 season, where the Eagles bested the Spartans, 84-80 in overtime.

ALL-TIME VS. BIG TEN: The Green and White hold a 12-72 all-time record against Big Ten opponents, with most of the wins coming against in-state foes, Michigan State (4-29) and Michigan (3-27). The only winning record that EMU has in the Big Ten conference comes against Penn State where the Eagles hold a 2-1 record. The most recent win against a Big Ten opponent was on Dec. 9, 2014, when the Eagles defeated the Wolverines 45-42 at Crisler Center.

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. Through 10 games, Toure is averaging 9.6 points, and 8.2 rebounds per game, while shooting 66.7 percent (40-60) from the floor. The redshirt senior's 8.2 rebounds a game is good for sixth in the MAC.

VARIETY IS THE SPICE OF LIFE: Eastern Michigan will face off against nine different Division I conferences as a part of its non-conference slate. The Eagles will take on teams from, America East, Big Ten, Big West, Colonial Athletic Association, Conference USA, Horizon League, Mid-Eastern Athletic, Missouri Valley, and Mountain West conferences, in addition to their Mid-American Conference match-ups.

ON THE HORIZON: After a break for the Holiday season, Eastern Michigan will travel to Sin City to challenge UNLV (4-8 overall, 1-0 MW) Saturday, Dec. 28 at 12 p.m. PT (3 p.m. ET). The Eagles are 0-3 all-time versus the Runnin' Rebels in a series that dates back to 1977. Fans can tune into the action on WEMU 89.1 where Chad Bush will have the call.

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Players Mentioned

Chris Barnes

Thomas Binelli

Shamar Dillard

Ty Groce

Jalen King

Yeikson Montero

Noah Morgan

Darion Spottsville

Boubacar Toure

Eastern Michigan Athletics