Men's Basketball Closes Out the Decade Monday Against Concordia

Men's Basketball vs. Concordia
Date	Monday, Dec. 30 \| 2 p.m.
Venue	Ypsilanti, Mich. \| Convocation Center
Preview Info	EMU Notes
Live Stats	Fan Stats \| Media Stats
Watch	ESPN3
Twitter	@EMUHoops \| @EMUAthletics

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team will close out 2019 and the non-conference slate with a home contest against Concordia University-Ann Arbor Monday, Dec. 30, inside the Convocation Center. Action is set for 2 p.m.
   The Eagles (9-3) enter the contest on a two-game losing streak, following a 64-49 road setback at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, Dec. 28. CUAA holds a 5-10 overall record and are coming off a 89-84 victory over Kalamazoo College, Dec. 21.
   Fans can watch the action on ESPN3 with Greg Steiner (pxp) and Alex Jewell (analyst). As always, fans can follow along on EMUEagles.com/livestats or on Twitter by following @EMUHoops.

OVER THE LAST DECADE: Over the last 10 years, Eastern Michigan has won 162 games and 75 Mid-American Conference contests. The Eagles have finished in the top-three of the MAC West Division six times, including a first-place finish when head coach Rob Murphy took the helm during the 2011-12 season.
   EMU has been to two CollegeInsider.com Tournaments (2013-14; 2017-18) and one College Basketball Invitational (2014-15) over the last decade, which included two postseason victories (March 18, 2014 vs. Norfolk State, 58-54; March 14, 2018 vs. Niagara, 86-65).
   The Eagles have seen six student-athletes join the 1,000-point club (Ray Lee, 1,873; Brandon Bowdry, 1,856; James Thompson IV, 1,823; Carlos Medlock, 1,574; Justin Dobbins, 1,078; Tim Bond, 1,042). Thompson IV (1,452) and Bowdry (1,006) also found their way into the 1,000-rebound club as the only two in EMU history to have reached over 1,000 points and rebounds during their career.

SHUT 'EM DOWN: The Green and White ranks second in the MAC and ranks in the top-35 in the nation holding their opponents to 61.3 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 eighth in the MAC with a scoring margin of +4.9.

IN HOT PURSUIT: The Eagles hold a 9-3 overall record to start the 2019-20 campaign; which ranks second under the Rob Murphy era for a 12-game start to a season.
   Prior to the UNLV loss, Dec. 28, EMU tied with Coach Murphy's 2014-15 squad for the best 11-game start to a season with a 9-2 record. In that season, the Eagles finished 21-14 overall and 8-10 mark in the Mid-American Conference. EMU eventually fell in the semifinals in the conference tournament and received a bid to the College Basketball Invitational.
   However, EMU had its best 10-game opening to a season in the Murphy era before dropping a non-conference affair at Michigan State, Dec. 21, and matched the 1996-97 squad who reached the Mid-American Conference championship game, ultimately losing to Miami.

PRESSURE LEADS TO TURNOVERS: The Eastern Michigan defense is forcing opponents to turn the ball over 19.3 times a game, which leads the MAC and ranks eighth among Division I teams. EMU also holds a +3.8 turnover margin (19.3-15.5), which is good for third in the league and top-30 in the NCAA.

FINDERS KEEPERS: The Eagles currently rank third in the NCAA and lead the Mid-American Conference with 11.1 steals per game. In-state foe Central Michigan is second in the league with 9.9. The Green and White have stolen the ball 133 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 1.8 steals per game (22 this season), good for sixth in the MAC, followed closely by junior Yeikson Montero's 1.7 steals per game.
   Seven players have double-digit steals on the season, Groce (22), Montero (20), redshirt senior Boubacar Toure (18), junior Noah Morgan (18), junior Darion Spottsville and freshman Chris James each have 13, and junior Chris Barnes has 10, respectively.

BOXOUT: Eastern Michigan ranks fourth in the MAC in rebounding defense, holding the oppositions to 35.2 rebounds per game this season. The league is led by Ohio with 32.1 and then followed by Ball State (33.6) and Northern Illinois (34.2).

DARION DISHING DIMES: Junior Darion Spottsville is the general on the court for the Eagles, leading the team with 28 assists (2.3 apg) this season. In the Green and White's contest against Detroit Mercy, Dec. 7, the Phoenix, Ariz. native registered seven of the team's 12 assists in the game. The junior guard has led the team in assists four times this season.

.500 OR BETTER: The Eagles have two players that are shooting 50 percent-or-better from the field. The Green and White are led by redshirt senior Boubacar Toure, hitting at 65.2 percent on 43-of-66 shooting. The Dakar, Senegal native is followed by junior Jalen King at 57.1 percent (12-of-21).

TY TEARING THROUGH: Redshirt junior Ty Groce is thriving this season, leading the team with 147 points (12.3 ppg) through 12 games. The Ypsilanti, Mich. native has hit double-digits in eight games in 2019-20, and in five of the last six games (10 at UC Irvine, Nov. 30; 23 vs. Valpo, Dec. 3; 16 at Detroit Mercy, Dec. 7; 10 vs. Northeastern, Dec. 17; 12 at UNLV, Dec. 28). Groce has led the Green and White in scoring in seven 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 two players averaging double-digits in scoring. Redshirt junior Ty Groce leads the team with 12.3 points per game, while junior Noah Morgan is scoring 10.3.
   Junior Yeikson Montero and Groce are the only Eagles to reach double-digits in eight games this year. Montero scored a career-best 16 points at Detroit Mercy, Dec. 7, while Groce posted a career-high 23 points against Valpo, Dec.3. Morgan has reached double-figure scoring in seven games in 2019 and tallied a career-best 21 points versus Valpo.

CHARITY STRIPE: The Eagles have found their way to the charity stripe 299 times so far this season, which ranks 23rd in the nation and fourth in the MAC. Through 12 games in 2018, the Eagles attempted 183 free throws, which is 116 less from their current total. In fact, the Green and White have had more free-throw attempts than its opponent in 10 games this year, holding a 1.6 margin against the opposition.
   Converting those opportunities into points, junior Chris Barnes leads the team from the charity stripe, shooting 85 percent on 17-of-20, The Compton, Calif. native is followed by freshman Shamar Dillard who hits 73 percent from the free-throw line, sinking 19-of-26.

TOURE TAKEOFF: Redshirt senior Boubacar Toure is shooting a team leading 65.2 percent (43-66) from the field this year, and averaging 3.3 offensive boards a game (40), 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 16 and blocks per game (1.3).

LAST TIME AGAINST CONCORDIA: Eastern Michigan and Concordia last collided was on Dec. 28, 2014, ending in a 100-42 EMU victory. It was the first time the Eagles reached the century mark in points under coach Rob Murphy.
   EMU shot a season-best 55 percent from the floor by converting 33-of-60 from the field. The Eagles forced 20 turnover, leading to 32 points, including 18 on the fastbreak. The paint was controlled by the EMU squad, 46-10, and the Eastern bench contributed 47 points.
   Five Eagles reached double figures in scoring led by Karrington Ward who totaled 15 points along with eight boards. Mike Samuels added 12 points, while Raven Lee, Mike Talley and Ethan Alvano tallied 10 points each, respectively.

SCOUTING CONCORDIA: Led by seventh-year head coach Ricky Yahn, Concordia enters Monday's game coming off a 89-84 victory over Kalamazoo College, Dec. 21. The Cardinals hold a 5-10 overall record and a 3-5 mark on the road.
   CUAA's leading scorer is senior Jerald Brooker (15.1 ppg) and leads the team with 42 assists. Along with Brooker, senior Greg Alexander is also scoring in double figures at 14.1 points per game and leads the team with 5.7 rebounds per game. Junior Thomas Hronis has drained a team-best 23 triples and hold a 44.2 percentage (23-of-52) from beyond the arc.

ALL-TIME VS. CONCORDIA: Eastern Michigan leads Concordia, 6-0 in the all-time series, which dates back to the 1968-69 season. The Eagles have scored more than 85 points in each contest and have held the Cardinals to less than 65 points with the exception of the Dec. 2, 2002 contest where CUAA scored 80 points to EMU's 115. EMU has reached 100 points twice in the six games against Concordia (115, Dec. 2, 2002; 100, Dec. 28, 2014). Eastern Michigan averages 95.3 points per game versus the Cardinals.
   Rob Murphy is 2-0 against Concordia with the first contest on Nov. 12, 2013. The Eagles averaged 97.5 points in the two contests and held the Cardinals to an average of 46 points. In both games, EMU shot above 55 percent from the field.

ALL-TIME VS. WHAC: The Green and White remain undefeated against the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference with a 32-0 record. Eastern has played Rochester College the most (11 times), while also facing Concordia seven times (includes De. 30, 2019 game) and Siena Heights five times.
   Eastern has totaled over 90 points in 14 games against WHAC opponents, including six reaching the century mark. The most EMU has scored against a WHAC team was against Siena Heights when the Eagles tallied 117 points, Dec. 11, 2016.
   The Eagles have already beaten two WHAC opponents during the 2019-20 non-conference slate, Siena Heights and University of Michigan-Dearborn. EMU topped the SHU Saints, 93-51, in the season opener, Nov. 8 and then bested UMD, 72-59, Nov. 14.

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: Eastern Michigan will begin the New Year with its first Mid-American Conference game of the 2019-20 season when the Eagles host University of Akron on Saturday, Jan. 4 inside the Convocation Center at noon. EMU trails Akron, 29-22, in the all-time series.
   The Zips hold a 9-3 record and sit second in the MAC East behind Kent State (10-2). Akron is coming off a 80-67 loss to Liberty, Dec. 2. UA will look to keep its undefeated home record when it hosts UMass, Dec. 30 before traveling to Ypsilanti, Mich.

Men's Basketball Closes Out the Decade Monday Against Concordia

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Players Mentioned

Chris Barnes

Shamar Dillard

Ty Groce

Chris James

Jalen King

Yeikson Montero

Noah Morgan

Darion Spottsville

James Thompson IV

Boubacar Toure

Eastern Michigan Athletics