Eastern Michigan Athletics
Tuesday, January 14
Convocation Center
7 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
vs
Ball State
Photo by: Steve King/KingStudios
Home Sweet Home: Eagles Welcome Ball State to the Convo Tuesday
1/12/2020 7:55:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Boubacar Toure is averaging a double-double in MAC play
| Men's Basketball vs. Ball State | |
| Date | Tuesday, Jan. 14 | 7 p.m. |
| Venue | Ypsilanti, Mich. | Convocation Center |
| Preview Info | EMU Notes |
| Live Stats | Fan Stats | Media Stats |
| Watch | ESPN+ |
| Radio | WEMU 89.1 |
| @EMUHoops | @EMUAthletics | |
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team begins a two-game homestand Tuesday, Jan. 14, as the Eagles welcome Mid-American Conference co-West Division leader Ball State University to the Convocation Center. Tip is set for 7 p.m.
EMU (10-6, 0-3 MAC) is still in search of its first MAC victory, as the Eagles have dropped three-straight conference matchups. Eastern Michigan's late rally was not enough at Northern Illinois, Jan. 11, as EMU dropped the MAC affair, 71-68.
Ball State (9-7, 2-1 MAC) suffered its first conference setback at Akron, 75-60, Jan. 11, but started league play with convincing victories over Toledo (61-57), Jan. 3 and Buffalo (88-68), Jan. 7.
Fans can watch the action on ESPN+ with Ryan Wooley and Tom Helmer or listen to WEMU (89.1 FM) where Chad Bush and Matt Dery will have the call. As always, fans can follow along on EMUEagles.com or on Twitter by following @EMUHoops.
AMONG THE LEADING LEADERS: Eastern Michigan leads both the nation and the Mid-American Conference in steals per game (11.6). EMU also ranks second among Division I teams in total steals with 185. The Eagles are forcing 19.3 turnovers per game; which leads the league and ranks seventh in the nation. Eastern's scoring defense of 62.7 points per game ranks second in the conference behind Ball State (61.3 ppg), while the Eagles' 365 free-throw attempts is good for third in the MAC.
Individually, redshirt senior Boubacar Toure ranks second in the MAC with a 65.7 field goal percentage (65-99) and ranks third (49th nationally) with 3.2 offensive rebounds per game. The Dakar, Senegal native is fourth in the league in blocks per game (1.4). Redshirt junior Ty Groce is leading the team with 34 steals, which ranks third in the MAC and 37th in the nation. The Ypsilanti, Mich. native also sits fourth in the league with 2.1 steals per contest.
NAIL-BITERS: Eastern Michigan has seen nail-biters slip from its fingers in the last two games, at Ohio (Jan. 7) and at Northern Illinois (Jan. 11). The EMU lost both games with a margin of six-or-less points. Before MAC play, the Eagles boasted a 5-0 record in games decided by six-or-fewer.
TOURE IN MACTION: Boubacar Toure has started strong offensively and defensively in the Mid-American Conference portion of the 2019-20 campaign. The redshirt senior is averaging a double-double with 11.0 points and 12.7 rebounds in the three games so far in league play. He is shooting 62 percent from the floor (15-of-24) and has recorded five blocks. The Dakar, Senegal native notched two double-doubles in MAC play and nearly missed another one at Ohio, Jan. 11. Toure's 12.7 rebounds per game ranks second in the conference, along with his 1.7 blocks per contest is good for third.
CRASHIN' THE BOARDS: Boubacar Toure has pulled down 10+ rebounds in eight games this season and has led the team in rebounding 12-of-16 games this year. The redshirt senior leads the team averaging 8.7 boards per game (139 total), including 5.5 defensive and 3.2 offensive rebounds a contest. In MAC play, Toure is averaging 12.7 boards to go along with 11.0 points per game.
DOUBLE-DIGIT DEDICATION: Redshirt junior Ty Groce leads Eastern Michigan in scoring with 11.6 points per game. Juniors Yeikson Montero and Noah Morgan also average double-figures as they are each tallying 10.2 points per game, respectively. Groce is the only Eagle to reach double-digits in 11 games this year, while Montero has tallied double figures in 10 contests. Groce posted a career-high 23 points against Valpo, Dec.3, while Montero scored a career-best 18 points at Ohio, Jan. 7. Morgan has reached double-figure scoring in eight games in 2019 and tallied a career-best 21 points versus Valpo.
In MAC play, three Eagles are averaging in double-figures in Montero (12.3), redshirt senior Boubacar Toure (11.0), Morgan (10.0). Groce is tallying 9.3 points per game in the first three games of conference play.
DOUBLE-DOUBLE TROUBLE: Despite a 71-68 loss to Northern Illinois, Jan. 11, redshirt senior Boubacar Toure posted his fifth double-double of the season with 14 points and 11 rebounds. The Dakar, Senegal native has pulled down double-figure rebounds in eight games this year, including four of the last five games. The redshirt senior has led the Eagles on the boards in 10-of-16 games in the 2019-20 campaign. Toure has tallied 13 double-doubles in his EMU career.
versaTYle: Redshirt junior Ty Groce has proven to be a versatile player on the floor. He leads the team with 186 points (11.6 ppg). The Ypsilanti, Mich. native has hit double-digits in 11 games during the 2019-20 campaign, and in eight of 10 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; 11 vs. Concordia, Dec. 30; 13 vs. Akron, Jan. 4; 12 at Ohio, Jan. 7).
Groce has led the Green and White in scoring in 11 games this season, including a career-high 23 points versus Valpo, Dec. 3. The guard also posted a career-best in rebounds (11) against UMBC, Nov. 22, in the Jersey Mike's Jamaica Classic, dished out a career-high in assists (5) versus Concordia, Dec. 30, and tied his career-best in blocks (3) at North Texas, Nov. 16. Groce finished the 2018-19 season with 160 points and 101 rebounds; numbers that he is on pace to shatter this year, having already grabbed 81 rebounds.
In conference, the redshirt junior is recording 9.3 points per game to go along with five rebounds and 2.3 assists a contest.
THE CONVO: Eastern Michigan plays in a Convocation Center for six-straight games (Dec. 30 - Jan. 18), but of course some are not in Ypsilanti, Mich. Ohio, Northern Illinois and Kent State are among EMU who have its men's basketball programs play in the Convocation Center. Eastern will host four opponents in the Convo and two games on the road at Ohio's and NIU's Convocation Center.
FINDERS KEEPERS: The Eagles lead both the nation and Mid-American Conference with 11.6 steals per game. In-state foe Central Michigan is second in the league with 9.8. The Green and White have stolen the ball 185 times this season, including 10+ swipes in 10 games this season. The Eagles notched a season-high 22 steals against Goshen, Nov. 11, which leads the MAC for single-game performances, and 18 swipes versus Concordia, Dec. 30. The 15 steals against UMBC in the Jamaica Classic, Nov. 22, are tied for the most in Classic history.
Redshirt junior Ty Groce leads the team with 2.1 steals per game (34 this season), which ranks fourth in the MAC, followed closely by junior Yeikson Montero's 1.9 steals per game. Seven players have double-digit steals on the season, which includes EMU's primary starting-five: Groce (34), Montero (31), junior Noah Morgan (27), redshirt senior Boubacar Toure (22), junior Darion Spottsville (19), freshman Chris James (15), and junior Chris Barnes has 12, respectively. Eastern Michigan, Central Michigan, and Kent State are the only schools in the MAC that have seven players with steals in double figures.
SHUT 'EM DOWN: The Green and White ranks second in the MAC and 51st in the nation holding their opponents to 62.7 points per game. Ball State leads the conference in scoring defense (62.2 ppg). The Eagles have held eight opponents to under 55 points in 2019. This fierce defense has outscored the opposition by double-digits in five games this season and is eighth in the MAC with a scoring margin of +3.8.
EMU has topped three opponents by 30+ points in the non-conference portion of its 2019-20 schedule (Siena Heights, Nov. 8; Goshen, Nov. 12; Concordia; Dec. 30). Eastern's largest victory margin was against Goshen when the Eagles won by 52 points (101-49). The 52-point margin is tied for fourth under the Rob Murphy era. The highest victory margin under Murphy is 62 points when the Eagles defeated Siena Heights, 117-55, Dec. 11, 2016, inside the Convocation Center. This victory margin (+62) and points scored (117) ranks first in the EMU record books.
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 seventh among Division I teams. EMU also holds a +3.6 turnover margin (19.3-15.7), which is good for second in the league and 26th in the NCAA. Eastern holds a 6-4 mark (10 games) when it forces more opponents turnovers. In addition, the EMU's defensive pressure has forced 20+ opponent turnovers in seven games this season. The Eagles are protecting ball well as they have posted eight games with less than 15 turnovers and two with less than 10.
DISHING DIMES: Four Eagles have tallied 25-or-more assists this season in Darion Spottsville (32), Noah Morgan (31), Ty Groce (28), and Boubacar Toure (25). Spotsville leads the team with 2.0 helpers per game, while Morgan, Groce and Toure are dishing out 1.9, 1.8, and 1.6, respectively.
Spottsville registered seven of the team's 12 assists in the game, while Groce notched a career-high five helpers against Concordia, Dec. 20. He has led the Eagles in assists six times during the 2019-20 campaign. Morgan posted five assists in back-to-back contests (vs. Siena Heights, Nov. 8; vs. Goshen, Nov. 12) to start the 2019-20 season and has also led the Eagles in assists six 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 65.7 percent on 65-of-99 shooting, which ranks second among MAC players. The Dakar, Senegal native is followed by junior Jalen King at 56.0 percent (14-of-25). Toure has shot over 70 percent from the field (min. seven attempts) in seven games this season. His season-high of 77.8 percent (7-of-9) was hit against Michigan-Dearborn, Nov. 14 and Concordia, Dec. 30.
BOXOUT: Eastern Michigan is tied-for-fourth in the MAC in rebounding defense, holding the opposition to 35.2 rebounds per game this season. The league is led by Ohio with 33.0 and then followed by Ball State (34.4), Northern Illinois (34.6), and Kent State (35.2), respectively. The Eagles have outrebounded their opponents in eight games this year, including two with a double-digit margin (+23 vs. Goshen, Nov. 12; +16 vs. Michigan-Dearborn, Nov. 14). In the six losses this season, EMU has been outrebounded by 10 or more in three of them (-10 at UC Irvine, Nov.30; -10 at Michigan State, Dec. 21; -20 at UNLV, Dec. 28).
OVER THE LAST DECADE: Over the last 10 years (2010-2020), Eastern Michigan has won 163 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.
IN HOT PURSUIT: The Eagles started the 2019-20 campaign with a 10-3 record; which ranks second under the Rob Murphy era for a 13-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 nonconference affair at Michigan State, Dec. 21, and matched the 1996-97 squad who reached the Mid-American Conference championship game, ultimately losing to Miami.
CREEPING TOWARDS THE POLLS: Eastern Michigan received points for the fourth-straight week for the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 Poll in its most recent release, the week of Jan. 5. The Eagles earned four point this week. EMU received 21 points the week of Dec. 30, 12 points the week of Dec. 23, and 32 during 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. Three MAC teams have cracked the 2019-20 Mid-Major poll during the week of Jan. 5, with Kent State ranking 13th with Akron and Bowling Green ranking 19th and 24th, respectively. Along with EMU (4 points), three other conference institutions received votes this week: Toledo (43), Buffalo (13), and Ball State (6).
LAST TIME OUT: Eastern Michigan's second half comeback came short, as the Eagles dropped a 71-68 Mid-American Conference affair at West Division opponent Northern Illinois, Jan. 11, in DeKalb, Ill. EMU trailed by 12 (64-52) with 1:44 left in the second half, but responded with a 17-3 run over the next 90 seconds to cut NIU's lead to a one-point game (67-66).
Junior Noah Morgan led the Eagles with 16 points, all of which came in the second half, to go along with five rebounds and three steals. Classmate Yeikson Montero was the second Eagle to reach double-figures with 15 points, while redshirt senior Boubacar Toure notched his fifth double-double of the season and the 13th of his EMU career with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Junior Thomas Binelli also recorded a double-figure scoring performance with a career-high 13 points.
Eastern Michigan finished the evening with a 41 percent field-goal efficiency, going 25-of-61 from the floor, but struggled from beyond the arc ending with a 24 clip (6-of-25). The Huskies shot 41 percent from the floor (23-of-56), and concluded the night with a 39 percentage, going 7-of-18, from deep.
The Eagles outscored the Huskies in points off turnovers (16-10), in the paint (32-20), second chance baskets (12-10), and off the bench (29-25). However, NIU held the rebounding advantage, 43-36, and dished out four more helpers than EMU (18-14). Each team tallied eight steals.
CHARITY STRIPE: The Eagles have found their way to the charity stripe 365 times so far this season, which ranks 46th in the nation and second in the MAC. EMU are averaging 22.8 free throw attempts per game. Through 16 games in 2018, the Eagles attempted 270 free throws, which is 95 less from their current total. In fact, the Green and White have had more free-throw attempts than its opponent in 12 games this year.
Converting those opportunities into points, junior Chris Barnes leads the team from the charity stripe, shooting 83.3 percent on 20-of-24, Barnes is followed by classmate Yeikson Montero and freshman Shamar Dillard who hit 76.7 (33-43) and 73.2 (30-41) percent from the free-throw line, respectively.
TOURE TAKEOFF: Redshirt senior Boubacar Toure is shooting a team leading 65.7 percent (65-for-99) from the field this year, which ranks second in the MAC. He is averaging 3.2 offensive boards a game (51), which is good for third in the Mid-American Conference. The Dakar, Senegal native has notched eight double-figure scoring performances as well as pulling down 10+ boards in eight games this season. Toure leads the team with five double-doubles with his most recent performance (14 pts., 11 rebs.) at Northern Illinois, Jan. 11. 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 is fourth in the league with 1.4 blocks per game (22 total) and has totaled 22 steals.
LAST TIME AGAINST BSU: Eastern Michigan and Ball State last met on March 11, 2019 in the opening round of the Mid-American Conference Tournament, ending in a 61-43 BSU victory inside the Convocation Center. The Eagles (15-17, 9-9 MAC) held the 29-20 advantage with 1:01 remaining in the first half, but the 11th-seeded Cardinals (16-16, 6-12 MAC) responded with a 22-4 lasting nearly 14 minutes en route to a berth in the MAC Tournament quarterfinals.
Paul Jackson paced the Green and White with 12 points, four assists, and three steals, while sophomore Kevin McAdoo contributed 11 points and three boards. Senior James Thompson IV was limited to four points, but pulled down a team-high nine rebounds, while redshirt senior Elijah Minnie recorded six points and two helpers.
It was a game of two halves as EMU shot a strong 45.8 percent (11-of-24) from the floor and 50 percent (5-of-10) from downtown during the first frame, but knocked down four field goals over the last 20 minutes. In contrast, Ball State made up for its 30.4 percent (7-of-23) first-half efficiency by finishing 53.8 percent (14-of-26) during the second stanza.
SCOUTING BSU: Led by seventh-year head coach James Whitford, Ball State enters Tuesday's contest coming off a 75-60 loss at Akron, Jan. 10. The Cardinals hold a 9-7 overall record with a 2-1 MAC mark and are 3-2 over the last five games. BSU opened MAC pay with a 61-57 victory over Toledo, Jan. 3, and then posted a convincing 88-68 win over two-time defending MAC Tournament champion Buffalo, Jan. 7.
Ball State is averaging 71.6 points per game on 43.8 percent shooting from the floor and 34.6 clip from beyond the 3-point arc, including draining a MAC-best 9.5 triples per game. Defensively, the cardinals are holding opponents to 62.2 points per game, which leads the MAC. BSU are tallying 35.8 rebounds per game, to go along with 7.4 steals and 3.4 blocks.
BSU has three players scoring in double figures led by Ishmael El-Amin with 14.6 points per game. He is shooting nearly 49 percent from the floor (80-164), including a team-best 46 percent from deep (39-85). His 39 triples leads the team, while adding 55 rebounds (4th), 40 assists (3rd), and 17 steals (3rd). Tahjai Taegue is the second Cardinal to average in double-digits, scoring 14.2 points per game. He leads the team with 8.1 rebounds a contest to go along with 23 blocks, which ranks third in the league. Kyle Mallers is also scoring in double figures with 10.2 points per game and ranks second on the team with 36 three-pointers made.
ALL-TIME VS. BSU: Tuesday's game with be the 106th meeting between Eastern Michigan and Ball State since the series started in 1947. EMU trails BSU, 62-43, in the all-time series with the Eagles winning three of the last four. EMU holds a 4-6 record over the last 10 games.
ALL-TIME VS. MAC: The Green and White hold a 337-425 program mark against Mid-American Conference teams. Eastern has played Central Michigan the most (195 times), while facing Western Michigan 111 times and Toledo 105 times. Since the 1974-75 season when Eastern started competing in the MAC, EMU has won four regular-season titles and four MAC Tournament titles (1988, 1991, 1996, 1998), which led to four NCAA Tournament appearances. Under Rob Murphy, the Eagles hold a 69-71 MAC record and clinched a MAC West title in 2012.
ON THE HORIZON: Eastern Michigan will complete the two-game homestand as it welcomes Ohio for a Mid-American Conference rematch Saturday, Jan. 18. Tip is set for 2 p.m. inside the Convo. The Eagles and Bobcats collided in Athens, Ohio, Jan. 7, when OU pulled off the 74-68 victory.
EMU (10-6, 0-3 MAC) is still in search of its first MAC victory, as the Eagles have dropped three-straight conference matchups. Eastern Michigan's late rally was not enough at Northern Illinois, Jan. 11, as EMU dropped the MAC affair, 71-68.
Ball State (9-7, 2-1 MAC) suffered its first conference setback at Akron, 75-60, Jan. 11, but started league play with convincing victories over Toledo (61-57), Jan. 3 and Buffalo (88-68), Jan. 7.
Fans can watch the action on ESPN+ with Ryan Wooley and Tom Helmer or listen to WEMU (89.1 FM) where Chad Bush and Matt Dery will have the call. As always, fans can follow along on EMUEagles.com or on Twitter by following @EMUHoops.
AMONG THE LEADING LEADERS: Eastern Michigan leads both the nation and the Mid-American Conference in steals per game (11.6). EMU also ranks second among Division I teams in total steals with 185. The Eagles are forcing 19.3 turnovers per game; which leads the league and ranks seventh in the nation. Eastern's scoring defense of 62.7 points per game ranks second in the conference behind Ball State (61.3 ppg), while the Eagles' 365 free-throw attempts is good for third in the MAC.
Individually, redshirt senior Boubacar Toure ranks second in the MAC with a 65.7 field goal percentage (65-99) and ranks third (49th nationally) with 3.2 offensive rebounds per game. The Dakar, Senegal native is fourth in the league in blocks per game (1.4). Redshirt junior Ty Groce is leading the team with 34 steals, which ranks third in the MAC and 37th in the nation. The Ypsilanti, Mich. native also sits fourth in the league with 2.1 steals per contest.
NAIL-BITERS: Eastern Michigan has seen nail-biters slip from its fingers in the last two games, at Ohio (Jan. 7) and at Northern Illinois (Jan. 11). The EMU lost both games with a margin of six-or-less points. Before MAC play, the Eagles boasted a 5-0 record in games decided by six-or-fewer.
TOURE IN MACTION: Boubacar Toure has started strong offensively and defensively in the Mid-American Conference portion of the 2019-20 campaign. The redshirt senior is averaging a double-double with 11.0 points and 12.7 rebounds in the three games so far in league play. He is shooting 62 percent from the floor (15-of-24) and has recorded five blocks. The Dakar, Senegal native notched two double-doubles in MAC play and nearly missed another one at Ohio, Jan. 11. Toure's 12.7 rebounds per game ranks second in the conference, along with his 1.7 blocks per contest is good for third.
CRASHIN' THE BOARDS: Boubacar Toure has pulled down 10+ rebounds in eight games this season and has led the team in rebounding 12-of-16 games this year. The redshirt senior leads the team averaging 8.7 boards per game (139 total), including 5.5 defensive and 3.2 offensive rebounds a contest. In MAC play, Toure is averaging 12.7 boards to go along with 11.0 points per game.
DOUBLE-DIGIT DEDICATION: Redshirt junior Ty Groce leads Eastern Michigan in scoring with 11.6 points per game. Juniors Yeikson Montero and Noah Morgan also average double-figures as they are each tallying 10.2 points per game, respectively. Groce is the only Eagle to reach double-digits in 11 games this year, while Montero has tallied double figures in 10 contests. Groce posted a career-high 23 points against Valpo, Dec.3, while Montero scored a career-best 18 points at Ohio, Jan. 7. Morgan has reached double-figure scoring in eight games in 2019 and tallied a career-best 21 points versus Valpo.
In MAC play, three Eagles are averaging in double-figures in Montero (12.3), redshirt senior Boubacar Toure (11.0), Morgan (10.0). Groce is tallying 9.3 points per game in the first three games of conference play.
DOUBLE-DOUBLE TROUBLE: Despite a 71-68 loss to Northern Illinois, Jan. 11, redshirt senior Boubacar Toure posted his fifth double-double of the season with 14 points and 11 rebounds. The Dakar, Senegal native has pulled down double-figure rebounds in eight games this year, including four of the last five games. The redshirt senior has led the Eagles on the boards in 10-of-16 games in the 2019-20 campaign. Toure has tallied 13 double-doubles in his EMU career.
versaTYle: Redshirt junior Ty Groce has proven to be a versatile player on the floor. He leads the team with 186 points (11.6 ppg). The Ypsilanti, Mich. native has hit double-digits in 11 games during the 2019-20 campaign, and in eight of 10 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; 11 vs. Concordia, Dec. 30; 13 vs. Akron, Jan. 4; 12 at Ohio, Jan. 7).
Groce has led the Green and White in scoring in 11 games this season, including a career-high 23 points versus Valpo, Dec. 3. The guard also posted a career-best in rebounds (11) against UMBC, Nov. 22, in the Jersey Mike's Jamaica Classic, dished out a career-high in assists (5) versus Concordia, Dec. 30, and tied his career-best in blocks (3) at North Texas, Nov. 16. Groce finished the 2018-19 season with 160 points and 101 rebounds; numbers that he is on pace to shatter this year, having already grabbed 81 rebounds.
In conference, the redshirt junior is recording 9.3 points per game to go along with five rebounds and 2.3 assists a contest.
THE CONVO: Eastern Michigan plays in a Convocation Center for six-straight games (Dec. 30 - Jan. 18), but of course some are not in Ypsilanti, Mich. Ohio, Northern Illinois and Kent State are among EMU who have its men's basketball programs play in the Convocation Center. Eastern will host four opponents in the Convo and two games on the road at Ohio's and NIU's Convocation Center.
FINDERS KEEPERS: The Eagles lead both the nation and Mid-American Conference with 11.6 steals per game. In-state foe Central Michigan is second in the league with 9.8. The Green and White have stolen the ball 185 times this season, including 10+ swipes in 10 games this season. The Eagles notched a season-high 22 steals against Goshen, Nov. 11, which leads the MAC for single-game performances, and 18 swipes versus Concordia, Dec. 30. The 15 steals against UMBC in the Jamaica Classic, Nov. 22, are tied for the most in Classic history.
Redshirt junior Ty Groce leads the team with 2.1 steals per game (34 this season), which ranks fourth in the MAC, followed closely by junior Yeikson Montero's 1.9 steals per game. Seven players have double-digit steals on the season, which includes EMU's primary starting-five: Groce (34), Montero (31), junior Noah Morgan (27), redshirt senior Boubacar Toure (22), junior Darion Spottsville (19), freshman Chris James (15), and junior Chris Barnes has 12, respectively. Eastern Michigan, Central Michigan, and Kent State are the only schools in the MAC that have seven players with steals in double figures.
SHUT 'EM DOWN: The Green and White ranks second in the MAC and 51st in the nation holding their opponents to 62.7 points per game. Ball State leads the conference in scoring defense (62.2 ppg). The Eagles have held eight opponents to under 55 points in 2019. This fierce defense has outscored the opposition by double-digits in five games this season and is eighth in the MAC with a scoring margin of +3.8.
EMU has topped three opponents by 30+ points in the non-conference portion of its 2019-20 schedule (Siena Heights, Nov. 8; Goshen, Nov. 12; Concordia; Dec. 30). Eastern's largest victory margin was against Goshen when the Eagles won by 52 points (101-49). The 52-point margin is tied for fourth under the Rob Murphy era. The highest victory margin under Murphy is 62 points when the Eagles defeated Siena Heights, 117-55, Dec. 11, 2016, inside the Convocation Center. This victory margin (+62) and points scored (117) ranks first in the EMU record books.
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 seventh among Division I teams. EMU also holds a +3.6 turnover margin (19.3-15.7), which is good for second in the league and 26th in the NCAA. Eastern holds a 6-4 mark (10 games) when it forces more opponents turnovers. In addition, the EMU's defensive pressure has forced 20+ opponent turnovers in seven games this season. The Eagles are protecting ball well as they have posted eight games with less than 15 turnovers and two with less than 10.
DISHING DIMES: Four Eagles have tallied 25-or-more assists this season in Darion Spottsville (32), Noah Morgan (31), Ty Groce (28), and Boubacar Toure (25). Spotsville leads the team with 2.0 helpers per game, while Morgan, Groce and Toure are dishing out 1.9, 1.8, and 1.6, respectively.
Spottsville registered seven of the team's 12 assists in the game, while Groce notched a career-high five helpers against Concordia, Dec. 20. He has led the Eagles in assists six times during the 2019-20 campaign. Morgan posted five assists in back-to-back contests (vs. Siena Heights, Nov. 8; vs. Goshen, Nov. 12) to start the 2019-20 season and has also led the Eagles in assists six 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 65.7 percent on 65-of-99 shooting, which ranks second among MAC players. The Dakar, Senegal native is followed by junior Jalen King at 56.0 percent (14-of-25). Toure has shot over 70 percent from the field (min. seven attempts) in seven games this season. His season-high of 77.8 percent (7-of-9) was hit against Michigan-Dearborn, Nov. 14 and Concordia, Dec. 30.
BOXOUT: Eastern Michigan is tied-for-fourth in the MAC in rebounding defense, holding the opposition to 35.2 rebounds per game this season. The league is led by Ohio with 33.0 and then followed by Ball State (34.4), Northern Illinois (34.6), and Kent State (35.2), respectively. The Eagles have outrebounded their opponents in eight games this year, including two with a double-digit margin (+23 vs. Goshen, Nov. 12; +16 vs. Michigan-Dearborn, Nov. 14). In the six losses this season, EMU has been outrebounded by 10 or more in three of them (-10 at UC Irvine, Nov.30; -10 at Michigan State, Dec. 21; -20 at UNLV, Dec. 28).
OVER THE LAST DECADE: Over the last 10 years (2010-2020), Eastern Michigan has won 163 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.
IN HOT PURSUIT: The Eagles started the 2019-20 campaign with a 10-3 record; which ranks second under the Rob Murphy era for a 13-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 nonconference affair at Michigan State, Dec. 21, and matched the 1996-97 squad who reached the Mid-American Conference championship game, ultimately losing to Miami.
CREEPING TOWARDS THE POLLS: Eastern Michigan received points for the fourth-straight week for the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 Poll in its most recent release, the week of Jan. 5. The Eagles earned four point this week. EMU received 21 points the week of Dec. 30, 12 points the week of Dec. 23, and 32 during 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. Three MAC teams have cracked the 2019-20 Mid-Major poll during the week of Jan. 5, with Kent State ranking 13th with Akron and Bowling Green ranking 19th and 24th, respectively. Along with EMU (4 points), three other conference institutions received votes this week: Toledo (43), Buffalo (13), and Ball State (6).
LAST TIME OUT: Eastern Michigan's second half comeback came short, as the Eagles dropped a 71-68 Mid-American Conference affair at West Division opponent Northern Illinois, Jan. 11, in DeKalb, Ill. EMU trailed by 12 (64-52) with 1:44 left in the second half, but responded with a 17-3 run over the next 90 seconds to cut NIU's lead to a one-point game (67-66).
Junior Noah Morgan led the Eagles with 16 points, all of which came in the second half, to go along with five rebounds and three steals. Classmate Yeikson Montero was the second Eagle to reach double-figures with 15 points, while redshirt senior Boubacar Toure notched his fifth double-double of the season and the 13th of his EMU career with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Junior Thomas Binelli also recorded a double-figure scoring performance with a career-high 13 points.
Eastern Michigan finished the evening with a 41 percent field-goal efficiency, going 25-of-61 from the floor, but struggled from beyond the arc ending with a 24 clip (6-of-25). The Huskies shot 41 percent from the floor (23-of-56), and concluded the night with a 39 percentage, going 7-of-18, from deep.
The Eagles outscored the Huskies in points off turnovers (16-10), in the paint (32-20), second chance baskets (12-10), and off the bench (29-25). However, NIU held the rebounding advantage, 43-36, and dished out four more helpers than EMU (18-14). Each team tallied eight steals.
CHARITY STRIPE: The Eagles have found their way to the charity stripe 365 times so far this season, which ranks 46th in the nation and second in the MAC. EMU are averaging 22.8 free throw attempts per game. Through 16 games in 2018, the Eagles attempted 270 free throws, which is 95 less from their current total. In fact, the Green and White have had more free-throw attempts than its opponent in 12 games this year.
Converting those opportunities into points, junior Chris Barnes leads the team from the charity stripe, shooting 83.3 percent on 20-of-24, Barnes is followed by classmate Yeikson Montero and freshman Shamar Dillard who hit 76.7 (33-43) and 73.2 (30-41) percent from the free-throw line, respectively.
TOURE TAKEOFF: Redshirt senior Boubacar Toure is shooting a team leading 65.7 percent (65-for-99) from the field this year, which ranks second in the MAC. He is averaging 3.2 offensive boards a game (51), which is good for third in the Mid-American Conference. The Dakar, Senegal native has notched eight double-figure scoring performances as well as pulling down 10+ boards in eight games this season. Toure leads the team with five double-doubles with his most recent performance (14 pts., 11 rebs.) at Northern Illinois, Jan. 11. 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 is fourth in the league with 1.4 blocks per game (22 total) and has totaled 22 steals.
LAST TIME AGAINST BSU: Eastern Michigan and Ball State last met on March 11, 2019 in the opening round of the Mid-American Conference Tournament, ending in a 61-43 BSU victory inside the Convocation Center. The Eagles (15-17, 9-9 MAC) held the 29-20 advantage with 1:01 remaining in the first half, but the 11th-seeded Cardinals (16-16, 6-12 MAC) responded with a 22-4 lasting nearly 14 minutes en route to a berth in the MAC Tournament quarterfinals.
Paul Jackson paced the Green and White with 12 points, four assists, and three steals, while sophomore Kevin McAdoo contributed 11 points and three boards. Senior James Thompson IV was limited to four points, but pulled down a team-high nine rebounds, while redshirt senior Elijah Minnie recorded six points and two helpers.
It was a game of two halves as EMU shot a strong 45.8 percent (11-of-24) from the floor and 50 percent (5-of-10) from downtown during the first frame, but knocked down four field goals over the last 20 minutes. In contrast, Ball State made up for its 30.4 percent (7-of-23) first-half efficiency by finishing 53.8 percent (14-of-26) during the second stanza.
SCOUTING BSU: Led by seventh-year head coach James Whitford, Ball State enters Tuesday's contest coming off a 75-60 loss at Akron, Jan. 10. The Cardinals hold a 9-7 overall record with a 2-1 MAC mark and are 3-2 over the last five games. BSU opened MAC pay with a 61-57 victory over Toledo, Jan. 3, and then posted a convincing 88-68 win over two-time defending MAC Tournament champion Buffalo, Jan. 7.
Ball State is averaging 71.6 points per game on 43.8 percent shooting from the floor and 34.6 clip from beyond the 3-point arc, including draining a MAC-best 9.5 triples per game. Defensively, the cardinals are holding opponents to 62.2 points per game, which leads the MAC. BSU are tallying 35.8 rebounds per game, to go along with 7.4 steals and 3.4 blocks.
BSU has three players scoring in double figures led by Ishmael El-Amin with 14.6 points per game. He is shooting nearly 49 percent from the floor (80-164), including a team-best 46 percent from deep (39-85). His 39 triples leads the team, while adding 55 rebounds (4th), 40 assists (3rd), and 17 steals (3rd). Tahjai Taegue is the second Cardinal to average in double-digits, scoring 14.2 points per game. He leads the team with 8.1 rebounds a contest to go along with 23 blocks, which ranks third in the league. Kyle Mallers is also scoring in double figures with 10.2 points per game and ranks second on the team with 36 three-pointers made.
ALL-TIME VS. BSU: Tuesday's game with be the 106th meeting between Eastern Michigan and Ball State since the series started in 1947. EMU trails BSU, 62-43, in the all-time series with the Eagles winning three of the last four. EMU holds a 4-6 record over the last 10 games.
ALL-TIME VS. MAC: The Green and White hold a 337-425 program mark against Mid-American Conference teams. Eastern has played Central Michigan the most (195 times), while facing Western Michigan 111 times and Toledo 105 times. Since the 1974-75 season when Eastern started competing in the MAC, EMU has won four regular-season titles and four MAC Tournament titles (1988, 1991, 1996, 1998), which led to four NCAA Tournament appearances. Under Rob Murphy, the Eagles hold a 69-71 MAC record and clinched a MAC West title in 2012.
ON THE HORIZON: Eastern Michigan will complete the two-game homestand as it welcomes Ohio for a Mid-American Conference rematch Saturday, Jan. 18. Tip is set for 2 p.m. inside the Convo. The Eagles and Bobcats collided in Athens, Ohio, Jan. 7, when OU pulled off the 74-68 victory.
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