Men's Basketball Continues MAC Play at Bowling Green Tuesday

Men's Basketball at Bowling Green
Date	Tuesday, Jan. 21 \| 7 p.m.
Venue	Bowling Green, Ohio \| Stroh Center
Preview Info	EMU Notes
Live Stats	Fan Stats \| Media Stats
Watch	ESPN+
Radio	WEMU 89.1
Twitter	@EMUHoops \| @EMUAthletics

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team begins a Mid-American Conference road test, as the Eagles travel to Bowling Green State University Tuesday, Jan. 21. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. at the Stroh Center.
   EMU (10-8, 0-5 MAC) is still in search of its first MAC victory, as the Eagles have dropped five-straight conference matchups. Eastern Michigan was unable to keep its lead, as it fell to MAC cross-divisional opponent Ohio, 60-58, Jan. 18, inside EMU's Convocation Center. Bowling Green (13-5, 4-1 MAC) is on a four-game winning streak after dropping its first conference game against Kent State, 79-61, Jan. 3. The Falcons earned its fourth MAC victory when it defeated Northern Illinois, 66-64, Jan. 18.
   Fans can watch the action on ESPN+ or listen to WEMU (89.1 FM) where Chad Bush 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 (11.3). EMU also ranks third among Division I teams in total steals with 203. The Eagles are forcing 18.87 turnovers per game, which leads the league and ranks seventh in the nation. Eastern's scoring defense of 62.9 points per game ranks second in the conference behind Ball State (61.6 ppg).
   Individually, redshirt senior Boubacar Toure ranks second in the MAC with a 63.0 field goal percentage (71-of-112) and ranks third (48th nationally) with 3.2 offensive rebounds per game. Redshirt junior Ty Groce is leading the team with 38 steals, which ranks second in the MAC and 35th in the nation. The Ypsilanti, Mich. native also is tied-for-second in the league with 2.1 steals per contest.

NAIL-BITERS: Eastern Michigan has seen nail-biters slip from its fingers in the last three-of-four games, at Ohio (Jan. 7), at Northern Illinois (Jan. 11) , and versus Ohio (Jan. 18). 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.

WE WANT MOR(GAN): Junior Noah Morgan has come alive as he has scored in double-figures in three-straight games (16 at Northern Illinois, Jan. 11; 14 vs. Ball State, Jan. 14; 23 vs. Ohio, Jan. 18). His 23 points against Ohio set a career-high and was his 10th double-digit scoring performance of the 2019-20 season. The junior has led the Eagles in scoring in 6-of-18 games, including leading the Green and White in the last three contests.
   Morgan leads the team averaging 13.4 points per game in MAC play, while averaging 11.1 points per contest for the season, which ranks second on the team. He is shooting 44 percent (22-of-50) from the field in league play and is pulling down 4.2 rebounds per game.

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 nearly a double-double with 9.2 points and 10.4 rebounds in the five games so far in league play. He is shooting 56 percent from the floor (21-37) and has recorded six blocks. The Dakar, Senegal native notched two double-doubles in MAC play and nearly missed another one at Ohio, Jan. 11. Toure's 10.4 rebounds per game ranks second in the conference, along with his 1.2 blocks per contest is good for fifth.

CRASHIN' THE BOARDS: Boubacar Toure has pulled down 10+ rebounds in eight games this season and has led the team in rebounding 13-of-18 games this year. The redshirt senior leads the team averaging 8.5 boards per game (153 total), including 5.5 defensive and 3.2 offensive rebounds per contest. In MAC play, Toure is averaging 10.4 boards to go along with 9.2 points per game.

DOUBLE-DIGIT DEDICATION: Redshirt junior Ty Groce leads Eastern Michigan in scoring with 11.5 points per game. Junior Noah Morgan also is averaging double-figures as he is tallying 11.1 points per game, respectively. Groce is the only Eagle to reach double-digits in 12 games this year, while junior Yeikson Montero and Morgan has tallied double figures in 11 and nine, respectively. Groce posted a career-high 23 points against Valpo, Dec. 3, while Montero scored a career-best 18 points at Ohio, Jan. 7. Morgan tallied a career-best 23 points against Ohio, Jan. 18.
   In MAC play, two Eagles are averaging in double-figures in Morgan (13.4) and Montero (10.6.). Groce and redshirt senior Boubacar Toure are tallying 9.8 and 9.2 points per game, respectively, in the first five games of conference play.

FINDERS KEEPERS: The Eagles lead both the nation and Mid-American Conference with 11.3 steals per game. In-state foe Central Michigan is second in the league with 9.3. The Green and White have stolen the ball 203 times this season, including 10+ swipes in 11 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 (38 this season), which is tied-for-second in the MAC, followed closely by junior Yeikson Montero's 1.9 steals per game. Eight players have double-digit steals on the season, which includes EMU's primary starting-five: Groce (38), Montero (35), junior Noah Morgan (30), redshirt senior Boubacar Toure (24), junior Darion Spottsville (20), freshman Chris James (16), junior Chris Barnes (13), and junior Jalen King (10), respectively. Eastern Michigan is the only school in the MAC that has eight players with steals in double figures.

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 seven games. The redshirt senior has led the Eagles on the boards in 13-of-18 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 207 points (11.5 ppg). The Ypsilanti, Mich. native has hit double-digits in 12 games during the 2019-20 campaign, and in nine of 12 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; 17 vs. Ohio, Jan. 18).
   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 9.2 points per game to go along with 5.6 rebounds and 2.4 steals a contest.

SHUT 'EM DOWN: The Green and White ranks second in the MAC and 48th in the nation holding their opponents to 62.9 points per game. Ball State leads the conference in scoring defense (61.6 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.
   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 in 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 18.7 times a game, which leads the MAC and ranks seventh among Division I teams. EMU also holds a +3.3 turnover margin (18.7-15.4), which is good for second in the league and 30th in the NCAA. Eastern holds a 6-5 mark (11 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 the ball well as they have posted 10 games with 15 or less turnovers and two with less than 10.

DISHING DIMES: Four Eagles have tallied 25-or-more assists this season in Noah Morgan (33), Darion Spottsville (32), Ty Groce (30), and Yeikson Montero (26). Morgan leads the team with 1.9 helpers per game, while Spottsville, Groce and Montero are dishing out 1.8, 1.7, and 1.4, respectively.
   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 seven times this season. Spottsville registered seven of the team's 12 assists in the game against Concordia, Dec. 20, while Groce notched a career-high five helpers. He has led the Eagles in assists six times during the 2019-20 campaign.

.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 63.0 percent on 71-of-112 shooting, which ranks second among MAC players. 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. The Dakar, Senegal native is followed by junior Jalen King at 50.0 percent (14-of-28).

BOXOUT: Eastern Michigan ranks sixth in the MAC in rebounding defense, holding the opposition to 336.6 rebounds per game this season. The league is led by Ohio with 33.5 and then followed by Ball State (34.3), Kent State (35.1), Northern Illinois (35.5), and Akron (36.3), 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 eight losses this season, EMU has been outrebounded by 10 or more in four of them (-10 at UC Irvine, Nov.30; -10 at Michigan State, Dec. 21; -20 at UNLV, Dec. 28; -12 vs. Ohio, Jan. 18).

LAST TIME OUT: Eastern Michigan is still in search of its first Mid-American Conference victory as the Eagles were defeated by Ohio, 60-58, Jan. 18, inside the Convocation Center. Junior Noah Morgan led the Eagles' comeback bid, scoring 18 straight points for the Green and White late in the second half.
   Eastern Michigan (10-8; 0-5 MAC) fell short to Ohio (10-8; 2-3 MAC) after a strong second-half showing by the Bobcats. The visitors finished 20-of-53 (37.7 percent) from the floor, narrowly out-shooting the Eagles' 34.4 percent (22-of-64) field-goal percentage.
   Morgan conducted the Eagles offense with a career-high 23 points and drained nine successful field-goal attempts. He would also go 4-for-5 from the line, attain five rebounds, and two assists. Redshirt junior Ty Groce ended his day with 17 points, shooting 6-of-14 from the field, while setting a season-high from beyond the arc with three triples and finishing a perfect 2-of-2 from the charity stripe. Morgan and Groce each posted their 10th multi-steal game of the season as they snatched two and three, respectively.

ALL-TIME VS. BOWLING GREEN: Tuesday's game marks the 94th meeting between Eastern Michigan and Bowling Green. EMU trails BGSU, 50-43, in the all-time series, which dates back to the 1915-16 season. The Falcons are on a three-game winning streak over the Eagles and hold the 10-game advantage with ea 6-4 mark. Eastern Michigan is 14-30 on the road at Bowling Green.

SCOUTING BOWLING GREEN: Led by fifth-year head coach and Bowling Green alum Michael Huger, BGSU enters Tuesday's game coming off a 66-64 victory over Northern Illinois, Jan. 18. The hold a 13-5 overall record and are 4-1 in the Mid-American Conference. BGSU has won its last four game and boast a 7-3 mark over the last 10 games.
   Bowling Green has three players averaging double-digit scoring, who is led by Justin Tuner (16.8 ppg). He is followed by Dylan Frye (14.5) and Daeqwon Plowden ( 13.3), respectively. Frye leads the team with 39 triples, while Plowden is averaging a team-best 7.8 rebounds per game.
BGSU is averaging 75.9 points per game and are shooting 42.4 percent (494-1165) from the field, while holding opponents to 72.1 points per game. The Falcons are dishing out 12.8 assists per game and puling down 40.5 rebounds per game.

CHARITY STRIPE: The Eagles have found their way to the charity stripe 411 times so far this season, which ranks 39th in the nation and second in the MAC. EMU is averaging 22.8 free throw attempts per game, which ranks second in the league behind Central Michigan (22.9). Through 18 games in 2018, the Eagles attempted 297 free throws, which is 114 less from their current total. In fact, the Green and White have had more free-throw attempts than its opponent in 13 games this year.
   Converting those opportunities into points, junior Chris Barnes leads the team from the charity stripe, shooting 80 percent on 20-of-25, Barnes is followed by freshman Shamar Dillard and junior Yeikson Montero who hit 75 (33-44) and 74 (37-50) percent from the free-throw line, respectively.

TOURE TAKEOFF: Redshirt senior Boubacar Toure is shooting a team leading 63.0 percent (71-112) from the field this year, which ranks second in the MAC. He is averaging 3.2 offensive boards a game (57), 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 (23 total) and has totaled 24 steals.

ALL-TIME VS. MAC: The Green and White hold a 337-427 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 69-73 MAC record and clinched a MAC West title in 2012.

ON THE HORIZON: Eastern Michigan will travel to Oxford, Ohio, to challenge MAC East Division opponent Miami University Saturday, Jan. 25. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m.

Men's Basketball Continues MAC Play at Bowling Green Tuesday

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Players Mentioned

Chris Barnes

Shamar Dillard

Ty Groce

Chris James

Jalen King

Yeikson Montero

Noah Morgan

Darion Spottsville

Boubacar Toure

Eastern Michigan Athletics