It's #MACtion Time: Men's Hoops Begin Conference Play Against Akron

Men's Basketball vs. Akron
Date	Saturday, Jan. 4 \| 12 p.m.
Venue	Ypsilanti, Mich. \| Convocation Center
Preview Info	EMU Notes
Live Stats	Fan Stats \| Media Stats
Watch	ESPN +
Radio	WEMU 89.1
Twitter	@EMUHoops \| @EMUAthletics

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team rings in 2020 and opens Mid-American Conference play against the University of Akron Saturday, Jan. 4, inside the Convocation Center. Tip is set for 12:04 p.m.
   EMU finished the non-conference slate and the decade with a 88-53 victory over Concordia University-Ann Arbor, Dec. 30, inside the Convocation Center improving to a 10-3 record. The Zips also hold a 10-3 mark coming into Saturday's game off a 85-79 win over UMass, Dec. 30.
   Fans can watch the action on ESPN+ with Ryan Wooley and Tom Helmer 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.

AMONG THE LEADING LEADERS: Eastern Michigan leads both the nation and the Mid-American Conference in total steals (151) and steals per game (11.6). EMU also ranks first in the MAC and fifth among Division I teams with 20.0 forced turnovers per game. The Eagles' scoring defense of 60.7 points per game also leads the league and ranks 28th in the NCAA, along with their 312 free-throw attempts is good for second in the MAC.
   Individually, redshirt senior Boubacar Toure sits third in the MAC and 57th nationally with 3.2 offensive rebounds per game. The Dakar, Senegal native also ranks fourth in the league in both blocks per game (1.3) and total blocks (17). Redshirt junior Ty Groce is leading the team with 26 steals, which ranks third in the MAC and 59th in the nation. The Ypsilanti, Mich. native also sit fourth in the league in the following categories: steals per game (2.0), free throw attempts (67), and free throws made (48).

TIME FOR #MACtion: Saturday's contest against Akron will begin EMU's 18-game conference schedule and posts the 759th Mid-American Conference game Eastern Michigan history. The Eagles will compete in the MAC West facing Ball State, Central Michigan, Northern Illinois, Toledo, and Western Michigan twice during the conference slate. The Eagles will also face Akron and Ohio twice, while only seeing Bowling Green, Buffalo, Kent State and Miami once.
   The Green and White holds a 337-422 program MAC record. Since the 1974-75 season, the Eagles hold a 19-26 mark in MAC openers and a 10-10 record in conference opening contests in Ypsilanti.
   Under Head Coach Rob Murphy, the Eagles are 69-69 in league play and hold a 9-9 record in MAC openers.

IN HOT PURSUIT: The Eagles hold a 10-3 overall record to start the 2019-20 campaign; 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 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.

SHUT 'EM DOWN: The Green and White leads the MAC and ranks 28th in the nation holding their opponents to 60.7 points per game. 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 sixth in the MAC with a scoring margin of +7.2.
   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.

CREEPING TOWARDS THE POLLS: Eastern Michigan received points for the third-straight week for the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 Poll in its most recent release, the week of Dec. 30. The Eagles earned
21 points this week, 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 Dec. 30, with Kent State ranking 11th with Bowling Green and Buffalo ranking 19th and 23rd, respectively. Along with EMU (21 points), two other conference institutions received votes this week: Toledo (46) and Akron (43).

PRESSURE LEADS TO TURNOVERS: The Eastern Michigan defense is forcing opponents to turn the ball over 20.0 times a game, which leads the MAC and ranks fifth among Division I teams. EMU also holds a +4.85 turnover margin (20.0-15.2), which is good for second in the league and 19th in the NCAA.
   Eastern holds a 6-3 mark (nine games) when it forces more opponents turnovers. In addition, the EMU's defensive pressure has forced 20+ opponent turnovers in six games this season.
   The Eagles are protecting ball well as they have posted 11 games with less than 20 turnovers and two with less than 10.

DARION DISHING DIMES: Junior Darion Spottsville is the general on the court for the Eagles, leading the team with 29 assists (2.2 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.

FINDERS KEEPERS: The Eagles currently 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 9.92. The Green and White have stolen the ball 151 times this season, including 22 times against Goshen, Nov. 11, which leads the MAC for single game performances, and 20 times versus Concordia, Dec. 30. The 15 steals against UMBC, Nov. 22, in the Jamaica Classic, tied for the most in Classic history.
   Redshirt junior Ty Groce leads the team with 2.0 steals per game (26 this season - ranks third in the MAC), good for fourth in the conference, followed closely by junior Yeikson Montero's 1.6 steals per game.
   Seven players have double-digit steals on the season, Groce (26), Montero (21), junior Noah Morgan (21), redshirt senior Boubacar Toure (19), junior Darion Spottsville (17), freshman Chris James (14), and junior Chris Barnes has 11, respectively.

BOXOUT: Eastern Michigan ranks fourth in the MAC in rebounding defense, holding the opposition to 35.1 rebounds per game this season. The league is led by Ohio with 32.3 and then followed by Ball State (33.6) and Northern Illinois (34.2), respectively.
   The Eagles have outrebounded their opponents in seven games this year, including two with a double-digit margin (+23 vs. Goshen, Nov. 12; +16 vs. Michigan-Dearborn, Nov. 14). In the three losses this season, EMU has been outrebounded by 10 or more (-10 at UC Irvine, Nov.30; -10 at Michigan State, Dec. 21; -20 at UNLV, Dec. 28).

.600 OR BETTER: The Eagles have two players that are shooting 60 percent-or-better from the field. The Green and White are led by redshirt senior Boubacar Toure, hitting at 66.7 percent on 50-of-75 shooting. The Dakar, Senegal native is followed by junior Jalen King at 60.9 percent (14-of-23).
   Toure has shot over 70 percent from the field (min. 7 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.

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.

LAST TIME OUT: EMU concluded the non-conference portion of its schedule with a comfortable win over Concordia, Dec. 30. The Eagles (10-3) snapped a brief two-game slide and improved to 7-0 against the Cardinals (5-11).
   Redshirt senior Boubacar Toure was among four Eagles to reach double-digits in points, leading the team with 14 points on 7-of-9 shooting, while adding two boards, an assist, a block and a steal. Meanwhile, junior Thomas Binelli added 12 points off the bench, going 4-of-8 from beyond the arc and setting career-highs in minutes (20) and rebounds (5).
   Redshirt junior Ty Groce tallied 11 points, and led the Green and White with nine boards, four steals, and a career-high five assists, while fellow redshirt junior Chris Barnes hit double-digits for the first time since taking on UC Irvine exactly one month prior, Nov. 30, as he also showed 11 points and recorded one swipe.
   Eastern shot the lights out during the opening frame, setting a season-high for points in a single half with 52 on the strength of a 61.8 field-goal percentage. EMU finished 51.5 percent (35-of-68) from the field and held the advantage in points in the paint (46-12), steals (18-3), points off turnovers (33-7), and assists (20-9).

DOUBLE-DIGIT DEDICATION: Eastern Michigan is being led by two players averaging double-digits in scoring. Redshirt junior Ty Groce leads the team with 12.2 points per game, while junior Noah Morgan is scoring 10.2.
   Groce is the only Eagle to reach double-digits in nine games this year, while junior Yeikson Montero has tallied double figures in eight content. Groce posted a career-high 23 points against Valpo, Dec.3, while Montero scored a career-best 16 points at Detroit Merct, Dec.7. Morgan has reached double-figure scoring in seven games in 2019 and tallied a career-best 21 points versus Valpo.

TY TEARING THROUGH: Redshirt junior Ty Groce is thriving this season, leading the team with 158 points (12.2 ppg) through 13 games. The Ypsilanti, Mich. native has hit double-digits in nine games in 2019-20, and in six of the last seven 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).
   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, 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.
   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.

CHARITY STRIPE: The Eagles have found their way to the charity stripe 312 times so far this season, which ranks 23rd in the nation and second in the MAC. Through 13 games in 2018, the Eagles attempted 206 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 11 games this year, holding a 1.7 margin against the opposition.
   Converting those opportunities into points, junior Chris Barnes leads the team from the charity stripe, shooting 85.7 percent on 18-of-21, Barnes is followed by freshman Shamar Dillard who hits 73.3 percent from the free-throw line, sinking 22-of-30.

TOURE TAKEOFF: Redshirt senior Boubacar Toure is shooting a team leading 66.7 percent (50-75) from the field this year, and averaging 3.2 offensive boards a game (41), 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 17 and blocks per game (1.3).

STRAIGHT DEALIN': EMU was straight dealin' with its third 20-assist game of the 2019-20 season. The Eagles tallied 20 assists against Siena Heights, Nov. 8, Goshen, Nov. 12, and Concordia, Dec.30.
   Most recently against the Cardinals, redshirt junior Ty Groce led the team with a career-high five dimes, while freshman Shamar Dillard and junior Noah Morgan each had three, respectively.
   This is the first time the Eagles have had three games with 20-or-more assists under the Rob Murphy era.

LAST TIME AGAINST AKRON: Eastern Michigan and Akron last met on Jan. 15, 2018, ending in a 51-49 UA victory in Akron, Ohio. The Eagles fell on a last-second shot attempt that rattled the rim, which gave EMU its second MAC loss of the season (8-9, 2-2).
   The Green and White shot 44 percent from the field (22-50) and posted a 20 percentage from beyond the arc (3-15). Eastern dominated the game inside the paint, outscoring Akron 34-16 while also holding the rebounding advantage, 35-25. Paul Jackson and Boubacar Toure led the Eagles scoring 15 points a piece. Toure finished with 10 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the season and James Thompson IV lead all players with 11 boards.

SCOUTING AKRON: Led by third-year head coach John Groce, Akron enters Saturday's game coming off a 85-79 win over UMass, Dec. 30. The Zips hold a 10-3 overall record and have won six of the last seven contests.
   UA has four players averaging double-digit scoring, which is led by Loren Cristian Jackson (15.6 ppg). He is followed by Tyler Cheese (14.1), Xeyrius Williams (13.7) and Channel Banks (13.0), respectively. Banks leads the team with 42 triples and shots 48.8 percent ( 42-86) from deep; while Williams is just shy of double-figure rebounding with 9.9 boards per game.
   The Zips averages 76.2 points per game and are shooting 43.1 percent from the floor (329-763), while dishing our 14.6 assists per contest. On the defensive side, Akron is holding their opponents to 64.5 points per game with a 26.8 shooting percentage from the three-line line.

ALL-TIME VS. AKRON: Eastern Michigan trails Akron, 29-22, in the all-time series, which dates back to the 1967-68 season. The Eagles have won two of the last three games over the Zips, but trail 7-3 in the last 10 games. Eastern Michigan posted a nine-game winning streak over Akron from 1993-1997 and the Eagles has only won eight games since. Over the 51-game series, EMU and UA have had 18 nail-biters with the scoring margin of 10 points or less. Of those 18 games, eight of those have been by three points or less with EMU winning five of those eight.

ALL-TIME VS. MAC: The Green and White hold a 337-422 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 69-69 MAC record and clinched a MAC West title in 2012.
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 continues Mid-American Conference play with a two-game road trip starting with a visit to Athens, Ohio to take on the Ohio University Bobcats on Tuesday, Jan. 7 at 7 p.m. The Eagles trail Ohio, 26-49, in the all-time series.

It's #MACtion Time: Men's Hoops Begin Conference Play Against Akron

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Players Mentioned

Chris Barnes

Thomas Binelli

Tim Bond

Shamar Dillard

Ty Groce

Paul Jackson

Chris James

Jalen King

Yeikson Montero

Noah Morgan

Darion Spottsville

James Thompson IV

Boubacar Toure

Eastern Michigan Athletics