Eagles Welcome Toledo Saturday for MAC West Matchup

Men's Basketball vs. Toledo
Date	Saturday, Feb. 1 \| 2 p.m.
Venue	Ypsilanti, Mich. \| Convocation Center
Preview Info	EMU Notes
Live Stats	Fan Stats \| Media Stats
Watch	ESPN3
Radio	WEMU 89.1
Twitter	@EMUHoops \| @EMUAthletics

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team welcomes the University of Toledo to the Convocation Center, for a Mid-American Conference West Division bout Saturday, Feb. 1. Tipoff is slated for 2 p.m.
   EMU (10-10, 0-7 MAC) continues to search for its first MAC victory of the season, as the Green and White have dropped seven-straight conference matchups. The Eagles' last minute rally came up short, as it fell to MAC cross-divisional opponent Miami, 73-68 inside Millett Hall, Jan. 25. Toledo (11-10, 3-5 MAC) enters Saturday's game coming off a 83-70 loss to Kent State, Jan. 28.
   Fans can watch the action on ESPN3 with Ryan Wooley and Greg Steiner 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 ranks second in the nation and leads the Mid-American Conference in steals per game (11.0). EMU also ranks fourth among Division I teams in total steals with 219. The Eagles are forcing 18.0 turnovers per game, which leads the league and ranks 12th in the nation. EMU has attempted 457 free throws which leads the conference and ranks 46th in the nation. Eastern's scoring defense of 63.4 points per game ranks second in the conference behind Ball State (62.4 ppg).
   Individually, redshirt senior Boubacar Toure ranks second in the MAC with a 65.9 field goal percentage (83-of-126) and ranks third (40th nationally) with 3.3 offensive rebounds per game. The Dakar, Senegal native is also tied for third in the conference in rebounds per game with 8.9 and fourth in the conference with 30 blocks. Redshirt junior Ty Groce is leading the team with 40 steals, which ranks second in the MAC and 43rd in the nation. The Ypsilanti, Mich. native also is third in the league with 2.0 steals per contest.

NAIL-BITERS: Eastern Michigan has seen nail-biters slip from its fingers in the last five-of-six games, at Ohio (Jan. 7), at Northern Illinois (Jan. 11), versus Ohio (Jan. 18), at Bowling Green (Jan. 21), and at Miami (Jan. 25). EMU lost all four 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.

COACHES POWERING FORWARD: Eastern Michigan men's basketball coaches and staff will participate in Coaches Powering Forward by wearing blue puzzle pins to spread awareness and support Autism Speaks. On the weekend of Jan. 31, Feb. 1 & 2, coaches from around the country will be raising money for autism through Coaches Powering Forward for Autism benefiting Autism Speaks. Coaches will also be wearing the blue puzzle piece pin on their suit jackets during the games this weekend. This is part of college basketball's autism awareness weekend, an effort started by Towson head men's basketball coach Pat Skerry and USF assistant men's basketball coach Tom Herrion. It has since gone national with support from the NABC and Autism Speaks.

FOR THREE: Junior Thomas Binelli posted a career-day in a 73-68 loss at Miami, Jan. 25. Binelli scored a career-high 17 points and drained five 3-pointers in 35 minutes of play. The 17-point performance is Binelli's first time leading the Eagles in scoring and the fifth-time he has scored in double-figures. The Bologna, Italy native leads the team with 26 triples and is averaging 7.5 points per game.

CAREER DAY FOR SPOTTSVILLE: Junior Darion Spottsville scored a career-best 12 points in a 73-68 loss at Miami, Jan. 25. This is the first time Spottsville scored in double-digits this season. The Phoenix, Ariz. native went 3-of-4 from the field and drained six from the charity stripe against the RedHawks.

DOUBLE-DOUBLE TROUBLE: Despite a 73-68 loss at Miami, Jan. 25, redshirt senior Boubacar Toure posted his seventh double-double of the season with 16 points and 12 rebounds. The Dakar, Senegal native has pulled down double-figure rebounds in 10 games this year, including six of the last nine games. The redshirt senior has led the Eagles on the boards in 15-of-20 games in the 2019-20 campaign. Toure has tallied 15 double-doubles in his EMU career.

WE WANT MOR(GAN): Junior Noah Morgan has come alive as he has scored in double-figures in four of the last five games (16 at Northern Illinois, Jan. 11; 14 vs. Ball State, Jan. 14; 23 vs. Ohio, Jan. 18; 16 at Bowling Green, Jan. 21). 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-20 games, including leading the Green and White in the last three-of-five contests.
   Morgan leads the team averaging 12.4 points per game in MAC play, while averaging 11.0 points per contest for the season. He is shooting 39 percent (28-of-71) from the field in league play and is pulling down 4.0 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 a double-double with 11.3 points and 11.0 rebounds in the seven games so far in league play. Toure is one-of-three student-athletes in the MAC who are averaging a double-double in conference play. Toledo's Willie Jackson leads the league with 12.9 rebounds per game to go along with 13.1 points a game, while Ball State's Tahjai Teague is tallying 11.0 rebounds and 17.2 points per game, respectively.
   Toure is shooting 64 percent from the floor (33-of-51) and has recorded 13 blocks. The Dakar, Senegal native notched four double-doubles in MAC play and nearly missed another one at Ohio, Jan. 11. Toure's 11.0 rebounds per game is tied-for-second in the conference, along with his 1.9 blocks per contest is also good for second.

FINDERS KEEPERS: The Eagles ranks second in the nation and leads the Mid-American Conference with 11.0 steals per game. In-state foe Central Michigan is second in the league with 9.7. The Green and White have stolen the ball 219 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 2.0 steals per game (40 this season), which ranks third in the MAC, followed closely by junior Yeikson Montero's 1.9 steals per game. Nine players have double-digit steals on the season, which includes EMU's primary starting-five: Groce (40), Montero (37), junior Noah Morgan (33), redshirt senior Boubacar Toure (26), junior Darion Spottsville (23), freshman Chris James (16), junior Chris Barnes (14), and juniors Jalen King and Thomas Binelli each have 10, respectively. Eastern Michigan is one-of-two schools (Kent State) in the MAC that has nine players with steals in double figures with Central Michigan close behind with seven players, respectively.

STEAL MACHINES: The Eagles are averaging 11.0 steals per game with redshirt junior Ty Groce, and juniors Noah Morgan and Yeikson Montero are leading EMU in swipes this season. Groce leads the way with 40 steals and has recorded at least one steal in 17 games this season. Morgan has totaled one swipe in 18 games this year, while Montero has tallied at least one in 17, respectively.

BLOCK PARTY: Eastern Michigan ranks fourth in the Mid-American Conference with 68 blocks this season. Redshirt senior Boubacar Toure leads the team with 30 swats and is averaging 1.5 blocks per game, which is good for fourth in the conference. The Dakar, Senegal tied a career-high in blocks (4) at Miami, Jan. 25. Junior Jalen King and redshirt junior Ty Groce also have tallied double-digit blocks this season with 14 each.

GIBBS MAKES DEBUT: Freshman Marcus Gibbs made his EMU debut against Ohio, Jan. 18, in nine minutes of play. The Detroit native pulled down his first career rebounds in a 60-58 loss against the Bobcats. Gibbs saw more game action at Bowling Green, Jan. 21, and scored his first collegiate points at the charity stripe to push the Eagles away by one before eventually falling to the Falcons by three (62-59). The freshman finished the evening in Bowling Green with four points.

CRASHIN' THE BOARDS: Boubacar Toure has pulled down 10+ rebounds in 10 games this season and has led the team in rebounding 15-of-20 games this year. The redshirt senior leads the team averaging 8.9 boards per game (178 total), including 5.6 defensive and 3.3 offensive rebounds per contest. In MAC play, Toure is averaging 11.0 boards to go along with 11.3 points per game.

DOUBLE-DIGIT DEDICATION: Redshirt junior Ty Groce leads Eastern Michigan in scoring with 11.2 points per points, while junior Noah Morgan and redshirt senior Boubacar Toure are averaging 11.0 and 10.1, respectively. Groce is the only Eagle to reach double-digits in 13 games this year, while Morgan and junior Yeikson Montero have each tallied double figures in 11 games, 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 (12.4) and Toure (11.3). Montero and Groce are tallying 9.4 each, respectively, in the first seven games of conference play.

versaTYle: Redshirt junior Ty Groce has proven to be a versatile player on the floor. He leads the team with 224 points (11.2 ppg). The Ypsilanti, Mich. native has hit double-digits in 13 games during the 2019-20 campaign, and in six of the last nine 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; 10 at Miami, Jan. 25).
   Groce has led the Green and White in scoring in eight games this season, including a career-high 23 points versus Valpo, Dec. 3. The forward 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.
   In conference, the redshirt junior is recording 9.4 points per game to go along with 5.6 rebounds and 2.3 steals a contest.

PRESSURE LEADS TO TURNOVERS: The Eastern Michigan defense is forcing opponents to turn the ball over 18.0 times a game, which leads the MAC and ranks 12th among Division I teams. EMU also holds a +2.5 turnover margin (18.0-15.5), which is good for second in the league and 54th 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 11 games with 15 or less turnovers and two with less than 10.

SHUT 'EM DOWN: The Green and White ranks second in the MAC and 44th in the nation holding their opponents to 63.4 points per game. Ball State leads the conference in scoring defense (62.1 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.

DISHING DIMES: Five Eagles have tallied 25-or-more assists this season in juniors Darion Spottsville (36) and Noah Morgan (33), redshirt junior Ty Groce (32), junior Yeikson Montero (28), and redshirt junior Chris Barnes (25). Spottsville leads the team with 1.8 helpers per game, while Morgan, Groce and Montero are dishing out 1.8, 1.6, 1.4, and 1.3, respectively.
   Spottsville registered seven of the team's 12 assists at Detroit Mercy, Dec. 7 and has led the Eagles in assists six times this season. Groce notched a career-high five helpers. Groce 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 five 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 65.9 percent on 83-of-126 shooting, which ranks second among MAC players. Toure has shot over 70 percent from the field (min. seven attempts) in eight games this season. His season-high of 80.0 percent (8-of-10) was hit at Bowling Green, Jan. 21. The Dakar, Senegal native is followed by junior Jalen King at 50.0 percent (14-of-28). King drained five field-goals (on seven attempts) in the season-opener against Siena Heights, Nov. 8.

CHARITY STRIPE: The Eagles have found their way to the charity stripe 457 times so far this season, which ranks 46th in the nation and first in the MAC. EMU is averaging 22.9 free throw attempts per game, which leads in the league with Central Michigan following with 22.8, respectively. Through 20 games in 2018, the Eagles attempted 346 free throws, which is 111 less from their current total. In fact, the Green and White have had more free-throw attempts than its opponent in 15 games this year.
   Converting those opportunities into points, junior Chris Barnes leads the team from the charity stripe, shooting 81.5 percent on 22-of-27, Barnes is followed by classmate Yeikson Montero and redshirt junior Ty Groce who hit 75 (39-52) and 72 (61-84) percent from the free-throw line, respectively.

TOURE TAKEOFF: Redshirt senior Boubacar Toure is shooting a team leading 65.9 percent (83-of-126) from the field this year, which ranks second in the MAC. He is averaging 3.3 offensive boards a game (66), which is good for third in the Mid-American Conference. The Dakar, Senegal native has notched 10 double-figure scoring performances as well as pulling down 10+ boards in 10 games this season. Toure leads the team with seven double-doubles with his most recent performance (16 pts., 12 rebs.) at Miami Jan. 25.
   The redshirt senior has been efficient while shooting, but also anchors the Eagles' 2-3 zone, having tied his career-high in blocks (4) against the RedHawks, Jan. 25. The redshirt senior center ranks fourth in the league with 1.5 blocks per game (40 total) and has totaled 26 steals.

LAST TIME OUT: Another hard-fought fight came up short, as Eastern Michigan dropped a 73-68 affair in Mid-American Conference action to Miami, Jan. 25, inside Millett Hall.
    The Eagles (10-10, 0-7 MAC) trailed by five (65-60) with four minutes left in the second half. However, Eastern Michigan responded with a 6-2 run over three and a half minutes with junior Darion Spottsville draining two clutch free throws to cut Miami's (9-11, 2-5 MAC) lead to one (69-68) with 30 ticks left in the game. The RedHawks were able to hold off the Eagles by sealing the 73-69 victory with a fastbreak layup and two free throws down the stretch.
    Four Eagles recorded double-figure scoring performances, as junior Thomas Binelli led EMU with a career-high 17 points, including five triples. Redshirt senior Boubacar Toure was the second Eagle to reach double digits, as he finished the day with 16 points to go along with 12 rebounds – his seventh double-double of the season. Spottsville added 12 points with four assists and redshirt junior Ty Groce added 10 points and pulled down six rebounds.
   EMU shot nearly 46 percent (21-of-46) from the field, and struggled from the three-point line in the second half, ending the day with 28.6 clip (6-of-21). The Eagle went 5-of-12 (41.7 percent) from deep in the first half. The RedHawks edged EMU in both categories, as Miami finished with a 48.3 efficiency (28-of-58) from the field and made 9-of-26 (35 percent) from beyond the arc.

ALL-TIME VS. TOLEDO: Saturday's game marks the 108th meeting between Eastern Michigan and Toledo. EMU trails UT, 54-53, in the all-time series, which dates back to the 1917-18 season. The two teams split the series during the 2018-19 season. The Eagles claimed the first contest last year defeating Toledo, 76-69, Feb. 19, 2019. But, the Rockets posted the victory, 64-58, March 8, 2019 inside Savage Arena.
   The Eagles hold a 6-4 advantage over the last 10 games and are 30-19 inside the Convocation Center. Eastern Michigan is 11-11 in the Rob Murphy era.

SCOUTING TOLEDO: Led by 10th-year head coach Tod Kowalczyk, Toledo enters Saturday's game coming off a 83-70 loss to Kent State, Jan. 28. The Rockets hold a 11-10 overall record and are 3-5 in the Mid-American Conference.
   Toledo has four players averaging in double figures, who is led by Marreon Jackson with 19.5 points per game. He is followed by Luke Knapke (16.1), Willie Jackson (11.8), and Spencer Littleson (10.8), respectively. Willie Jackson is grabbing a team-best 12.4 rebounds, which leads the MAC, while Marreon Jackson have drained a team-high 63 triples.
   The Rockets are averaging 77.0 points per game and are shooting 44.1 percent (548-1244) from the field, while holding opponents to 70.9 points a contest. UT is grabbing 39.0 rebounds per game, and is dishing out 15.4 assists per game.

ALL-TIME VS. MAC: The Green and White hold a 337-429 program mark against Mid-American Conference teams. Eastern has played Central Michigan the most (195 times), while facing Western Michigan 111 times and Toledo 107 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 70-77 MAC record and clinched a MAC West title in 2012.

ON THE HORIZON: Eastern Michigan will continue its two-game homestand by welcoming the Buffalo Bulls to the Convocation Center Tuesday, Feb. 4. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.

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Players Mentioned

Chris Barnes

Thomas Binelli

Marcus Gibbs

Ty Groce

Chris James

Jalen King

Yeikson Montero

Noah Morgan

Darion Spottsville

Boubacar Toure

Eastern Michigan Athletics