Eastern Michigan Athletics
Wednesday, November 25
East Lansing, Mich.
6 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
at
Michigan State
Photo by: Steve King/KingStudios
Men's Basketball Opens Season at Nationally Ranked Michigan State
11/23/2020 3:01:00 PM | Men's Basketball
The Eagles will take on the Spartans at 6 p.m. on Nov. 25
| Men's Basketball at No. 13/12 Michigan State | |
| Date | Wednesday, Nov. 25 | 6 p.m. ET |
| Venue | East Lansing, Mich. | Breslin Center |
| Preview Info | EMU Notes |
| Live Stats | Fan Stats | Media Stats |
| Watch | Big Ten Network |
| Listen | WEMU (89.1FM) | TuneIn Radio | Podcast |
| @EMU_MBB | @EMUAthletics | |
| Attendance Information | No general public attendance will be allowed |
EAST LANSING, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- After nearly eight months of no sporting events due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team will finally suit up for the 2020-21 season as the Eagles travel 75 miles northwest to East Lansing, Mich. to take on No. 13/12 Michigan State University Wednesday, Nov. 25. Tipoff is slated for 6 p.m. inside the Breslin Center.
The game will be broadcast on Big Ten Network with Dave Revsine providing the play-by-play and Jess Settles serving as the analyst. WEMU (89.1 FM) will also air the contest with Tom Helmer and Greg Steiner on the call. As always, fans can follow along on EMUEagles.com/livestats or on Twitter by following @EMU_MBB.
STARTING WITH A WIN: Eastern Michigan has compiled a 73-49 record in season openers over its 122 seasons of basketball, including an 8-1 mark in opening games during the Rob Murphy era.
The Green and White defeated Siena Heights, 93-51, to begin last year's campaign. Then-redshirt junior Ty Groce led EMU with 15 points, while adding four rebounds and a pair of assists; while then-freshman Chris James added 13 points off the bench, going 4-of-5 from downtown.
LAST TIME VS. MSU: The last time the Eagles and Spartans collided was last season, Dec. 21, ending in a 101-48 Michigan State victory. MSU held EMU without a basket until the 12:14 mark of the first half, while making 54 percent of its shots and holding the Eagles to 19 percent shooting in the opening 20 minutes.
Then redshirt-junior Ty Groce led the Green and White with nine points to go along with five rebounds. Recent graduate Boubacar Toure added seven points to join his six rebounds and a pair of steals. Then-freshman Chris James posted a career-high four steals along with six points, shooting a perfect 4-of-4 from the free throw line.
SCOUTING MICHIGAN STATE: Led by 26-year Head Coach Tom Izzo, Michigan State enters the 2020-21 season ranked No. 13 in the Associated Press Top-25 and No. 12 in the USA Today Coaches poll. The Spartans finished the 2019-20 season with a 22-9 overall record with a 14-6 Big Ten mark, which tied for first in the conference.
Junior forward Aaron Henry, a 2020-21 Preseason All-Big Ten Team honoree, is the team's leading returner in points (10.0 ppg), rebounds (4.6 rpg), assists (2.9 apg), and steals (0.83 spg). MSU also welcomes back sophomore guard Rocket Watts who averaged 9.0 points per game a year ago, and sophomore forward Malik Hall who shot 53.6 percent (52-of-97) from the field in 2019-20.
The Spartans lost Cassius Winston and Xavier Tillman to graduation. Winston led MSU last season, averaging 18.6 points per game, while Tillman posted a double-double (13.7 ppg, 10.3 rpg).
ALL-TIME VS. MICHIGAN STATE: Wednesday's game in East Lansing will be the 35th all-time meeting between Eastern and Michigan State. EMU trails MSU 4-30 in the all-time series, which started during the 1899-1900 season. The Green and White posted a 5-1 victory over MSU.
Eastern's last win over the Spartans came during the 1987-88 season, where EMU bested MSU, 84-80, in overtime.
ALL-TIME VS. BIG TEN: The Green and White hold a 12-73 all-time record against Big Ten Conference opponents, with most of the wins coming against in-state foes, Michigan State (4-30) and Michigan (3-27). The only winning record that EMU has in the Big Ten conference comes against Penn State where the Eagles hold a 2-1 record.
The most recent win against a Big Ten opponent was on Dec. 9, 2014, when the Eagles defeated the Wolverines 45-42 at Crisler Center.
OPENING ON THE ROAD: Eastern Michigan has tallied a 14-28 record when opening a season on the road. The last time the Eagles were on the road to start a campaign was in 2016 when EMU traveled to Pittsburgh, Nov. 11, and fell to the Panthers, 93-90, in double overtime.
Wednesday's game at Michigan State is the second time EMU is beginning a season on the road in the Rob Murphy era.
BACK FOR MORE: The Eagles welcome back key returners in redshirt senior Ty Groce, and seniors Thomas Binelli, Yeikson Montero, Noah Morgan, and Darion Spottsville. Last season, Groce was one of two Eagles to play in and start all 32 games and averaged a team-best 11.5 points per game, as well as 5.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists, in 31.8 minutes per game. The Ypsilanti, Mich. finished the 2019-20 season tied for third in the Mid-American Conference with 1.8 steals per game, totaling 56.
Binelli served as the Eagles' three-point threat as he appeared in 25 games last year, shooting 31.3 percent from beyond the arc with 57 triples. Montero returns after seeing action in all 32 games a year ago. The Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic native averaged 9.4 points per game and co-led the team with 56 total steals. Morgan also played in all 32 games in 2019-20 and ranked third on the squad averaging 10.0 points per game last season. Spottsville, Eastern's primary point guard, made 29 starts and led the team with 77 assists (2.4 apg) last year.
NEW FACES: Eastern Michigan Head Coach Rob Murphy and the Eagles welcome five newcomers, four transfers and one walk-on, to the 2020-21 team over the summer. EMU added sophomore Drew Lowder, redshirt senior James Love III, junior Bryce McBride, senior Axel Okongo, and freshman Andrew Wells.
Lowder arrives in Ypsilanti after spending one season at Holy Cross where he averaged 14.1 points per game with a 43.6 field-goal percentage (65-of-149) last year. Love III, a transfer from Kansas State, missed the majority of the 2019-20 season due to injury.
McBride joins the EMU squad after playing a season at Dyersburg Community College (Tenn.). He was named an NJCAAA All-American Honorable Mention and shot 52.8 percent from the field. Okongo, a 7-foot transfer from Missouri, appeared in eight games for the Tigers last season, averaging 3.8 minutes per game off the bench.
OFFENSE RETURNS: Despite the loss of Boubacar Toure to graduation and others to transferring last season, the Eagles are returning 70.9 percent (1,473) of its scoring production from last season. Toure ranked second on the team last season averaging 10.7 points per game. However, redshirt senior Ty Groce returns to the 2020-21 roster after scoring 11.5 points per game (367 points) a year ago, while seniors Noah Morgan, Yeikson Montero, and Thomas Binelli added 10.0, 9.4, and 8.6 points a contest, respectively.
MAC PRESEASON POLL: Eastern was picked to finish eighth in the Mid-American Conference as the league office announced its 2020-21 preseason coaches' poll, Nov. 19. This year is different as the conference will return to its original state with no divisions. For the MAC Tournament, only the top-eight teams will advance to Rocket Mortgage Field House in Cleveland, Ohio.
Bowling Green emerged as the favorite to win the conference, as it received eight first-place votes and totaled 132 points. The Falcons were also tabbed as the favorite to capture the MAC Tournament title, collecting four championship votes.
2020-21 MAC Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll (First Place Votes)
1. Bowling Green (8) – 132 points
2. Ohio (1) – 117 points
3. Akron (2) – 115 points
4. Buffalo – 109 points
5. Ball State – 104 points
6. Toledo (1) – 93 points
7. Kent State – 65 points
8. Eastern Michigan – 57 points
9. Miami – 48 points
10. Northern Illinois – 43 points
11. Central Michigan – 40 points
12. Western Michigan – 13 points
MAC Tournament Champions: Bowling Green (4), Akron (2), Ball State (1), Buffalo (1), Eastern Michigan (1), Kent State (1), Miami (1), Toledo (1)
Preseason All-MAC First Team
Loren Cristian Jackson, Senior, G, Akron
Justin Turner, Grad, G, Bowling Green
Jayvon Graves, Senior, G, Buffalo
Jason Preston, Junior, G, Ohio
Marreon Jackson, Senior, G, Toledo
Preseason All-MAC Second Team
Ishmael El-Amin, Senior G, Ball State
Daeqwon Plowden, Senior, F, Bowling Green
Josh Mballa, Junior, F, Buffalo
Danny Pippen, Senior, F, Kent State
Ben Vander Plas, R-Junior, F, Ohio
TEAM THEME: This season, the 2020 theme of EMU men's basketball is officially "Rise As One." The theme represents the team's mission to come together and stand united not only on the court, but off the court especially during these trying times of the COVID-19 pandemic and social injustices.
LOOKING TO BE AMONG THE LEADERS AGAIN: Eastern Michigan is looking to continue its trend at the top of the Mid-American Conference and the NCAA in steals. EMU finished 2019-20 ranked third in the nation and led the MAC with 314 total steals. Stephen F. Austin led the nation with 324 steals. EMU also ranked fourth among Division I teams averaging 9.8 swipes per game.
The Eagles forced 16.8 turnovers per game, which led the league and ranked 14th in the nation. Eastern attempted 714 free throws in 2019-20, which led the league and ranked 25th in the nation. The Eagles' scoring defense of 64.1 was good enough for second in the MAC and 34th in the NCAA. Ball State led the conference allowing 62.5 points per game.
Individually, then-junior Yeikson Montero and then-redshirt junior Ty Groce led the team with 56 steals apiece, which ranked second in the league and 48th in the nation.
STEAL MACHINES ARE BACK: Over the last few years, the Eagles have led the Mid-American Conference in defensive categories, especially in steals. Eastern Michigan finished the 2019-20 season averaging 9.8 steals per game with then-redshirt junior Ty Groce, and then-juniors Yeikson Montero and Noah Morgan leading the Eagles in swipes. Groce and Montero both finished with 56 total steals, while Morgan added 43, respectively.
Groce tallied 24 games with at one steal and 10 with 3-plus swipes this season, while Montero led the team with one steal in 26 games. Meanwhile, Morgan recorded at least one steal in 23 games.
CONTINUING INTERNATIONAL LOVE: Eastern Michigan continues to show some international love with another player joining the team from overseas; senior Axel Okongo, from France, will wear the Green and White. Okongo, originally from Saacy-sur-Marne, France, joins the Eagles by way of Missouri. He appeared in eight games for the Tigers last season, averaging 3.8 minutes per game off the bench.
Last season, head coach Rob Murphy and the Eagles welcomed seniors Yeikson Montero, from the Dominican Republic, and Thomas Binelli from Italy.
ON THE HORIZON: Eastern Michigan will begin Mid-American Conference play about a month earlier than usual when the Eagles host the University of Toledo on Friday, Dec. 4, inside the Convocation Center. EMU trails Toledo, 55-54, in the all-time series as the Green and White split the season series with the Rockets last season.
EAST LANSING, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- After nearly eight months of no sporting events due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team will finally suit up for the 2020-21 season as the Eagles travel 75 miles northwest to East Lansing, Mich. to take on No. 13/12 Michigan State University Wednesday, Nov. 25. Tipoff is slated for 6 p.m. inside the Breslin Center.
The game will be broadcast on Big Ten Network with Dave Revsine providing the play-by-play and Jess Settles serving as the analyst. WEMU (89.1 FM) will also air the contest with Tom Helmer and Greg Steiner on the call. As always, fans can follow along on EMUEagles.com/livestats or on Twitter by following @EMU_MBB.
STARTING WITH A WIN: Eastern Michigan has compiled a 73-49 record in season openers over its 122 seasons of basketball, including an 8-1 mark in opening games during the Rob Murphy era.
The Green and White defeated Siena Heights, 93-51, to begin last year's campaign. Then-redshirt junior Ty Groce led EMU with 15 points, while adding four rebounds and a pair of assists; while then-freshman Chris James added 13 points off the bench, going 4-of-5 from downtown.
LAST TIME VS. MSU: The last time the Eagles and Spartans collided was last season, Dec. 21, ending in a 101-48 Michigan State victory. MSU held EMU without a basket until the 12:14 mark of the first half, while making 54 percent of its shots and holding the Eagles to 19 percent shooting in the opening 20 minutes.
Then redshirt-junior Ty Groce led the Green and White with nine points to go along with five rebounds. Recent graduate Boubacar Toure added seven points to join his six rebounds and a pair of steals. Then-freshman Chris James posted a career-high four steals along with six points, shooting a perfect 4-of-4 from the free throw line.
SCOUTING MICHIGAN STATE: Led by 26-year Head Coach Tom Izzo, Michigan State enters the 2020-21 season ranked No. 13 in the Associated Press Top-25 and No. 12 in the USA Today Coaches poll. The Spartans finished the 2019-20 season with a 22-9 overall record with a 14-6 Big Ten mark, which tied for first in the conference.
Junior forward Aaron Henry, a 2020-21 Preseason All-Big Ten Team honoree, is the team's leading returner in points (10.0 ppg), rebounds (4.6 rpg), assists (2.9 apg), and steals (0.83 spg). MSU also welcomes back sophomore guard Rocket Watts who averaged 9.0 points per game a year ago, and sophomore forward Malik Hall who shot 53.6 percent (52-of-97) from the field in 2019-20.
The Spartans lost Cassius Winston and Xavier Tillman to graduation. Winston led MSU last season, averaging 18.6 points per game, while Tillman posted a double-double (13.7 ppg, 10.3 rpg).
ALL-TIME VS. MICHIGAN STATE: Wednesday's game in East Lansing will be the 35th all-time meeting between Eastern and Michigan State. EMU trails MSU 4-30 in the all-time series, which started during the 1899-1900 season. The Green and White posted a 5-1 victory over MSU.
Eastern's last win over the Spartans came during the 1987-88 season, where EMU bested MSU, 84-80, in overtime.
ALL-TIME VS. BIG TEN: The Green and White hold a 12-73 all-time record against Big Ten Conference opponents, with most of the wins coming against in-state foes, Michigan State (4-30) and Michigan (3-27). The only winning record that EMU has in the Big Ten conference comes against Penn State where the Eagles hold a 2-1 record.
The most recent win against a Big Ten opponent was on Dec. 9, 2014, when the Eagles defeated the Wolverines 45-42 at Crisler Center.
OPENING ON THE ROAD: Eastern Michigan has tallied a 14-28 record when opening a season on the road. The last time the Eagles were on the road to start a campaign was in 2016 when EMU traveled to Pittsburgh, Nov. 11, and fell to the Panthers, 93-90, in double overtime.
Wednesday's game at Michigan State is the second time EMU is beginning a season on the road in the Rob Murphy era.
BACK FOR MORE: The Eagles welcome back key returners in redshirt senior Ty Groce, and seniors Thomas Binelli, Yeikson Montero, Noah Morgan, and Darion Spottsville. Last season, Groce was one of two Eagles to play in and start all 32 games and averaged a team-best 11.5 points per game, as well as 5.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists, in 31.8 minutes per game. The Ypsilanti, Mich. finished the 2019-20 season tied for third in the Mid-American Conference with 1.8 steals per game, totaling 56.
Binelli served as the Eagles' three-point threat as he appeared in 25 games last year, shooting 31.3 percent from beyond the arc with 57 triples. Montero returns after seeing action in all 32 games a year ago. The Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic native averaged 9.4 points per game and co-led the team with 56 total steals. Morgan also played in all 32 games in 2019-20 and ranked third on the squad averaging 10.0 points per game last season. Spottsville, Eastern's primary point guard, made 29 starts and led the team with 77 assists (2.4 apg) last year.
NEW FACES: Eastern Michigan Head Coach Rob Murphy and the Eagles welcome five newcomers, four transfers and one walk-on, to the 2020-21 team over the summer. EMU added sophomore Drew Lowder, redshirt senior James Love III, junior Bryce McBride, senior Axel Okongo, and freshman Andrew Wells.
Lowder arrives in Ypsilanti after spending one season at Holy Cross where he averaged 14.1 points per game with a 43.6 field-goal percentage (65-of-149) last year. Love III, a transfer from Kansas State, missed the majority of the 2019-20 season due to injury.
McBride joins the EMU squad after playing a season at Dyersburg Community College (Tenn.). He was named an NJCAAA All-American Honorable Mention and shot 52.8 percent from the field. Okongo, a 7-foot transfer from Missouri, appeared in eight games for the Tigers last season, averaging 3.8 minutes per game off the bench.
OFFENSE RETURNS: Despite the loss of Boubacar Toure to graduation and others to transferring last season, the Eagles are returning 70.9 percent (1,473) of its scoring production from last season. Toure ranked second on the team last season averaging 10.7 points per game. However, redshirt senior Ty Groce returns to the 2020-21 roster after scoring 11.5 points per game (367 points) a year ago, while seniors Noah Morgan, Yeikson Montero, and Thomas Binelli added 10.0, 9.4, and 8.6 points a contest, respectively.
| Returners | 2019-20 Points | Avg. | Returners | 2019-20 Points | Avg. |
| Ty Groce | 367 | 11.5 | Darion Spottsville | 132 | 4.1 |
| Noah Morgan | 320 | 10.0 | Chris James | 119 | 4.4 |
| Yeikson Montero | 301 | 9.4 | Derek Ballard Jr. | 19 | 1.1 |
| Thomas Binelli | 215 | 8.6 |
MAC PRESEASON POLL: Eastern was picked to finish eighth in the Mid-American Conference as the league office announced its 2020-21 preseason coaches' poll, Nov. 19. This year is different as the conference will return to its original state with no divisions. For the MAC Tournament, only the top-eight teams will advance to Rocket Mortgage Field House in Cleveland, Ohio.
Bowling Green emerged as the favorite to win the conference, as it received eight first-place votes and totaled 132 points. The Falcons were also tabbed as the favorite to capture the MAC Tournament title, collecting four championship votes.
2020-21 MAC Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll (First Place Votes)
1. Bowling Green (8) – 132 points
2. Ohio (1) – 117 points
3. Akron (2) – 115 points
4. Buffalo – 109 points
5. Ball State – 104 points
6. Toledo (1) – 93 points
7. Kent State – 65 points
8. Eastern Michigan – 57 points
9. Miami – 48 points
10. Northern Illinois – 43 points
11. Central Michigan – 40 points
12. Western Michigan – 13 points
MAC Tournament Champions: Bowling Green (4), Akron (2), Ball State (1), Buffalo (1), Eastern Michigan (1), Kent State (1), Miami (1), Toledo (1)
Preseason All-MAC First Team
Loren Cristian Jackson, Senior, G, Akron
Justin Turner, Grad, G, Bowling Green
Jayvon Graves, Senior, G, Buffalo
Jason Preston, Junior, G, Ohio
Marreon Jackson, Senior, G, Toledo
Preseason All-MAC Second Team
Ishmael El-Amin, Senior G, Ball State
Daeqwon Plowden, Senior, F, Bowling Green
Josh Mballa, Junior, F, Buffalo
Danny Pippen, Senior, F, Kent State
Ben Vander Plas, R-Junior, F, Ohio
TEAM THEME: This season, the 2020 theme of EMU men's basketball is officially "Rise As One." The theme represents the team's mission to come together and stand united not only on the court, but off the court especially during these trying times of the COVID-19 pandemic and social injustices.
LOOKING TO BE AMONG THE LEADERS AGAIN: Eastern Michigan is looking to continue its trend at the top of the Mid-American Conference and the NCAA in steals. EMU finished 2019-20 ranked third in the nation and led the MAC with 314 total steals. Stephen F. Austin led the nation with 324 steals. EMU also ranked fourth among Division I teams averaging 9.8 swipes per game.
| Total Steals | Steals Per Game |
| 1. Stephen F. Austin 324 | 1. Stephen F. Austin 10.5 |
| 2. St. John's (NY) 320 | 2. St. John's (NY) 10.0 |
| 3. Eastern Michigan 314 | 3. Nicholls State 10.0 |
| 4. Nicholls State 309 | 4. Eastern Michigan 9.8 |
| 5. Eastern Kentucky 307 | 5. Abilene Christian 9.5 |
The Eagles forced 16.8 turnovers per game, which led the league and ranked 14th in the nation. Eastern attempted 714 free throws in 2019-20, which led the league and ranked 25th in the nation. The Eagles' scoring defense of 64.1 was good enough for second in the MAC and 34th in the NCAA. Ball State led the conference allowing 62.5 points per game.
Individually, then-junior Yeikson Montero and then-redshirt junior Ty Groce led the team with 56 steals apiece, which ranked second in the league and 48th in the nation.
STEAL MACHINES ARE BACK: Over the last few years, the Eagles have led the Mid-American Conference in defensive categories, especially in steals. Eastern Michigan finished the 2019-20 season averaging 9.8 steals per game with then-redshirt junior Ty Groce, and then-juniors Yeikson Montero and Noah Morgan leading the Eagles in swipes. Groce and Montero both finished with 56 total steals, while Morgan added 43, respectively.
Groce tallied 24 games with at one steal and 10 with 3-plus swipes this season, while Montero led the team with one steal in 26 games. Meanwhile, Morgan recorded at least one steal in 23 games.
CONTINUING INTERNATIONAL LOVE: Eastern Michigan continues to show some international love with another player joining the team from overseas; senior Axel Okongo, from France, will wear the Green and White. Okongo, originally from Saacy-sur-Marne, France, joins the Eagles by way of Missouri. He appeared in eight games for the Tigers last season, averaging 3.8 minutes per game off the bench.
Last season, head coach Rob Murphy and the Eagles welcomed seniors Yeikson Montero, from the Dominican Republic, and Thomas Binelli from Italy.
ON THE HORIZON: Eastern Michigan will begin Mid-American Conference play about a month earlier than usual when the Eagles host the University of Toledo on Friday, Dec. 4, inside the Convocation Center. EMU trails Toledo, 55-54, in the all-time series as the Green and White split the season series with the Rockets last season.
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