Eastern Michigan Athletics
Saturday, February 15
Convocation Center
2:50 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
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Western Michigan
Men's Basketball Welcomes Western Michigan Saturday
2/13/2020 3:52:00 PM | Men's Basketball
The Eagles have won three of their last four MAC games
| Men's Basketball vs. Western Michigan | |
| Date | Saturday, Feb. 15 | 2 p.m. |
| Venue | Ypsilanti, Mich. | Convocation Center |
| Preview Info | EMU Notes |
| Live Stats | Fan Stats | Media Stats |
| Watch | ESPN3 |
| Radio | WEMU 89.1 |
| @EMUHoops | @EMUAthletics | |
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team begins a two-game homestand Saturday, Feb. 15, when the Eagles welcome another in-state rival, Western Michigan University, to the Convocation Center for a Mid-American Conference West Division showdown. Tipoff is slated for 2:30 p.m. as the second game of doubleheader action in Ypsilanti.
Eastern (13-11, 3-8 MAC) earned its third win in the last four games, downing in-state foe Central Michigan, 73-70, in Mount Pleasant, Mich., Feb. 11. Western (11-13, 4-7 MAC) looks to return to the win column after its two-game win streak was snapped with a 73-61 setback at Ohio, Feb. 11
Fans can watch the action on ESPN3 with Ryan Wooley and Tom Helmer or listen to WEMU (89.1 FM) where Chad Bush and Matt Dery will have the call. Fans can also 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 (10.5). EMU also ranks fourth among Division I teams in total steals with 253. The Eagles are forcing 17.4 turnovers per game, which leads the league and ranks 14th in the nation. EMU has attempted 554 free throws which leads the conference and ranks 28th in the nation. Eastern's scoring defense of 63.1 points per game ranks second in the conference behind Ball State (61.8 ppg).
Individually, redshirt senior Boubacar Toure leads the MAC with a 67.5 field goal percentage (108-of-160) and ranks third (36th nationally) with 3.3 offensive rebounds per game. The Dakar, Senegal native is also fourth in the conference in rebounds per game with 9.3. Redshirt junior Ty Groce is leading the team with 47 steals, which ranks second in the and 47th in the nation. Groce's 2.0 steals per game is good for third in the MAC and 49th among Division I student-athletes. Classmate Yeikson Montero has tallied 45 total steals, which is third in the conference and 56th in the NCAA.
NAIL-BITERS: Close games are no stranger to EMU, as it has seen contests down to the wire in the last nine-of-10 games. In all nine games, the outcome has been decided with a margin of six-or-less points. Overall, 37 of the MAC's 66 (56.1 percent) conference games played this year have been decided by six-or-fewer points.
TWO WILL GIVE YOU 20: Two Eagles scored over 20 points in a game for the second time this season at Central Michigan, Feb. 11. Redshirt junior Ty Groce and redshirt senior Boubacar Toure tallied 20+ points in a 73-70 victory over the Chippewas. Groce led the Eagles with 22 points, while Toure went 9-of-10 from the floor and added 20 points.
Earlier this season, Groce and junior Noah Morgan scored over 20 points to lead the team to an 85-79 victory, Dec. 3 against Valparaiso. Groce had a career-best performance to lead the Green and White, scoring 23 points, and hitting 9-of-10 free throws. Morgan was right behind the Ypsilanti, Mich. native, also with a career-high of 21 points and went 9-of-10 from the charity stripe. The performances by Groce and Morgan was the first time Eastern had two players score 20+ since last season when Paul Jackson and Kevin McAdoo scored 21 and 20, respectively, at Central Michigan, Jan. 29, 2018.
GROCE REACHING TO NEW HEIGHTS: Redshirt junior Ty Groce notched his first career double-double with 22 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Green and White past Central Michigan, 73-70, Feb. 11. The Ypsilanti, Mich. native went 8-of-12 from the field and sank six free throws. Groce has led the Eagles in scoring in 11 games this season and has notched double-figures in 17-of-24 contests during the 2019-20 campaign. The redshirt junior has also grabbed 10+ rebounds in two games this year.
Groce is averaging a team-best 11.9 points per game, while grabbing 5.5 boards a game, which ranks second on the team.
DYNAMIC DUO: Redshirt junior Ty Groce and redshirt senior Boubacar Toure both posted double-doubles in a 73-70 victory over Central Michigan, Feb. 11. Groce totaled a team-best 22 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, while Toure added 20 points and notched a team-high 13 rebounds. This is the first time this season two Eagles has earned a double-double in the same game. Former Eagle James Thompson IV (15 pts., 17 rebs.) and Toure (12 pts., 16 rebs.) were the last pair in the Green and White to reach this feat, March 2, 2019.
Groce and Toure are the first EMU players to each notch and double-double and score 20-plus points in the same game since 2017 when Thompson IV and Elijah Minnie reached 20+ points and double-digit rebounds against Oakland, Dec. 6, 2017.
SHARING THE WEALTH: Four Eagles scored in double-digits in a 73-70 win over Central Michigan, Feb. 11. Redshirt junior Ty Groce led the way with 22 points, while redshirt senior Boubacar Toure totaled 20. Juniors Thomas Binelli and Noah Morgan also scored double-figures with 15 and 14 points, respectively.
EMU has had seven games this season where four-or-more Eagles score in double-figures, and three in MAC play (at Northern Illinois, Jan. 11; at Miami, Jan. 25; at Central Michigan, Feb. 11). In those seven games, Eastern Michigan holds a 5-2 record.
SCORING FRENZY: Junior Darion Spottsville is breaking through offensively, as he has scored in double-figures in three of the last five games. The Phoenix, Ariz. native scored a career-high 13 points on 4-of-5 shooting and made five free throws in the 59-58 loss at Akron, Feb. 8. Spottsville has tallied three double-digit scoring performances this season. The junior totaled 11 points in a 66-62 win over Buffalo, Feb. 4 and add 12 at Miami, Jan. 25; which was his first 10-plus point performance in an EMU uniform.
FINDING THE GROOVE: Despite the 59-58 loss at Akron, Feb. 8, Eastern Michigan is finding its groove from inside the arc. The Eagles shot 50 percent from the floor (19-of-38) against the Zips; which is the first time EMU has recorded a 50 percent clip in MAC play this season.
The Green and White have shot 50 percent-or-above in five games during the 2019-20 campaign. Eastern Michigan's season-high is a 61.4 percent efficiency, when the Eagles downed Valparaiso, Dec. 3.
ALL-TIME VS. WESTERN MICHIGAN: Tuesday's game will be the 112th meeting between Eastern Michigan and Western Michigan. EMU has met WMU the second-most out of any school in the Mid-American Conference, behind Central Michigan (196 times), with the series dating back to 1915 (105 years). The Broncos hold the all-time series advantage with a 60-51 mark, but EMU has won the last three matchups.
The Green and White is 6-4 against WMU over the last 10 games, and boast a 10-8 record in the Rob Murphy era. Eastern holds a 33-24 record at its home court, but trails 17-32 against the Broncos in Kalamazoo, Mich.
SCOUTING WESTERN MICHIGAN: Led by 17th-year head coach Steve Hawkins, Western Michigan enters Saturday's game coming off a 73-61 loss at Ohio, Feb. 11. WMU holds a 11-13 overall record and a 4-7 mark in the MAC.
Western Michigan is led by Michael Flowers, who is averaging 17.5 points per game and has dished out a team-high 77 assists. Brandon Johnson is the second Bronco averaging double-digits with 15.1 points per game, and is grabbing 7.8 rebounds a contest. Flowers leads the team with 53 triples, while Artis B. White has tallied a team-best 23 steals.
The Broncos are averaging 70.8 points per game and are shooting 42.9 percent from the field. Western Michigan are draining 7.0 three-pointers per game and dish out 11.0 assists. On the defensive side, WMU is giving up 72.9 points a game, and forcing 11.3 opponent turnovers.
AKRON THREE-BALL DENIED: The Eastern Michigan defense was ruthless in the first half of play at Akron, Feb. 8. The Eagles held the Zips to 25 points, which tied a season-low for UA. In addition, EMU held Akron scoreless from beyond the arc, forcing UA to go 0-of-14 from deep.
This is the first time this season that EMU has held an opponent to a zero percent field-goal percentage from behind the 3-point line. Eastern held North Carolina A&T to shooting 1-of-10 from deep in the first half at the Jamaica Classic, Nov. 24.
BACK-TO-BACK: The Green and White notched its second-consecutive conference win, when the Eagles defeated Buffalo, 66-62, Feb. 4 inside the Convocation Center. The victory marks the first EMU victory over the Bulls since January 2016 and the fourth in the Rob Murphy era.
HISTORY MADE: EMU men's basketball has tallied 200 victories in the Convocation Center since it opened for the 1998-99 season with the 66-62 victory over Buffalo, Feb. 4. The Convo's dedication game was on Dec. 9, 1998 with a men's basketball game against the University of Michigan in front of a crowd of 7,647 – the largest attendance since its opening.
The men's and EMU women's basketball programs have a combined 387 victories in the Convo - the women's program has accumulated 187 wins since 1998-99.
HEY DJ, THAT'S MY DJ: Redshirt sophomore Derek Ballard Jr. was the definition of clutch in EMU's 66-62 win over Buffalo, Feb. 4. Coming off the bench, Ballard Jr. reinvigorated the EMU offensive snatching two offensive rebounds from the grasps of the Bulls and earned the put-back with the foul. The Southfield, Mich.-product drained the old-fashion three-point play to give EMU the one-point lead with five minutes left in the game. With 1:42 left, Ballard wrangled yet another offensive-rebound that he put back to tie a career-high in points (5), giving EMU the five-point lead.
The redshirt sophomore finished the evening with five points, five rebounds, and a steal in seven minutes of play.
TURNING THE PAGE: Eastern's new game plan is working as the Eagles have won three of the last four matchups (vs. Toledo, Feb. 1; vs. Buffalo, Feb. 4; at Central Michigan, Feb. 11). Over those three wins, EMU held a +3.7 scoring margin and held opponents to less than 65 points per game (63.0). In addition, the Eagles are shooting 46.2 percent (73-of-158) from the field, compared to its 38 percent clip during the first seven games of league play. Redshirt junior Ty Groce led the team averaging 15.3 points per game over the last three wins, while redshirt senior Boubacar Toure and junior Yeikson Montero added 13.3 and 11.7, respectively.
SWITCHING IT UP: Under Head Coach Rob Murphy, the starting lineup has changed seven times this season. Eight of the 12 Eagles who have seen playing time have been part of the starting five. Redshirt junior Ty Groce and redshirt senior Boubacar Toure are the only members of the squad to have started all 23 games played so far in the 2019-20 campaign.
SPLASH CITY: Junior Thomas Binelli has proved to be Eastern Michigan's deep-shooter, as he leads the team with 36 three-pointers this season. The Bologna, Italy native has made at least one from beyond the arc in 16 of the 17 games he has played and in the last nine-straight contests. Binelli has drained three-plus triples in six games this year, including a career-high five 3's at Miami, Jan. 25 and at Central Michigan, Feb. 11. Binelli is averaging 7.6 points per game with 2.1 triples a contest.
FIRST MAC VICTORY: Eastern Michigan notched its first Mid-American Conference win of the 2019-20 season and made its way back into the win column for the first time since Dec. 30 (vs. Concordia), as the Eagles downed Toledo, 61-57, Feb. 1. EMU has won the last three home contests against the Rockets.
HAVE A DAY, YEIKSON: Junior Yeikson Montero led the Eagles with a career-high 26 points against Toledo, Feb. 1. The guard drained a career-best five 3-pointers and tallied 20 points in the second half of play. His 26 points are a team-best this season and he is the third Eagle to reach the 20+ point plateau this season.
Montero has led the Green and White in scoring three times this year and has tallied double-digit scoring 12 times. The Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic native ranks fourth on the team averaging 10.1 points per game.
DEFENSE! DEFENSE!: Eastern Michigan has played exceptional defense all season, as the Eagles have held opponents to scoring 60 points-or-less in 11 games. The Eagles lost its first game when holding the opposition under 60 points at Akron (59-58), Feb. 8. Its record when accomplishing this feat is 10-1.
The 61-57 victory over Toledo, Feb. 1, helped EMU improve to a 10-0 record when the opposition puts up fewer than 60 points. Under Rob Murphy, the Eagles boast an 83-13 mark.
BROKE THE PATTERN: Trailing at halftime has not been easy for the Eagles this season. Before the 61-57 victory over the Rockets, Feb. 1, EMU held a 0-7 mark when trailing at the half. However, when Eastern Michigan leads after the first 20 minutes, it boasts an 11-3 record.
In Rob Murphy's tenure, the Eagles are 27-99 when trailing at the half, but hold a 119-28 record when leading at the half.
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 31 triples and is averaging 7.1 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: With the 59-58 loss at Akron, Feb. 8, redshirt senior Boubacar Toure posted his 10th double-double of the season with 20 points and 13 rebounds. The Dakar, Senegal native has pulled down double-figure rebounds in 13 games this year, including nine of the last 13 games. The redshirt senior has led the Eagles on the boards in 19-of-24 games in the 2019-20 campaign. Toure has tallied 18 double-doubles in his EMU career.
CRASHIN' THE BOARDS: Boubacar Toure has pulled down 10+ rebounds in 12 games this season and has led the team in rebounding 18-of-23 games this year. The redshirt senior leads the team averaging 9.1 boards per game (209 total), including 5.9 defensive and 3.2 offensive rebounds per contest. In MAC play, Toure is averaging 10.8 boards to go along with 11.3 points per game.
WE WANT MOR(GAN): Junior Noah Morgan has come alive as he has scored in double-figures in five of the last nine games (16 at Northern Illinois, Jan. 11; 14 vs. Ball State, Jan. 14; 23 vs. Ohio, Jan. 18; 16 at Bowling Green, Jan. 21; 14 at Central Michigan, Feb. 11). His 14 points versus CMU was his 11th double-digit scoring performance of the 2019-20 season. The junior has led the Eagles in scoring in 6-of-24 games, including leading the Green and White in the last three-of-eight contests. Morgan ranks fourth on the team averaging 10.5 points per game in MAC play, while also averaging 10.4 points per contest for the season.
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 12.1 points and 11.0 rebounds 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 11.8 rebounds per game to go along with 12.8 points a game, while Ball State's Tahjai Teague is tallying 10.4 rebounds and 16.5 points per game, respectively.
Toure is shooting a league-best 68.2 percent from the floor (58-of-85) and has recorded 16 blocks. The Dakar, Senegal native notched seven double-doubles in MAC play and nearly missed one at Ohio, Jan. 11. Toure's 11.0 rebounds per game ranks second in the conference, to go along with his 1.5 blocks per contest is tied for second.
STEAL MACHINES: The Eagles are averaging 10.5 steals per game with redshirt junior Ty Groce, and juniors Yeikson Montero and Noah Morgan are leading EMU in swipes this season. Groce leads the way with 47 steals and has recorded at least one steal in 19 games this season. Montero ranks second on the team with 45 swipes and has tallied one steal in 20 games, while Morgan has also totaled one swipe in 21 games this year, respectively.
FINDERS KEEPERS: The Eagles rank second in the nation and leads the Mid-American Conference with 10.5 steals per game. SFA leads the NCAA with 10.7, while in-state foe Central Michigan is second in the league with 9.5. The Green and White have stolen the ball 253 times this season, including 10+ swipes in 13 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 (47 this season), which is tied for second in the MAC with junior Yeikson Montero also swiping 1.9 balls per game. Nine players have double-digit steals on the season, which includes EMU's primary starting-five: Groce (47), Montero (45), junior Noah Morgan (38), redshirt senior Boubacar Toure (29), junior Darion Spottsville (29), freshman Chris James (16), junior Chris Barnes (14), and juniors Thomas Binelli and Jalen King have 14 and 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 eight players, respectively.
BLOCK PARTY: Eastern Michigan ranks fifth in the Mid-American Conference with 81 blocks this season. Redshirt senior Boubacar Toure leads the team with 33 swats and is averaging 1.4 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. Redshirt junior Ty Groce and junior Jalen King also have tallied double-digit blocks this season with 20 and 14, respectively.
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.
DOUBLE-DIGIT DEDICATION: Redshirt junior Ty Groce leads Eastern Michigan in scoring with 11.9 points per game (285 total points), while junior Noah Morgan and redshirt senior Boubacar Toure are averaging 10.6, and 10.4, respectively. Groce is the only Eagle to reach double-digits in 17 games this year, and Toure has tallied double figures in 13 games, respectively.
Groce posted a career-high 23 points against Valpo, Dec. 3, while junior Yeikson Montero scored a career-best 26 points versus Toledo, Feb. 1. Morgan tallied a career-best 23 points against Ohio, Jan. 18.
In MAC play, three Eagles are averaging in double-figures in Toure (21.1), Groce (11.5), and Morgan (10.5).
versaTYle: Redshirt junior Ty Groce has proven to be a versatile player on the floor. He leads the team with 285 points (11.9 ppg). The Ypsilanti, Mich. native has hit double-digits in 17 games during the 2019-20 campaign, and in five-straight games (10 at Miami, Jan. 25; 10 vs. Toledo, Feb. 1; 14 vs. Buffalo, Feb. 4; 15 at Akron, Feb. 8; 22 at Central Michigan, Feb. 11). 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 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) versus Buffalo, Feb. 4.
In conference play, the redshirt junior is recording 11.5 points per game to go along with 5.5 rebounds and 1.9 steals a contest.
PRESSURE LEADS TO TURNOVERS: The Eastern Michigan defense is forcing opponents to turn the ball over 17.4 times a game, which leads the MAC and ranks 14th among Division I teams. EMU also holds a +2.2 turnover margin (17.4-15.3), which is good for second in the league and 54th in the NCAA. Eastern holds an 8-5 mark (13 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 14 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 32nd in the nation holding their opponents to 63.1 points per game. Ball State leads the conference in scoring defense (61.8 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 junior Darion Spottsville (48), redshirt junior Ty Groce (43), juniors Noah Morgan (37) and Yeikson Montero (30), and redshirt junior Chris Barnes (25). Spottsville leads the team with 2.0 helpers per game, while Groce, Morgan, Montero, Barnes are dishing out 1.8, 1.5, 1.3, and 1.2, respectively.
Spottsville registered seven of the team's 12 assists at Detroit Mercy, Dec. 7 and has led the Eagles in assists 10 times this season. Groce notched a career-high five helpers versus Concordia, Dec. 30, and has led the Eagles in assists nine 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.
.600 OR BETTER: The Eagles have one player that is shooting 60 percent-or-better from the field. The Green and White are led by redshirt senior Boubacar Toure, hitting at 67.5 percent on 108-of-160 shooting, which ranks first among MAC players. Toure has shot over 70 percent from the field (min. seven attempts) in nine games this season. His season-high of 90.0 percent (9-of-10) was hit at Central Michigan, Feb. 11.
CHARITY STRIPE: The Eagles have found their way to the charity stripe 554 times so far this season, which ranks 28th in the nation and first in the MAC. EMU is averaging 23.1 free throw attempts per game, which ranks first in the league with Central Michigan following with 22.0, respectively. In fact, the Green and White have had more free-throw attempts than its opponent in 19 games this year.
Converting those opportunities into points (min. 20 attempts), junior Chris Barnes leads the team from the charity stripe, shooting 81.5 percent on 22-of-27, Barnes is followed by redshirt junior Ty Groce and classmate Yeikson Montero who hit 72.7 (48-of-66) and 72.8 (75-of-103) percent from the free-throw line, respectively.
TOURE TAKEOFF: Redshirt senior Boubacar Toure is shooting a team leading 67.5 percent (108-of-160) from the field this year, which ranks first in the MAC. He is averaging 3.3 offensive boards a game (79), which is good for third in the Mid-American Conference. The Dakar, Senegal native has notched 13 double-figure scoring performances as well as pulling down 10+ boards in 13 games this season. Toure leads the team with 10 double-doubles with his most recent performance (20 pts., 13 rebs.) at Central Michigan, Feb. 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) against the RedHawks, Jan. 25. The redshirt senior center ranks fourth in the league with 1.4 blocks per game (33 total) and has totaled 29 steals.
LAST TIME OUT: Eastern Michigan earned its third win in the last four Mid-American Conference games, downing in-state rival Central Michigan, 73-70, Feb. 11 inside CMU's McGuirk Arena. The victory was the Eagles' first road MAC win of the season.
The Chippewas cut the Eagles' lead to two (71-69) with 8 ticks left in the game, but redshirt junior Ty Groce and classmate Noah Morgan split a pair of free throws each to seal the 73-70 victory.
Groce posted his first career double-double with 22 points and 12 rebounds to go along with three assists in 38 minutes. Redshirt senior Boubacar Toure also earned a double-double with 20 points on 9-of-10 shooting and 13 rebounds, while junior Thomas Binelli added 15 points and tied a career-high with five three-pointers. Morgan finished the evening with 14 points and went 7-of-8 from the charity stripe.
The Eagles shot 49.1 percent from the field (26-of-53) and made 6-of-18 (33.3 percent) from beyond the arc, compared to CMU's 46.7 percent clip (14-of-30) from deep. EMU held the advantage at the free throw line, shooting 78.9 percent (15-of-19).
Eastern Michigan outrebounded Central Michigan, 36-28, and outscored the Chippewas in the following categories:, points in the paint (40-14), second chance points (16-5), bench points (14-5), and points off turnovers (27-24).
ALL-TIME VS. MAC: The Green and White hold a 340-430 program mark against Mid-American Conference teams. Eastern has played Central Michigan the most (196 times), while facing Western Michigan 111 times and Toledo 108 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 73-78 MAC record and clinched a MAC West title in 2012.
ON THE HORIZON: Eastern Michigan will conclude a two-game homestand Tuesday, Feb. 18, as the Eagles host MAC East opponent Kent State inside the Convocation Center. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m.
Eastern (13-11, 3-8 MAC) earned its third win in the last four games, downing in-state foe Central Michigan, 73-70, in Mount Pleasant, Mich., Feb. 11. Western (11-13, 4-7 MAC) looks to return to the win column after its two-game win streak was snapped with a 73-61 setback at Ohio, Feb. 11
Fans can watch the action on ESPN3 with Ryan Wooley and Tom Helmer or listen to WEMU (89.1 FM) where Chad Bush and Matt Dery will have the call. Fans can also 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 (10.5). EMU also ranks fourth among Division I teams in total steals with 253. The Eagles are forcing 17.4 turnovers per game, which leads the league and ranks 14th in the nation. EMU has attempted 554 free throws which leads the conference and ranks 28th in the nation. Eastern's scoring defense of 63.1 points per game ranks second in the conference behind Ball State (61.8 ppg).
Individually, redshirt senior Boubacar Toure leads the MAC with a 67.5 field goal percentage (108-of-160) and ranks third (36th nationally) with 3.3 offensive rebounds per game. The Dakar, Senegal native is also fourth in the conference in rebounds per game with 9.3. Redshirt junior Ty Groce is leading the team with 47 steals, which ranks second in the and 47th in the nation. Groce's 2.0 steals per game is good for third in the MAC and 49th among Division I student-athletes. Classmate Yeikson Montero has tallied 45 total steals, which is third in the conference and 56th in the NCAA.
NAIL-BITERS: Close games are no stranger to EMU, as it has seen contests down to the wire in the last nine-of-10 games. In all nine games, the outcome has been decided with a margin of six-or-less points. Overall, 37 of the MAC's 66 (56.1 percent) conference games played this year have been decided by six-or-fewer points.
TWO WILL GIVE YOU 20: Two Eagles scored over 20 points in a game for the second time this season at Central Michigan, Feb. 11. Redshirt junior Ty Groce and redshirt senior Boubacar Toure tallied 20+ points in a 73-70 victory over the Chippewas. Groce led the Eagles with 22 points, while Toure went 9-of-10 from the floor and added 20 points.
Earlier this season, Groce and junior Noah Morgan scored over 20 points to lead the team to an 85-79 victory, Dec. 3 against Valparaiso. Groce had a career-best performance to lead the Green and White, scoring 23 points, and hitting 9-of-10 free throws. Morgan was right behind the Ypsilanti, Mich. native, also with a career-high of 21 points and went 9-of-10 from the charity stripe. The performances by Groce and Morgan was the first time Eastern had two players score 20+ since last season when Paul Jackson and Kevin McAdoo scored 21 and 20, respectively, at Central Michigan, Jan. 29, 2018.
GROCE REACHING TO NEW HEIGHTS: Redshirt junior Ty Groce notched his first career double-double with 22 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Green and White past Central Michigan, 73-70, Feb. 11. The Ypsilanti, Mich. native went 8-of-12 from the field and sank six free throws. Groce has led the Eagles in scoring in 11 games this season and has notched double-figures in 17-of-24 contests during the 2019-20 campaign. The redshirt junior has also grabbed 10+ rebounds in two games this year.
Groce is averaging a team-best 11.9 points per game, while grabbing 5.5 boards a game, which ranks second on the team.
DYNAMIC DUO: Redshirt junior Ty Groce and redshirt senior Boubacar Toure both posted double-doubles in a 73-70 victory over Central Michigan, Feb. 11. Groce totaled a team-best 22 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, while Toure added 20 points and notched a team-high 13 rebounds. This is the first time this season two Eagles has earned a double-double in the same game. Former Eagle James Thompson IV (15 pts., 17 rebs.) and Toure (12 pts., 16 rebs.) were the last pair in the Green and White to reach this feat, March 2, 2019.
Groce and Toure are the first EMU players to each notch and double-double and score 20-plus points in the same game since 2017 when Thompson IV and Elijah Minnie reached 20+ points and double-digit rebounds against Oakland, Dec. 6, 2017.
SHARING THE WEALTH: Four Eagles scored in double-digits in a 73-70 win over Central Michigan, Feb. 11. Redshirt junior Ty Groce led the way with 22 points, while redshirt senior Boubacar Toure totaled 20. Juniors Thomas Binelli and Noah Morgan also scored double-figures with 15 and 14 points, respectively.
EMU has had seven games this season where four-or-more Eagles score in double-figures, and three in MAC play (at Northern Illinois, Jan. 11; at Miami, Jan. 25; at Central Michigan, Feb. 11). In those seven games, Eastern Michigan holds a 5-2 record.
SCORING FRENZY: Junior Darion Spottsville is breaking through offensively, as he has scored in double-figures in three of the last five games. The Phoenix, Ariz. native scored a career-high 13 points on 4-of-5 shooting and made five free throws in the 59-58 loss at Akron, Feb. 8. Spottsville has tallied three double-digit scoring performances this season. The junior totaled 11 points in a 66-62 win over Buffalo, Feb. 4 and add 12 at Miami, Jan. 25; which was his first 10-plus point performance in an EMU uniform.
FINDING THE GROOVE: Despite the 59-58 loss at Akron, Feb. 8, Eastern Michigan is finding its groove from inside the arc. The Eagles shot 50 percent from the floor (19-of-38) against the Zips; which is the first time EMU has recorded a 50 percent clip in MAC play this season.
The Green and White have shot 50 percent-or-above in five games during the 2019-20 campaign. Eastern Michigan's season-high is a 61.4 percent efficiency, when the Eagles downed Valparaiso, Dec. 3.
ALL-TIME VS. WESTERN MICHIGAN: Tuesday's game will be the 112th meeting between Eastern Michigan and Western Michigan. EMU has met WMU the second-most out of any school in the Mid-American Conference, behind Central Michigan (196 times), with the series dating back to 1915 (105 years). The Broncos hold the all-time series advantage with a 60-51 mark, but EMU has won the last three matchups.
The Green and White is 6-4 against WMU over the last 10 games, and boast a 10-8 record in the Rob Murphy era. Eastern holds a 33-24 record at its home court, but trails 17-32 against the Broncos in Kalamazoo, Mich.
SCOUTING WESTERN MICHIGAN: Led by 17th-year head coach Steve Hawkins, Western Michigan enters Saturday's game coming off a 73-61 loss at Ohio, Feb. 11. WMU holds a 11-13 overall record and a 4-7 mark in the MAC.
Western Michigan is led by Michael Flowers, who is averaging 17.5 points per game and has dished out a team-high 77 assists. Brandon Johnson is the second Bronco averaging double-digits with 15.1 points per game, and is grabbing 7.8 rebounds a contest. Flowers leads the team with 53 triples, while Artis B. White has tallied a team-best 23 steals.
The Broncos are averaging 70.8 points per game and are shooting 42.9 percent from the field. Western Michigan are draining 7.0 three-pointers per game and dish out 11.0 assists. On the defensive side, WMU is giving up 72.9 points a game, and forcing 11.3 opponent turnovers.
AKRON THREE-BALL DENIED: The Eastern Michigan defense was ruthless in the first half of play at Akron, Feb. 8. The Eagles held the Zips to 25 points, which tied a season-low for UA. In addition, EMU held Akron scoreless from beyond the arc, forcing UA to go 0-of-14 from deep.
This is the first time this season that EMU has held an opponent to a zero percent field-goal percentage from behind the 3-point line. Eastern held North Carolina A&T to shooting 1-of-10 from deep in the first half at the Jamaica Classic, Nov. 24.
BACK-TO-BACK: The Green and White notched its second-consecutive conference win, when the Eagles defeated Buffalo, 66-62, Feb. 4 inside the Convocation Center. The victory marks the first EMU victory over the Bulls since January 2016 and the fourth in the Rob Murphy era.
HISTORY MADE: EMU men's basketball has tallied 200 victories in the Convocation Center since it opened for the 1998-99 season with the 66-62 victory over Buffalo, Feb. 4. The Convo's dedication game was on Dec. 9, 1998 with a men's basketball game against the University of Michigan in front of a crowd of 7,647 – the largest attendance since its opening.
The men's and EMU women's basketball programs have a combined 387 victories in the Convo - the women's program has accumulated 187 wins since 1998-99.
HEY DJ, THAT'S MY DJ: Redshirt sophomore Derek Ballard Jr. was the definition of clutch in EMU's 66-62 win over Buffalo, Feb. 4. Coming off the bench, Ballard Jr. reinvigorated the EMU offensive snatching two offensive rebounds from the grasps of the Bulls and earned the put-back with the foul. The Southfield, Mich.-product drained the old-fashion three-point play to give EMU the one-point lead with five minutes left in the game. With 1:42 left, Ballard wrangled yet another offensive-rebound that he put back to tie a career-high in points (5), giving EMU the five-point lead.
The redshirt sophomore finished the evening with five points, five rebounds, and a steal in seven minutes of play.
TURNING THE PAGE: Eastern's new game plan is working as the Eagles have won three of the last four matchups (vs. Toledo, Feb. 1; vs. Buffalo, Feb. 4; at Central Michigan, Feb. 11). Over those three wins, EMU held a +3.7 scoring margin and held opponents to less than 65 points per game (63.0). In addition, the Eagles are shooting 46.2 percent (73-of-158) from the field, compared to its 38 percent clip during the first seven games of league play. Redshirt junior Ty Groce led the team averaging 15.3 points per game over the last three wins, while redshirt senior Boubacar Toure and junior Yeikson Montero added 13.3 and 11.7, respectively.
SWITCHING IT UP: Under Head Coach Rob Murphy, the starting lineup has changed seven times this season. Eight of the 12 Eagles who have seen playing time have been part of the starting five. Redshirt junior Ty Groce and redshirt senior Boubacar Toure are the only members of the squad to have started all 23 games played so far in the 2019-20 campaign.
SPLASH CITY: Junior Thomas Binelli has proved to be Eastern Michigan's deep-shooter, as he leads the team with 36 three-pointers this season. The Bologna, Italy native has made at least one from beyond the arc in 16 of the 17 games he has played and in the last nine-straight contests. Binelli has drained three-plus triples in six games this year, including a career-high five 3's at Miami, Jan. 25 and at Central Michigan, Feb. 11. Binelli is averaging 7.6 points per game with 2.1 triples a contest.
FIRST MAC VICTORY: Eastern Michigan notched its first Mid-American Conference win of the 2019-20 season and made its way back into the win column for the first time since Dec. 30 (vs. Concordia), as the Eagles downed Toledo, 61-57, Feb. 1. EMU has won the last three home contests against the Rockets.
HAVE A DAY, YEIKSON: Junior Yeikson Montero led the Eagles with a career-high 26 points against Toledo, Feb. 1. The guard drained a career-best five 3-pointers and tallied 20 points in the second half of play. His 26 points are a team-best this season and he is the third Eagle to reach the 20+ point plateau this season.
Montero has led the Green and White in scoring three times this year and has tallied double-digit scoring 12 times. The Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic native ranks fourth on the team averaging 10.1 points per game.
DEFENSE! DEFENSE!: Eastern Michigan has played exceptional defense all season, as the Eagles have held opponents to scoring 60 points-or-less in 11 games. The Eagles lost its first game when holding the opposition under 60 points at Akron (59-58), Feb. 8. Its record when accomplishing this feat is 10-1.
The 61-57 victory over Toledo, Feb. 1, helped EMU improve to a 10-0 record when the opposition puts up fewer than 60 points. Under Rob Murphy, the Eagles boast an 83-13 mark.
BROKE THE PATTERN: Trailing at halftime has not been easy for the Eagles this season. Before the 61-57 victory over the Rockets, Feb. 1, EMU held a 0-7 mark when trailing at the half. However, when Eastern Michigan leads after the first 20 minutes, it boasts an 11-3 record.
In Rob Murphy's tenure, the Eagles are 27-99 when trailing at the half, but hold a 119-28 record when leading at the half.
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 31 triples and is averaging 7.1 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: With the 59-58 loss at Akron, Feb. 8, redshirt senior Boubacar Toure posted his 10th double-double of the season with 20 points and 13 rebounds. The Dakar, Senegal native has pulled down double-figure rebounds in 13 games this year, including nine of the last 13 games. The redshirt senior has led the Eagles on the boards in 19-of-24 games in the 2019-20 campaign. Toure has tallied 18 double-doubles in his EMU career.
CRASHIN' THE BOARDS: Boubacar Toure has pulled down 10+ rebounds in 12 games this season and has led the team in rebounding 18-of-23 games this year. The redshirt senior leads the team averaging 9.1 boards per game (209 total), including 5.9 defensive and 3.2 offensive rebounds per contest. In MAC play, Toure is averaging 10.8 boards to go along with 11.3 points per game.
WE WANT MOR(GAN): Junior Noah Morgan has come alive as he has scored in double-figures in five of the last nine games (16 at Northern Illinois, Jan. 11; 14 vs. Ball State, Jan. 14; 23 vs. Ohio, Jan. 18; 16 at Bowling Green, Jan. 21; 14 at Central Michigan, Feb. 11). His 14 points versus CMU was his 11th double-digit scoring performance of the 2019-20 season. The junior has led the Eagles in scoring in 6-of-24 games, including leading the Green and White in the last three-of-eight contests. Morgan ranks fourth on the team averaging 10.5 points per game in MAC play, while also averaging 10.4 points per contest for the season.
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 12.1 points and 11.0 rebounds 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 11.8 rebounds per game to go along with 12.8 points a game, while Ball State's Tahjai Teague is tallying 10.4 rebounds and 16.5 points per game, respectively.
Toure is shooting a league-best 68.2 percent from the floor (58-of-85) and has recorded 16 blocks. The Dakar, Senegal native notched seven double-doubles in MAC play and nearly missed one at Ohio, Jan. 11. Toure's 11.0 rebounds per game ranks second in the conference, to go along with his 1.5 blocks per contest is tied for second.
STEAL MACHINES: The Eagles are averaging 10.5 steals per game with redshirt junior Ty Groce, and juniors Yeikson Montero and Noah Morgan are leading EMU in swipes this season. Groce leads the way with 47 steals and has recorded at least one steal in 19 games this season. Montero ranks second on the team with 45 swipes and has tallied one steal in 20 games, while Morgan has also totaled one swipe in 21 games this year, respectively.
FINDERS KEEPERS: The Eagles rank second in the nation and leads the Mid-American Conference with 10.5 steals per game. SFA leads the NCAA with 10.7, while in-state foe Central Michigan is second in the league with 9.5. The Green and White have stolen the ball 253 times this season, including 10+ swipes in 13 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 (47 this season), which is tied for second in the MAC with junior Yeikson Montero also swiping 1.9 balls per game. Nine players have double-digit steals on the season, which includes EMU's primary starting-five: Groce (47), Montero (45), junior Noah Morgan (38), redshirt senior Boubacar Toure (29), junior Darion Spottsville (29), freshman Chris James (16), junior Chris Barnes (14), and juniors Thomas Binelli and Jalen King have 14 and 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 eight players, respectively.
BLOCK PARTY: Eastern Michigan ranks fifth in the Mid-American Conference with 81 blocks this season. Redshirt senior Boubacar Toure leads the team with 33 swats and is averaging 1.4 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. Redshirt junior Ty Groce and junior Jalen King also have tallied double-digit blocks this season with 20 and 14, respectively.
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.
DOUBLE-DIGIT DEDICATION: Redshirt junior Ty Groce leads Eastern Michigan in scoring with 11.9 points per game (285 total points), while junior Noah Morgan and redshirt senior Boubacar Toure are averaging 10.6, and 10.4, respectively. Groce is the only Eagle to reach double-digits in 17 games this year, and Toure has tallied double figures in 13 games, respectively.
Groce posted a career-high 23 points against Valpo, Dec. 3, while junior Yeikson Montero scored a career-best 26 points versus Toledo, Feb. 1. Morgan tallied a career-best 23 points against Ohio, Jan. 18.
In MAC play, three Eagles are averaging in double-figures in Toure (21.1), Groce (11.5), and Morgan (10.5).
versaTYle: Redshirt junior Ty Groce has proven to be a versatile player on the floor. He leads the team with 285 points (11.9 ppg). The Ypsilanti, Mich. native has hit double-digits in 17 games during the 2019-20 campaign, and in five-straight games (10 at Miami, Jan. 25; 10 vs. Toledo, Feb. 1; 14 vs. Buffalo, Feb. 4; 15 at Akron, Feb. 8; 22 at Central Michigan, Feb. 11). 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 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) versus Buffalo, Feb. 4.
In conference play, the redshirt junior is recording 11.5 points per game to go along with 5.5 rebounds and 1.9 steals a contest.
PRESSURE LEADS TO TURNOVERS: The Eastern Michigan defense is forcing opponents to turn the ball over 17.4 times a game, which leads the MAC and ranks 14th among Division I teams. EMU also holds a +2.2 turnover margin (17.4-15.3), which is good for second in the league and 54th in the NCAA. Eastern holds an 8-5 mark (13 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 14 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 32nd in the nation holding their opponents to 63.1 points per game. Ball State leads the conference in scoring defense (61.8 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 junior Darion Spottsville (48), redshirt junior Ty Groce (43), juniors Noah Morgan (37) and Yeikson Montero (30), and redshirt junior Chris Barnes (25). Spottsville leads the team with 2.0 helpers per game, while Groce, Morgan, Montero, Barnes are dishing out 1.8, 1.5, 1.3, and 1.2, respectively.
Spottsville registered seven of the team's 12 assists at Detroit Mercy, Dec. 7 and has led the Eagles in assists 10 times this season. Groce notched a career-high five helpers versus Concordia, Dec. 30, and has led the Eagles in assists nine 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.
.600 OR BETTER: The Eagles have one player that is shooting 60 percent-or-better from the field. The Green and White are led by redshirt senior Boubacar Toure, hitting at 67.5 percent on 108-of-160 shooting, which ranks first among MAC players. Toure has shot over 70 percent from the field (min. seven attempts) in nine games this season. His season-high of 90.0 percent (9-of-10) was hit at Central Michigan, Feb. 11.
CHARITY STRIPE: The Eagles have found their way to the charity stripe 554 times so far this season, which ranks 28th in the nation and first in the MAC. EMU is averaging 23.1 free throw attempts per game, which ranks first in the league with Central Michigan following with 22.0, respectively. In fact, the Green and White have had more free-throw attempts than its opponent in 19 games this year.
Converting those opportunities into points (min. 20 attempts), junior Chris Barnes leads the team from the charity stripe, shooting 81.5 percent on 22-of-27, Barnes is followed by redshirt junior Ty Groce and classmate Yeikson Montero who hit 72.7 (48-of-66) and 72.8 (75-of-103) percent from the free-throw line, respectively.
TOURE TAKEOFF: Redshirt senior Boubacar Toure is shooting a team leading 67.5 percent (108-of-160) from the field this year, which ranks first in the MAC. He is averaging 3.3 offensive boards a game (79), which is good for third in the Mid-American Conference. The Dakar, Senegal native has notched 13 double-figure scoring performances as well as pulling down 10+ boards in 13 games this season. Toure leads the team with 10 double-doubles with his most recent performance (20 pts., 13 rebs.) at Central Michigan, Feb. 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) against the RedHawks, Jan. 25. The redshirt senior center ranks fourth in the league with 1.4 blocks per game (33 total) and has totaled 29 steals.
LAST TIME OUT: Eastern Michigan earned its third win in the last four Mid-American Conference games, downing in-state rival Central Michigan, 73-70, Feb. 11 inside CMU's McGuirk Arena. The victory was the Eagles' first road MAC win of the season.
The Chippewas cut the Eagles' lead to two (71-69) with 8 ticks left in the game, but redshirt junior Ty Groce and classmate Noah Morgan split a pair of free throws each to seal the 73-70 victory.
Groce posted his first career double-double with 22 points and 12 rebounds to go along with three assists in 38 minutes. Redshirt senior Boubacar Toure also earned a double-double with 20 points on 9-of-10 shooting and 13 rebounds, while junior Thomas Binelli added 15 points and tied a career-high with five three-pointers. Morgan finished the evening with 14 points and went 7-of-8 from the charity stripe.
The Eagles shot 49.1 percent from the field (26-of-53) and made 6-of-18 (33.3 percent) from beyond the arc, compared to CMU's 46.7 percent clip (14-of-30) from deep. EMU held the advantage at the free throw line, shooting 78.9 percent (15-of-19).
Eastern Michigan outrebounded Central Michigan, 36-28, and outscored the Chippewas in the following categories:, points in the paint (40-14), second chance points (16-5), bench points (14-5), and points off turnovers (27-24).
ALL-TIME VS. MAC: The Green and White hold a 340-430 program mark against Mid-American Conference teams. Eastern has played Central Michigan the most (196 times), while facing Western Michigan 111 times and Toledo 108 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 73-78 MAC record and clinched a MAC West title in 2012.
ON THE HORIZON: Eastern Michigan will conclude a two-game homestand Tuesday, Feb. 18, as the Eagles host MAC East opponent Kent State inside the Convocation Center. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m.
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