Men's Hoops Set to Host Buffalo Tuesday

Men's Basketball vs. Buffalo
Date	Tuesday, Feb. 4 \| 7 p.m.
Venue	Ypsilanti, Mich. \| Convocation Center
Preview Info	EMU Notes
Live Stats	Fan Stats \| Media Stats
Watch	ESPN+
Radio	WEMU 89.1
Twitter	@EMUHoops \| @EMUAthletics

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team concludes a two-game home stint by welcoming the defending Mid-American Conference Tournament championships University of Buffalo to the Convocation Center, Feb. 4. The cross-divisional bout is slated to begin at 7 p.m.
   EMU (11-10, 1-7 MAC) claimed its first MAC victory of the 2019-20 season and broke a seven-game losing streak with a 61-57 win over Toledo, Feb. 1. Buffalo (14-8, 5-4 MAC) enters Tuesday's game after dropping a close 78-77 bout with MAC East leader Bowling Green, Jan. 31.
   Fans can watch the action on ESPN+ 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 leads both the nation and the Mid-American Conference in steals per game (10.9). EMU also ranks fourth among Division I teams in total steals with 229. The Eagles are forcing 17.9 turnovers per game, which leads the league and ranks 13th in the nation. EMU has attempted 474 free throws which leads the conference and ranks 54th in the nation. Eastern's scoring defense of 63.0 points per game ranks second in the conference behind Ball State (62.0 ppg).
   Individually, redshirt senior Boubacar Toure ranks second in the MAC with a 65.4 field goal percentage (89-of-136) and ranks third (35th nationally) with 3.3 offensive rebounds per game. The Dakar, Senegal native is also fourth in the conference in both rebounds per game with 9.2 and blocks with 31. Redshirt junior Ty Groce is leading the team with 40 steals, which is tied for third in the MAC and 60th in the nation.

HISTORY IN THE MAKING: EMU men's basketball has tallied 199 victories in the Convocation Center since it opened for the 1998-99 season. A win over Buffalo Tuesday, Feb. 4, would give Eastern its 200th men's basketball victory in the Convo.
   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.

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 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 third on the team averaging 10.4 points per game.

DEFENSE! DEFENSE!: Eastern Michigan has played exceptional defense all season, as the Eagles has held opponents to scoring 60 points-or-less in nine games. 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 83-12 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 a 10-2 record.
   In Rob Murphy's tenure, the Eagles are 26-99 when trailing at the half, but hold a 118-27 record when leading at the half.

NAIL-BITERS: Close games are no stranger to Eastern Michigan as it has seen contests down to the wire in the last six-of-seven games, at Ohio (Jan. 7), at Northern Illinois (Jan. 11), versus Ohio (Jan. 18), at Bowling Green (Jan. 21), at Miami (Jan. 25), and versus Toledo (Feb. 1). In all six games, the outcome has been decided 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.
   Overall, 27 of the MAC's 50 conference games played this year have been decided by six-or-fewer points.

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 27 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 61-57 victory over Toledo, Feb. 1, redshirt senior Boubacar Toure posted his eighth double-double of the season with 12 points and 16 rebounds. The Dakar, Senegal native has pulled down double-figure rebounds in 11 games this year, including seven of the last 10 games. The redshirt senior has led the Eagles on the boards in 16-of-21 games in the 2019-20 campaign. Toure has tallied 16 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 six 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-six contests.
   Morgan is tied for first on the team averaging 11.5 points per game in MAC play, while averaging 10.7 points per contest for the season. He is shooting 39.5 percent (30-of-76) from the field in league play and is pulling down 3.9 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 11.4 points and 11.6 rebounds in the eight 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 12.2 rebounds per game to go along with 12.1 points a game, while Ball State's Tahjai Teague is tallying 10.6 rebounds and 18.1 points per game, respectively.
   Toure is shooting a league-best 64 percent from the floor (39-of-61) and has recorded 14 blocks. The Dakar, Senegal native notched five double-doubles in MAC play and nearly missed one at Ohio, Jan. 11. Toure's 11.6 rebounds per game ranks second in the conference, to go along with his 1.8 blocks per contest is also good for second.

FINDERS KEEPERS: The Eagles leads both the nation and the Mid-American Conference with 10.9 steals per game. In-state foe Central Michigan is second in the league with 9.5. The Green and White have stolen the ball 229 times this season, including 10+ swipes in 12 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 1.9 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 (39), junior Noah Morgan (36), junior Darion Spottsville (27), redshirt senior Boubacar Toure (26), freshman Chris James (16), junior Chris Barnes (14), and juniors Thomas Binelli and Jalen King have 11 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 seven players, respectively.

STEAL MACHINES: The Eagles are averaging 10.9 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 19 games this year, while Montero has tallied at least one in 18, respectively.

BLOCK PARTY: Eastern Michigan ranks fifth in the Mid-American Conference with 71 blocks this season. Redshirt senior Boubacar Toure leads the team with 31 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. Redshirt junior Ty Groce and junior Jalen King also have tallied double-digit blocks this season with 15 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.

CRASHIN' THE BOARDS: Boubacar Toure has pulled down 10+ rebounds in 11 games this season and has led the team in rebounding 16-of-21 games this year. The redshirt senior leads the team averaging 9.2 boards per game (194 total), including 5.9 defensive and 3.3 offensive rebounds per contest. In MAC play, Toure is averaging 11.6 boards to go along with 11.4 points per game.

DOUBLE-DIGIT DEDICATION: Redshirt junior Ty Groce leads Eastern Michigan in scoring with 11.1 points per points, while junior Noah Morgan, classmate Yeikson Montero, and redshirt senior Boubacar Toure are averaging 10.7, 10.4, and 10.1, respectively. Groce is the only Eagle to reach double-digits in 14 games this year, and junior Yeikson Montero have tallied double figures in 12 games, respectively.
   Groce posted a career-high 23 points against Valpo, Dec. 3, while 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 Morgan (11.5), Montero (11.5) and Toure (11.4). Groce is tallying 9.5 in the first eight games of conference play.

versaTYle: Redshirt junior Ty Groce has proven to be a versatile player on the floor. He leads the team with 234 points (11.1 ppg). The Ypsilanti, Mich. native has hit double-digits in 14 games during the 2019-20 campaign, and in three of the last four games (17 vs. Ohio, Jan. 18; 10 at Miami, Jan. 25; 10 vs. Toledo, Feb. 1). 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 9.5 points per game to go along with 5.4 rebounds and 1.8 steals a contest.

PRESSURE LEADS TO TURNOVERS: The Eastern Michigan defense is forcing opponents to turn the ball over 17.9 times a game, which leads the MAC and ranks 13th among Division I teams. EMU also holds a +2.4 turnover margin (17.9-15.3), which is good for third in the league and 54th in the NCAA. Eastern holds a 7-5 mark (12 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 12 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 35th in the nation holding their opponents to 63.0 points per game. Ball State leads the conference in scoring defense (62.0 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 (40) and Noah Morgan (35), redshirt junior Ty Groce (35), junior Yeikson Montero (28), and redshirt junior Chris Barnes (25). Spottsville leads the team with 1.9 helpers per game, while Morgan, Groce and Montero are dishing out 1.7, 1.7, 1.3, 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 seven 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 65.4 percent on 89-of-136 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 474 times so far this season, which ranks 54th in the nation and first in the MAC. EMU is averaging 22.6 free throw attempts per game, which ranks second in the league with Central Michigan leading the MAC with 22.8, respectively. Through 21 games in 2018, the Eagles attempted 359 free throws, which is 115 less from their current total. In fact, the Green and White have had more free-throw attempts than its opponent in 16 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 (42-56) and 72.7 (64-88) percent from the free-throw line, respectively.

TOURE TAKEOFF: Redshirt senior Boubacar Toure is shooting a team leading 65.4 percent (89-of-136) from the field this year, which ranks second in the MAC. He is averaging 3.3 offensive boards a game (70), which is good for third in the Mid-American Conference. The Dakar, Senegal native has notched 11 double-figure scoring performances as well as pulling down 10+ boards in 11 games this season. Toure leads the team with eight double-doubles with his most recent performance (12 pts., 16 rebs.) versus Toledo, Feb. 1.
   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 (31 total) and has totaled 26 steals.

LAST TIME OUT: Eastern Michigan earned its first win of the season in Mid-American Conference play with a 61-57 victory over Toledo, Feb. 1. Junior Yeikson Montero scored 20 of his career-high 26 points in the second half, while redshirt senior Boubacar Toure recorded his eighth double-double of the season with 12 points and 16 rebounds. From there, redshirt junior Ty Groce added 10 points, three boards and three assists, and junior Darion Spottsville contributed five points and led the Green and White with four steals and four helpers.
   EMU shot 52 percent (13-of-25) from the floor during the second half and 46 percent (23-of-50) overall, while holding UT to a 37.5 percent efficiency. The hosts also bested the Rockets in points in the paint (24-10), steals (10-3), rebounds (33-30), and blocks (3-0).

ALL-TIME VS. BUFFALO: Tuesday's game marks the 29th meeting between Eastern Michigan and Buffalo. The Bulls hold the edge in the all-time series, 17-11, which began in 1971. Buffalo is on a five-game winning streak with Eastern Michigan's last victory over UB on Jan. 12, 2016 when the Eagles topped the Bulls 81-69 inside the Convocation Center.
   EMU is 7-7 against UB at home and has only beaten the Bulls three times in the Rob Murphy era.

SCOUTING BUFFALO: Led by first-year head coach, Jim Whitesell, Buffalo holds a 14-8 overall record with a 5-4 Mid-American Conference mark. The Bulls are entering Tuesday's game off a 78-77 loss to MAC East Division leader Bowling Green, Jan. 31.
   All of Buffalo's starters are averaging double-figures with Jayvon Graves leading the way with 16.8 points per game. He is followed by Davonta Jordan (12.1), Jeenathan Williams (11.9), Antwain Johnson (10.6), and Josh Mballa (10.4), respectively. Mballa is grabbing a team-best 9.5 rebounds per game, and Graves has drained a team-high 48 3-pointers. On the defensive side, Jordan ranks first on the team with 44 steals, which also leads the MAC.
   The Bulls are averaging 79.4 points per game, which ranks second in the league, and are shooting 44.0 percent (651-1478) from the field. UB is holding opponents to 76.0 points per contest and keeps the rebounding edge with a +4.6 margin (42.3-37.6).

ALL-TIME VS. MAC: The Green and White hold a 338-429 program mark against Mid-American Conference teams. Eastern has played Central Michigan the most (195 times), while facing Western Michigan 111 times and Toledo 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 71-77 MAC record and clinched a MAC West title in 2012.

ON THE HORIZON: Eastern Michigan looks to continue Mid-American Conference play with a road matchup at Akron Saturday, Feb. 8. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. from James A. Rhodes Arena.

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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