Men's Basketball Travels to Ball State Saturday for MAC Rematch

Men's Basketball at Ball State
Date	Saturday, Feb. 22 \| 1 p.m.
Venue	Muncie, Ind. \| Worthen Arena
Preview Info	EMU Notes
Live Stats	Fan Stats \| Media Stats
Watch	ESPN3
Radio	WEMU 89.1
Twitter	@EMUHoops \| @EMUAthletics

MUNCIE, Ind. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team will hit the road for one game Saturday, Feb. 22, at Ball State University for a Mid-American Conference West Division rematch. The Eagles will look to split the season series, as the Cardinals won the first matchup, 69-52, Jan. 14. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. inside BSU's Worthen Arena.
   Eastern (15-11, 5-8 MAC) earned its fifth win in the last six games after defeating Kent State, 70-49, inside the Convocation Center, Feb. 18. Ball State (14-12, 7-6 MAC)is on a two-game losing streak, as the Cardinals fell, 72-59, at Buffalo on Tuesday.
   Fans can watch the action on ESPN3 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 LEADERS: Eastern Michigan ranks second in the nation and leads the Mid-American Conference in steals per game (10.3). EMU also ranks fourth among Division I teams in total steals with 268. The Eagles are forcing 17.4 turnovers per game, which leads the league and ranks 12th in the nation. EMU has attempted 598 free throws which leads the conference and ranks 26th in the nation. Eastern's scoring defense of 62.1 points per game ranks first in the conference, followed by Ball State's 62.7, respectively.
   Individually, redshirt senior Boubacar Toure leads the MAC with a 68.2 field goal percentage (120-of-176) and ranks third (34th nationally) with 3.4 offensive rebounds per game. The Dakar, Senegal native is also fourth in the conference in rebounds per game with 9.1. Redshirt junior Ty Groce is leading the team with 49 steals, which ranks second in the league and 52nd in the nation. Groce's 1.9 steals per game is tied for second in the MAC and 56th among Division I student-athletes.

IF THE MAC TOURNAMENT STARTED TODAY: Eastern Michigan would be seeded ninth and play at No. 8 seed Ohio in the First Round of the MAC Tournament Monday, March 9.
   The Eagles fell to the Bobcats twice this season (Jan. 7, 74-68; Jan. 18, 60-58).

DOUBLE-DIGIT WIN: The Eagles posted its second consecutive double-digit win over a Mid-American Conference team this season with a 70-49 victory Kent State, Feb. 18. The 21-point win is the third highest victory margin over the Golden Flashes since the all-time series started in 1950, and the eighth time EMU defeated KSU by double-figures.
   Eastern's first double-figure win over a conference team was against Western Michigan, when the Green and White topped the Broncos by 17 (69-51), Feb. 15. That victory was the first double-digit win over a Division I school since UMBC in the Jamaica Classic (62-45), Nov. 22. Ten of the 14 wins over the 2019-20 campaign, have been within six points-or-less.

TURNING THE PAGE: Eastern's new game plan is working as the Eagles have won five of the last six matchups. Over that span, EMU has a +8.2 scoring margin and held opponents to less than 60 points per game (58.0). In addition, the Eagles are shooting 48.3 percent (142-of-294) from the field, compared to its 38 percent clip during the first seven games of league play.
   On the defensive end, the Green and White are forcing 15.7 turnovers and holding their opponents to a 36.3 field goal percentage - 12 percent less than the Eagles. The opposition is also struggling to convert beyond the arc, as teams are shooting 26.8 percent compared to the 36.0 clip over the first seven MAC games.
   Redshirt senior Boubacar Toure has led the team averaging 13.5 points per game with 9.8 rebounds over the last six contests, while redshirt junior Ty Groce has added 13.0, respectively.

FINDING THE GROOVE: With the 70-49 win over Kent State, Feb. 18, the Eagles shot 50 percent from the floor (23-of-46). This is the third time EMU has shot 50 percent or higher in MAC play this season. Eastern first found its groove inside the arc, when it shot 50 percent from the field (19-of-38) in a heartbreaking loss, 59-58, to Akron, Feb. 8. Two games later, the Green and White sparked its offense again and went 27-of-51 (52.9 percent) from the field in a 69-51 victory over in-state rival Western Michigan, Feb. 15.
   The Green and White have shot 50 percent-or-above in seven games during the 2019-20 campaign. Eastern Michigan's season-high is a 61.4 percent efficiency, when the Eagles downed Valparaiso, 85-79, Dec. 3.

SHARING THE BURDEN: Nine of the 10 Eagles who played against Kent State, Feb. 18, etched their names in the box score with at least two points. Five of those players scored eight-or-more points in the 70-49 victory over the Golden Flashes with three of those five who scored in double-figures (Ty Groce, 15; Thomas Binelli, 13; Boubacar Toure, 10). EMU has had five players score eight points or more in 10 games this season with four of those coming in conference play.

LOCK IT UP: Eastern Michigan's signature zone defense was on point in the 70-49 victory over Kent State, Feb. 15. Going into Tuesday's game, the Golden Flashes ranked first with a 45.3 field-goal percentage and shot above 45 percent in 14 games. The Eagle defense held the Flashes to its lowest shooting percentage in a game with a 29.1 clip (16-of-55).
   Eastern has held two teams to shooting less than 30 percent (23.2, Detroit Mercy, Dec. 7; 29.1, Kent State, Feb. 18) and holds a 13-6 mark when opponents shoot less than 45 percent.

EAGLES HOT STREAK: Eastern Michigan is on a hot streak in the second half of Mid-American Conference play, as the Eagles have won three-straight conference games (at Central Michigan, Feb. 11; vs. Western Michigan, Feb. 15; vs. Kent State, Feb. 18) for the first time this season and are 5-1 over the last six games.
   Over the last three games, the Green and White are averaging 70.7 points per game, while holding opponents to 56.7 points per game (+14.0 scoring margin). EMU is shooting 50.7 percent (76-of-150) from the field, compared to its opponents only shooting a 36.8 clip.

ALL-TIME VS. BALL STATE: Saturday's game will be the 107th meeting between Eastern Michigan and Ball State since the series started in 1947, and the second time the teams met this season. Eastern Michigan fell, 69-52, to the Cardinals in the first game of the 2019-20 series, Jan. 14.
   EMU trails BSU, 63-43, in the all-time series with the Eagles winning three of the last five. However, the Green and White has lost the last two meetings and hold a 3-7 record over the last 10 games.

SCOUTING BALL STATE: Led by seventh-year head coach James Whitford, Ball State enters Saturday's contest coming off a 72-59 loss at Buffalo, Feb. 18. The Cardinals hold a 14-12 overall record with a 7-6 MAC mark and have lost the last two games.
   Ball State is averaging 69.1 points per game on 42.3 percent shooting from the floor and 33.0 clip from beyond the 3-point arc, including draining 9.0 triples a game. Defensively, the Cardinals are holding opponents to 62.7 points per game, which ranks second in the MAC. BSU is tallying 36.3 rebounds per game, to go along with 6.8 steals and 3.5 blocks.
   Ball State has two players scoring in double-figures led by Tahjai Teague with 14.8 points per game. He is shooting just over 50 percent from the floor (151-of-299) to go along with a team-best 9.0 rebounds per game. Ishmael El-Amin follows Teague with 14.0 points a contest and has drained a team-best 63 three-pointers. Ball State has eight players who have tallied double-digit assists with Jarron Coleman leading the way with 77 helpers, while Teague ranks first on the squad with 44 blocks and 33 steals.

JAMES, CHRIS JAMES: Freshman Chris James broke out of his offensive slump as he tied a career-high 15 points, including three triples in a 69-51 victory over Western Michigan, Feb. 15. James has scored in double-digits four times this season, including the first three-straight games of the season (14 vs. Siena Heights, Nov. 8; 11 vs. Goshen, Nov. 12; 15 vs. Michigan-Dearborn, Nov. 14).

PERFECT SHOOTING: Redshirt senior Boubacar Toure led the Eagles with 17 points on a perfect 8-of-8 from the floor in an 69-51 win over Western Michigan, Feb. 15. This is the second time this season Toure has shot 100 percent from the field with the first coming at Miami, Jan. 25, when the center went 4-of-4. The Dakar, Senegal native leads the league with a 68.2 field-goal percentage (120-of-176).

SHARING THE WEALTH: Eastern Michigan has had four Eagles score in double-figures in back-to-back games (Central Michigan, Feb. 11; Western Michigan, Feb. 15). In the 69-51 victory over WMU, redshirt senior Boubacar Toure led the way with 17 points. Freshman Chris James and junior Noah Morgan each added 15, while classmate Darion Spottsville tallied 10, respectively.
   Against the Chippewas, redshirt junior Ty Groce led the way with 22 points, while Toure totaled 20. Junior Thomas Binelli and Morgan also scored double-figures with 15 and 14 points, respectively.
   EMU has had eight games this season where four-or-more Eagles score in double-figures, and four in MAC play (at Northern Illinois, Jan. 11; at Miami, Jan. 25; at Central Michigan, Feb. 11; vs. Western Michigan, Feb. 15). In those eight games, Eastern Michigan holds a 6-2 record.

NAIL-BITERS: Close games are no stranger to EMU, as it has seen contests down to the wire in the nine-of-12 games. In all nine games, the outcome has been decided with a margin of six-or-less points. Overall, 40 of the MAC's 76 (52.6 percent) conference games played this year have been decided by six-or-fewer points.

SCORING FRENZY: Junior Darion Spottsville is breaking through offensively, as he has scored in double-figures in four of the last six games. Most recently, the guard added 10 points in a 69-51 win over in-state rival Western Michigan, Feb. 15. 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 four double-digit scoring performances this season. The junior totaled 11 points in a 66-62 win over Buffalo, Feb. 4 and added 12 at Miami, Jan. 25; which was his first 10-plus point performance in an EMU uniform.

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 18-of-26 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 11.6 points per game, while grabbing 5.6 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 a 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.

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.

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 26 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 41 three-pointers this season. The Bologna, Italy native has made at least one from beyond the arc in 18 of the 19 games he has played and in the last 11-straight contests. Binelli has drained three-plus triples in seven games this year, including a career-high five 3's at Miami, Jan. 25 and at Central Michigan, Feb. 11. Binelli is averaging 7.8 points per game with 2.2 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 9.4 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 13 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 12-1.
   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 85-13 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 13-3 record.
   In Rob Murphy's tenure, the Eagles are 27-99 when trailing at the half, but hold a 121-28 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 41 triples and is averaging 7.8 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 15 games. The redshirt senior has led the Eagles on the boards in 21-of-26 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 21-of-26 games this year. The redshirt senior leads the team averaging 9.1 boards per game (237 total), including 5.8 defensive and 3.3 offensive rebounds per contest. In MAC play, Toure is averaging 10.5 boards to go along with 12.3 points per game.

WE WANT MOR(GAN): Junior Noah Morgan has come alive as he has scored in double-figures in six of the last 11 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; 15 vs. Western Michigan, Feb. 15). His 15 points versus WMU was his 12th double-digit scoring performance of the 2019-20 season. The junior has led the Eagles in scoring in 6-of-26 games, including leading the Green and White in the last three-of-10 contests. Morgan ranks second on the team averaging 10.6 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 12.3 points and 10.5 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 11.6 rebounds per game to go along with 12.7 points a game, while Ball State's Tahjai Teague is tallying 10.2 rebounds and 15.9 points per game, respectively.
   Toure is shooting a league-best 69.3 percent from the floor (70-of-101) and has recorded 16 blocks. The Dakar, Senegal native notched seven double-doubles in MAC play and nearly missed one at Ohio, Jan. 11 and versus Kent State, Feb. 18. Toure's 10.5 rebounds per game ranks second in the conference, to go along with his 1.2 blocks per contest is tied for fourth.

STEAL MACHINES: The Eagles are averaging 10.3 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 49 steals and has recorded at least one steal in 20 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 22 games this year, respectively.

FINDERS KEEPERS: The Eagles rank second in the nation and leads the Mid-American Conference with 10.3 steals per game. SFA leads the NCAA with 10.6, while in-state foe Central Michigan is second in the league with 9.3. The Green and White have stolen the ball 268 times this season, including 10+ swipes in 14 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 (49 this season), which is tied for second in the MAC with junior Yeikson Montero also swiping 1.8 balls per game. Nine players have double-digit steals on the season, which includes EMU's primary starting-five: Groce (49), Montero (47), junior Noah Morgan (40), junior Darion Spottsville (34), redshirt senior Boubacar Toure (32), freshman Chris James (18), junior Chris Barnes (14), and juniors Thomas Binelli and Jalen King have 14 and 11, 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 84 blocks this season. Redshirt senior Boubacar Toure leads the team with 33 swats and is averaging 1.3 blocks per game, which is good for fourth in the conference. The Dakar, Senegal native 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 21 and 14, respectively.

DOUBLE-DIGIT DEDICATION: Redshirt junior Ty Groce leads Eastern Michigan in scoring with 11.6 points per game (302 total points), while redshirt senior Boubacar Toure and junior Noah Morgan are averaging 10.8, and 10.4, respectively. Groce is the only Eagle to reach double-digits in 18 games this year, and Toure has tallied double figures in 15 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 (12.3), Morgan (11.1), and Groce (10.6).

versaTYle: Redshirt junior Ty Groce has proven to be a versatile player on the floor. He leads the team with 302 points (11.6 ppg). The Ypsilanti, Mich. native has hit double-digits in 18 games during the 2019-20 campaign, and in six of the last seven 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; 15 vs. Kent State, Feb. 18). Groce has led the Green and White in scoring in 12 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 11.1 points per game to go along with 5.8 rebounds and 1.8 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 12th among Division I teams. EMU also holds a +2.2 turnover margin (17.4-15.2), which is good for second in the league and 52nd in the NCAA. Eastern holds an 9-5 mark (14 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 15 games with 15 or less turnovers and two with less than 10.

SHUT 'EM DOWN: The Green and White lead in the MAC and 22nd in the nation holding their opponents to 62.1 points per game. Ball State follows the Eagles in scoring defense with 62.7. The Eagles have held 10 opponents to under 55 points in 2019. This fierce defense has outscored the opposition by double-digits in seven 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 (56), redshirt junior Ty Groce (50), juniors Noah Morgan (38) and Yeikson Montero (31), and redshirt junior Chris Barnes (25). Spottsville leads the team with 2.1 helpers per game, while Groce, Morgan, Montero, Barnes are dishing out 2.0, 1.5, 1.2, 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 11 times this season. Groce notched a career-high five helpers versus Concordia, Dec. 30, and has led the Eagles in assists 10 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 68.2 percent on 120-of-176 shooting, which ranks first among MAC players. Toure has shot over 70 percent from the field (min. seven attempts) in 10 games this season. His season-high of 100 percent (8-of-8) was hit against Western Michigan, Feb. 15.

CHARITY STRIPE: The Eagles have found their way to the charity stripe 598 times so far this season, which ranks 26th in the nation and first in the MAC. EMU is averaging 23.0 free throw attempts per game, which ranks first in the league with Central Michigan following with 22.3, respectively. In fact, the Green and White have had more free-throw attempts than its opponent in 20 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 junior Yeikson Montero and redshirt junior Ty Groce who hit 73.6 (53-of-72) and 72.1 (80-of-111) percent from the free-throw line, respectively.

TOURE TAKEOFF: Redshirt senior Boubacar Toure is shooting a team leading 68.2 percent (120-of-176) from the field this year, which ranks first in the MAC. He is averaging 3.3 offensive boards a game (87), which is good for third in the Mid-American Conference. The Dakar, Senegal native has notched 15 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 1.3 blocks per game (33 total) and has totaled 32 steals.

LAST TIME OUT: Eastern Michigan earned its fifth win in the last six Mid-American Conference games, topping Kent State in convincing fashion, 70-49, Feb. 18 inside the Convocation Center.
   Redshirt junior Ty Groce finished the night with 15 points and nine rebounds, tying redshirt senior Boubacar Toure for the most boards by an Eagle in the contest. Toure scored 10 points marking his fourth-straight game registering double-digits. Junior Thomas Binelli ended up with three made baskets from beyond-the-arc and was flawless from the charity stripe (4-of-4). Classmate Darion Spottsville shot 3-of-6 (50%) from the floor for eight points and shared the rock successfully recording three assists.
   Eastern Michigan limited Kent State to its lowest field goal percentage of the season at a 29.1 clip. Previously, the Golden Flashes had been pacing the conference in the category shooting 45.3 percent from the floor. EMU out-rebounded its MAC counterparts, 39-35, and outscored them in the paint, 28-22.

ALL-TIME VS. MAC: The Green and White hold a 342-430 program mark against Mid-American Conference teams. Eastern has played Central Michigan the most (196 times), while facing Western Michigan 112 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 75-78 MAC record and clinched a MAC West title in 2012.

ON THE HORIZON: Eastern Michigan returns to Ypsilanti for a two-game home stretch starting Tuesday, Feb. 25 when the Northern Illinois Huskies make the trip to the Convocation Center. The game will be televised on ESPN+ with a 7 p.m. tip. NIU won the first game in the season series, 71-68, Jan. 11, in DeKalb, Ill.

Men's Basketball Travels to Ball State Saturday for MAC Rematch

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Players Mentioned

Derek Ballard Jr.

Chris Barnes

Thomas Binelli

Ty Groce

Paul Jackson

Chris James

Jalen King

Kevin McAdoo

Elijah Minnie

Yeikson Montero

Noah Morgan

Darion Spottsville

James Thompson IV

Boubacar Toure

Eastern Michigan Athletics