Men's Hoops Concludes Homestand Against Akron Saturday

Men's Basketball vs. Akron
Date	Saturday, Jan. 9 \| 2 p.m. ET
Venue	Ypsilanti, Mich. \| Convocation Center
Preview Info	EMU Notes \| Game Program
Live Stats	Fan Stats \| Media Stats
Watch	ESPN +
Listen	WEMU (89.1FM) \| TuneIn Radio \| Podcast
Twitter	@EMU_MBB \| @EMUAthletics
Attendance Information	No general public attendance will be allowed

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team will conclude a five-game homestand, as the Eagles play host to the University of Akron Saturday, Jan. 9. Tipoff is slated for 2:04 p.m. inside the Convocation Center.
   The Eagles (2-3, 0-2 MAC) dropped their second home conference game of the young season to Central Michigan, Dec. 29, 87-60. Akron (4-1, 2-0 MAC) is on a hot streak as the Zips have won the last three games, including a 66-62 victory over rival Kent State, Jan. 1. UA has had two consecutive games postponed recently due to COVID-19 protocols, against Central Michigan and Buffalo.
   Although fans will not be able to attend the contest, there is an opportunity to catch the game on ESPN+, with Ryan Wooley providing the play-by-play and Steve Hawkins serving as the analyst. Hawkins is a longtime Division I men's basketball coach who most recently served as the head coach of the Western Michigan's men's program from 2003-20. WEMU (89.1 FM) will also broadcast the game with Tom Helmer on the call. As always, fans can follow along on EMUEagles.com/livestats or on Twitter by following @EMU_MBB.

AMONG THE LEADERS: Eastern Michigan leads the Mid-American Conference in three statistical categories: steals per game (13.2), turnovers forced (20.6), and turnover margin (+7.4). The Eagles' 13.2 swipes per contest also ranks second in the NCAA, while EMU's 20.6 TO's forced and +7.4 TO margin are both fourth in the nation.
   Individually, senior Yeikson Montero leads the MAC and ranks seventh in the country in steals per game (3.0), while redshirt junior Bryce McBride is second in the conference and 13th in the nation with 2.8 swipes a game. Additionally, redshirt senior Ty Groce ranks first in the league in both blocks per game (2.0) and total blocks (10).

COVID WOES: It's no secret that the schedule is always up in the air due to COVID-19 protocols and EMU has fallen victim to game postponements and cancellations during the 2020-21 season. The Eagles have had six games either postponed, cancelled, and/or rescheduled this year: at Valparaiso (cancelled), vs. Olivet (rescheduled), vs. Central Michigan (rescheduled), at Buffalo (postponed), vs. Kent State (postponed), and vs. Akron (rescheduled).
   EMU has only played five games this season which is the lowest in the Mid-American Conference along with Kent State and Akron who also have played five contests so far. Throughout the conference, 12 games have been either cancelled or postponed with nine of those being league games.

DOUBLE-DOUBLE TROUBLE: Redshirt senior Ty Groce recorded his second-career double-double against Central Michigan, Dec. 29, as he scored 15 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in 32 minutes of play. Groce shot 7-of-10 from the field and 1-of-2 from deep, and also contributed a season-best four steals. The Ypsilanti native registered the only two blocks for the team in the loss to CMU, 87-60.
   Additionally, redshirt junior Miles Gibson and senior Yeikson Montero both posted double-doubles in a 95-35 victory over Adrian, Dec. 9. Gibson tallied career-highs in both points (13) and rebounds (13), while Montero added 11 points and 12 rebounds. That was the first time during the 2020-21 season an Eagle, let alone two, recorded a double-double in a game.
   Then-redshirt junior Groce (22 pts., 12 rebs.) and former Eagle Boubacar Toure (20 pts., 13 rebs.) were the last pair in the Green and White to reach this feat, Feb. 11, 2020 against CMU. 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 James Thompson IV and Elijah Minnie reached 20+ points and double-digit rebounds against Oakland, Dec. 6, 2017.

ADDING TO THE RECORD BOOKS: Senior Yeikson Montero posted a historic night in EMU's 94-65 win over Olivet College, Dec. 27. The Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic native led the Eagles with a season-high 25 points on 9-of-15 shooting from the field. Montero drained seven triples, which is tied for ninth for a single-game in the EMU record books.
   However, the more impressive number is the six three-points Montero made in the first half against the Comets, which tied for a Convocation Center half record. The last Eagle to make six triples in a half was Raven Lee against Miami, Feb. 2, 2016. The guard also scored 20 points in the first stanza, which was the first time an EMU men's basketball student-athlete scored 20 in the first half inside the Convo since Corey Tarrent did it against Akron, Jan. 19, 2000.

HOT THREE-POINT SHOOTING: Eastern Michigan drained a season-best 14 three-pointers in its 94-65 win over Olivet College, Dec. 27. The 14 triples tied for second for both a single-game in EMU history and the Convocation Center record books. The last time the Eagles sunk 14 3's inside the Convo was against Northern Illinois, Jan. 11, 2011.
   The Green and White also started the game against the Comets hot in the first half as they drained 10 triples which ranks first for a half in Convocation Center history.

SHARING THE WEALTH: Five Eagles scored in double-digits in the 94-65 victory over Olivet College, Dec. 27. Senior Yeikson Montero led the Green and White with a season-high 25 points, while junior Bryce McBride recorded his fourth-straight double-figure scoring performance with 17 points. Sophomore Drew Lowder and senior Darion Spottsville each added 11 points, and sophomore Chris James scored 10, respectively.

EXECUTING OFF TURNOVERS: Eastern Michigan's defense is picking up speed as the season continues, tallying 22 steals against Olivet, Dec. 27, and scoring 47 points off the Comets' 33 turnovers. Those 22 steals against the OC is tied for first for a team single-game in the Eastern record books.
   Over their first five games of the season, the Eagles have forced their opponents to turn the ball over 20.6 times on average, which leads the MAC and is fourth in the country.

GETTIN' BUCKETS: In EMU's 95-35 victory over Adrian, Dec. 9, six Eagles scored in double figures. The Green and White was led by junior Bryce McBride, who scored a career-high 25 points, while sophomore Chris James reached a career-best 19 points. Redshirt senior Ty Groce added 15 points, while redshirt junior Miles Gibson, and seniors Yeikson Montero and Darion Spottsville totaled 13, 11, and 10, respectively.
   The last time the Eagles had six players reach double-digits was when EMU defeated Goshen,101-49, Nov. 12, 2019.

HISTORIC WIN: Eastern posted a historic 95-35 victory over Adrian, Dec. 9, inside the Convocation Center. The 60-point scoring margin tied for the most in men's basketball history for the Convo.
   The Eagles also scored 64 points in the first half, which ranks second in the Convocation Center record book for men's basketball. Additionally, the scoring margin at halftime was +45 points with the Eagles leading 64-19, which ranks first as a half-only record in the Convocation Center for men's basketball.

DOUBLE-DIGIT DEDICATION: Increasing your scoring total 10 points per game is a tall task, unless your junior Bryce McBride. The JUCO transfer scored five points in his Division I debut at No. 13/12 MSU, Nov. 25, then followed that with his first double-figure scoring performance with 15 points against UT, Dec. 4 before elevating to a career-high 25 points against Adrian, Dec. 9. Most recently, the guard scored 17 against Olivet, Dec. 27, and 15 versus Central Michigan, Dec. 29, respectively.
   McBride leads the Eagles averaging 15.4 points per game and has scored in double-digits over the last four games. The Jackson, Tenn. native also leads the team with 18 assists and ranks second with 14 steals.

80 IS NOT THE MAGIC NUMBER: There are many factors that go into the result of a game, but allowing opponents to score 80-plus points is kryptonite for the Green and White. The Eagles are 0-3 this season when allowing 80-or-more points in a game. In the Rob Murphy era (2011-present), EMU is 8-44 when giving up 80+ points.
   However, when Eastern Michigan scores more than 80 points, it is 2-0 this season and 9-10 since Murphy took the helm of the program.

HOLD 'EM TO 60-OR-LESS: When holding opponents to 60 points-or-less, Eastern Michigan has better luck in the win column. The Eagles are 2-0 during the 2020-21 campaign when holding their opponents under the 60-point plateau. Additionally, the Green and White has tallied an impressive 86-13 mark during the Rob Murphy era (2011-present) when keeping its competition below 60 points.

THE CHARITY STRIPE GIVES BACK: The Eagles are taking it to the rack this season, using their athleticism to put opponents in difficult situations. The squad is capitalizing on those opportunities as they have improved in free throw shooting, boasting a 73.7 percent (73-of-99), compared to 67.2 percent (80-of-119) after the first five games last season.

PROTECTING THE BALL: Eastern Michigan started the 2020-21 season protecting the rock as they have only committed 66 turnovers in the first five games of the season. Their 66 TOs ranks fourth in the MAC for fewest turnovers.
   EMU committed just nine turnovers in a 83-76 loss to No. 13 Michigan State, Nov. 25. Out of the seven EMU student-athletes who played at MSU, four of them committed one turnover or less.

.500 OR BETTER: Two Eagles are shooting 50 percent-or-better from the field, with a minimum of 10 attempts, to start the 2020-21 season. EMU is led by senior Ty Groce who has hit 56.9 percent of his shots (29-of-51), which ranks seventh in the Mid-American Conference. Following the senior is classmate Darion Spottsville, ranking ninth in the MAC, shooting 54.5 percent on 12-of-22 shooting, as well as scoring in double-figures twice so far this year.
   Groce has scored in double-digits in four-out-of-five games this season, and is averaging 14.6 points per game. Spottsville has scored in double-figures three times, with his most recent performance of 11 points against Olivet, Dec. 27.

STEAL MACHINES: Eastern Michigan is known for their tenacious defense and giving opponents fits and the 2020-21 season is no different. The Eagles are averaging 13.2 steals per game, which leads the Mid-American Conference and ranks second in the NCAA.
   Senior Yeikson Montero leads the team with 15 steals, (3.0 spg), while junior Bryce McBride and senior Ty Groce have tallied 14 and 11, respectively. Montero's 3.0 steals per game ranks first in the MAC and seventh nationally.

BLOCK PARTY: Eastern Michigan ranks fourth in the Mid-American Conference averaging 3.20 blocks per game (16 total) through the first five games this season. The Eagles totaled a season-high eight blocks in a 95-35 win over Adrian, Dec. 9.
   Redshirt senior Ty Groce leads the MAC averaging 2.0 blocks per game, which is also good for 37th in the NCAA. The Ypsilanti, Mich. native recorded a career-high four blocks against the Bulldogs, Dec. 9.

WELL, WELL, WELLS: Freshman walk-on Andrew Wells made his collegiate debut Wednesday, Dec. 9 against Adrian. The East Lansing, Mich. native played 15 minutes in the contest, scoring his first basket with 1:15 left in the game with a pull-up jumper. Wells added three rebounds and a steal to his statline.
   Wells also saw time on the court against Olivet, Dec. 29, where he played 11 minutes and dished out his first career assist.

TYrant: Redshirt senior Ty Groce has played a great deal of center so far this season for the first time in his career, emerging as a tyrant protecting the rim. Groce ranks first in the Mid-American Conference in total blocks (10.0) and blocks per game (2.0). His 2.0 swats per game ranks 37th in the NCAA.

CRASHIN' THE BOARDS: With the loss of former Eagle Boubacar Toure to graduation last season, Eastern Michigan has had to look for players to step into the rebounding role. This season, multiple Eagles have stepped up with three players averaging five-or-more rebounds per game. Redshirt senior Ty Groce leads the team averaging 6.8 boards per game, while senior Yeikson Montero and redshirt junior Miles Gibson are grabbing 6.6 and 5.6, respectively.
   Groce recorded a career-high 13 rebounds against Central Michigan, Dec. 29, in route to his second career double-double performance. Montero has led the Green and White in rebounding twice this year, including one game with 10-plus boards. Gibson has also led the team once in rebounds with a career-high 13 boards coming in the 95-35 victory over Adrian, Dec. 9.

100th CAREER GAME: The Friday, Dec. 4, game against Toledo marked redshirt senior Ty Groce's 100th career game in a Eastern Michigan uniform. Against the Rockets, he registered a team-leading 21 points, as well as six rebounds, three steals, two blocks, and two assists.
   Over his career, the Ypsilanti, Mich. native is averaging 7.1 points per game and is second on the team in scoring (14.6 ppg). Groce is shooting a 42.1 career field goal percentage (252-of-598) and has solidified himself into the EMU record books in career steals, having broken into the top-10 in program history. Groce's 124 steals ties Marlow McClain (1979-82) for 10th in Eastern Michigan history and is only 16 away from passing James Head (1994-98).

SETTLING IN: Junior college transfer Bryce McBride from Dyersburg Community College (Tenn.) is settling in well in Ypsilanti, averaging 15.4 points per game on 21-of-54 (.389) shooting from the field, and is 7-of-26 (.269) from beyond the arc, while averaging 30 minutes a game. The newcomer leads the team in assists with 18 and second in steals with 14. The junior's 14 steals is good for fifth in the MAC and 12th in the nation.
   McBride is currently third in the Mid-American Conference in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.0), and ninth in assists per game (3.6). The Jackson, Tenn. native has tallied a career-high four assists three times this season.

COMBINED WINS: Eastern Michigan men's basketball has tallied 205 victories in the Convocation Center since it opened for the 1998-99 season. The Eagles notched their 200th win in the Convo with a 66-62 win over Buffalo, Feb. 4, 2020.
   The Convocation Center'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 EMU men's and women's basketball programs have a combined 395 victories inside the Convo - the women's program has accumulated 190 wins since 1998-99.
   On the anniversary of the Convo dedication, Dec. 9, 2020, Eastern put up the largest margin of victory (+60) for a men's squad inside the building, trouncing Adrian College, 95-35.

HOME COURT ADVANTAGE: EMU has won 111-of-146 games at home during the Rob Murphy era, and started last season 6-0 at the Convocation Center. Under coach Murphy, the Eagles have opened the season 6-0 at home in six of his first nine seasons as head coach. EMU posted a 7-0 start in the Convo in three seasons (2014-15; 2016-17; 2017-18).

LAST TIME OUT: Eastern Michigan was defeated by Mid-American Conference foe and in-state rival Central Michigan, 87-60, Dec. 29, inside the Convocation Center. For the Eagles (2-3, 0-2 MAC), the loss to CMU (5-4, 1-1 MAC) is their first home loss to the Chippewas since falling at home, 77-66, on Feb. 26, 2019.
   The Eagles were led by redshirt senior Ty Groce, who recorded his second career double-double with 15 points and a career-high 13 rebounds. The Ypsilanti product added a season-high four steals and shot efficiently, drilling 7-of-10 shots from the field. Junior Bryce McBride was another bright spot for the Green and White, as he capped his night with 15 points and a team-high three assists, while sophomore Chris James produced a season-high three triples to go along with a pair of assists.
   The Green and White shot 21-for-55 (38.2 percent) from the field and 9-of-28 from deep (32.1 percent). EMU held the advantage in second-chance points (15-8), steals (8-5), and blocks (2-1). However, the Chippewas had an edge in most categories, including bench points (23-13), fast break points (22-6), and points in the paint (44-22). CMU ended the outing having shot 32-for-55 (58.2 percent) from the field and posted a 40.9 percent clip (9-of-22) from beyond the arc.

SCOUTING AKRON: Led by third-year head coach John Groce, Akron enters Saturday's game owning a 4-1 overall record and 2-0 Mid-American Conference mark. The Zips posted a 66-62 win over rival Kent State on New Year's Day.
   Akron is led by Loren Cristian Jackson who is averaging a MAC-best 25.4 points per game, which also ranks fourth in the nation. The senior also leads the team with a 41.3 three-point field goal percentage (19-of-46) and has dished out 40 assists (8.0 apg). Enrique Freeman is averaging nearly a double-double with 9.8 points and 9.6 rebounds per game, while leading the team with nine blocks.
   The Zips average a conference-high 84.0 points per game and are shooting 47.1 percent from the floor (148-of-314), while draining 10.2 triples per game. On the defensive side, Akron is holding its opponents to 69.0 points per game with a 23.6 shooting percentage from beyond the arc, which ranks seventh in the NCAA.

AKRON IN THE POLLS: Akron received 24 votes in the latest CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Poll which was announced Jan. 4. The Zips are among six Mid-American Conference teams who are ranked in the poll or have received votes.

Team	Ranking	Points
Toledo	12th	373
Bowling Green	14th	317
Ohio	N/A	28
Akron	N/A	24
Buffalo	N/A	17
Kent State	N/A	9

ALL-TIME VS. AKRON: Saturday's game marks the 54th meeting between Eastern Michigan and Akron. The Eagles trail in the all-time series, 31-22. UA posted the regular-season sweep during the 2019-20 season, winning 59-58 in Akron, Ohio, Feb. 8, 2020.
   The Green and White hold the 12-11 advantage against Akron in Ypsilanti and last swept the Zips during the 2017-18 season. In the Rob Murphy era, the Eagles are 4-12 versus UA and Akron has won eight of the last 10 meetings.

LAST TIME VS. UA: Eastern Michigan fell in the final seconds at Akron, 59-58, in a Mid-American Conference cross-divisional affair Saturday, Feb. 8, inside UA's James A. Rhodes Arena. The Eagles held Akron to 25 points in the first half, which ties for its lowest of the season. The Eastern defense kept the Zips from scoring from beyond the arc (0-of-14) – a first for Akron this season.
   Then-redshirt junior Ty Groce led the Eagles with his 16th double-figure scoring performance, as he ended the afternoon with 15 points to go along with five rebounds, three steals, and two assists. The second Eagle to reach double-digits was former Eagle Boubacar Toure who notched his ninth double-double of the season with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Former junior Darion Spottsville also tallied double-digits with a career-high 13 points to go along with a career-best six rebounds and two helpers.
   The Eagles shot 50 percent from the field (19-of-38), but struggled from both the 3-point and free-throw lines, as EMU finished the day with 18.2 (2-of-11) and 47.4 (18-of-38) percent efficiencies, respectively. The Zips went 18-of-52 (34.6 percent) from the field and 20.7 percent (6-of-29) from beyond the arc, as well as converting 17 free throws on 21 attempts.

LAST TIME AT HOME VS. UA: EMU came up short in its Mid-American Conference opener, falling 69-45 to Akron Saturday, Jan. 4, inside the Convocation Center.
   Then-redshirt senior Boubacar Toure notched his fourth double-double of the season and 12th of his EMU career as he finished with 11 points and a career-high 17 rebounds. He also contributed an assist and a steal while leading the Green and White with 33 minutes of game action. Then-redshirt junior Ty Groce was the second Eagle to reach double-digits on the score sheet, tallying a team-best 13 points while adding four boards and a pair of steals. From there, then-junior Noah Morgan added six points, five boards, and a pair of helpers, while classmate Yeikson Montero recorded four points and showed a team-best three assists and four swipes.
   The Eagles struggled mightily on the offensive end, ending the afternoon with a 27.1 percent (13-of-48) field-goal percentage, while the Zips (11-3, 1-0 MAC) finished at a 52.2 percent (24-of-46) efficiency. EMU recorded more steals than Akron (9-6) and out-rebounded its MAC East opposition by a 35-29 margin, turning 16 offensive boards into 15 second-chance points.

ALL-TIME VS. THE MAC: The Green and White holds a 346-439 program mark against Mid-American Conference teams. Eastern has played Central Michigan the most (198 times), while facing Western Michigan 113 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 76-84 MAC record and clinched a MAC West title in 2012.

ON THE HORIZON: Eastern will head on the road for the first time since traveling to East Lansing, Mich. to start the 2020-21 season when the Eagles take on the University of Toledo Tuesday, Jan. 12. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. inside Savage Arena.
   EMU and UT clashed in the Mid-American Conference opener this season with the Rockets taking home the 91-74 win, Dec. 4. The Green and White trail in the all-time series, 56-54.

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Players Mentioned

Miles Gibson

Ty Groce

Chris James

Drew Lowder

Bryce McBride

Elijah Minnie

Yeikson Montero

Noah Morgan

Darion Spottsville

James Thompson IV

Boubacar Toure

Andrew Wells

Eastern Michigan Athletics