Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
Kent State
EMU MBB Plays Host to Kent State Tuesday
1/15/2023 5:19:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Eagles look to defend their home court with the league-leading Golden Flashes in town
| Men's Basketball vs. Kent State | |
| Date | Tuesday, Jan. 17 | 7 p.m. |
| Venue | Ypsilanti, Mich. | George Gervin GameAbove Center |
| Preview Info | EMU Notes (PDF) | Media Guide (PDF) | Digital Game Programs |
| Live Stats | Fan Stats | Media Stats |
| Watch | ESPN+ |
| Listen | WEMU (89.1 WEMU-FM) | The Varsity Network App | Eastern Insider Podcast |
| @EMU_MBB | @EMUAthletics | |
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team, returning home following back-to-back road losses, will look to get back into the win column when it plays host to Kent State University Tuesday, Jan. 17, inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center. The game between the Eagles (4-13, 1-3 MAC) and the Golden Flashes (14-3, 4-0 MAC) is set for a 7 p.m. tip from Ypsilanti. EMU Athletics will be honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in and around the game with Kent State that will feature a special presentation of the MLK Student Scholarship winners, MLK committee, and a pregame gospel choir.
The game will air live on ESPN+ with Ryan Wooley and Justin Rose on the call. Tom Helmer, the Voice of the Eagles, will have the radio call on WEMU (89.1 FM) and the Varsity Network app.
OPENING TIPS:
» Head Coach Stan Heath is set to lead his current team against Kent State, who he guided for the 2001-02 season, his first season a collegiate head coach. His teams are 1-3 against KSU, including 0-2 at EMU and 1-1 during his time leading South Florida.
» EMU Athletics will be honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Jan. 17. The game with Kent State will feature a special presentation of the MLK Student Scholarship winners, MLK committee, and a pregame gospel choir.
» EMU's game at Ball State, originally slated for Feb. 4, has been moved ahead to Feb. 3, and will be aired live to a national audience on CBS Sports Network at 6:30 p.m. from Muncie, Ind.
» With 18 points at Akron, Jan. 13, Noah Farrakhan moved into the program's top 80 in scoring as his 646 career points rank him 79th all-time at Eastern. Ty Toney (2015-17) is 78th at 648 points.
» Noah Farrakhan is not only scoring the ball, he is dishing it as well. With two helpers at Akron, Jan. 13, Farrakhan has now recorded at least one assist in all 17 games this year and, dating back to last year, has done so in 29 consecutive games. For his career, he has recorded at least on assist in 39-of-42 games.
» In the last four games, the Eagles are averaging 20 trips to the free throw line and are converting at an 80.0 percent clip. For the year, EMU is hitting at 76.7 clip, which ranks second in the MAC and 14th nationally.
» Eastern was 5-of-23 from three at Akron, Jan. 13, and extended its consecutive game streak for scoring at least one triple to 568 games in a row.
» The bench scored 38 points at Akron, Jan. 13, the most it has tallied all season. It is the most since the bench scored 52 against Central Michigan in EMU's 99-68 win, Jan. 11, 2022.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS, PART I: Fans are encouraged to get their tickets now for the Saturday, Jan. 21 doubleheader as the men's and women's games with Northern Illinois will be surrounded by a day of celebration.
» Former men's head coach Ben Braun will be on hand for a special alumni reception during the women's game (1 p.m.) before serving as the television analyst for the men's contest on ESPN+. Braun also will be recognized at the under-12-minutes timeout in the first half of the men's game.
» Fans can also celebrate the football team's 2022 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl Championship by picking-up posters, taking photos with a life-size cut-out of Head Coach Chris Creighton. A specialty baked potato bar also will be available to fans during the men's game.
» The women's game will be the team's Pride Game and fans can pick up free, Eastern-themed Pride T-Shirts (while supplies last) and visit with various campus groups that focus on LGBTQIA+ communities.
» The men's game will be the team's Local Heroes Day with a visit from the Mayor of Ypsilanti and members of her office while highlighting their efforts within in the local community.
» Alumni can purchase discounted tickets ($8) for the doubleheader and the men's Feb. 11 game with Toledo by using the code EMUALUM when purchasing their tickets online.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS, PART II: The game between Eastern and Ball State, originally slated for Feb. 4, in Muncie, Ind., has been selected by CBS Sports Network to be aired live to a national audience one day earlier, Feb. 3, starting at 6 :30 p.m., the MAC announced, Jan. 12. The wildcard selection is one of four weekly windows both CBSSN and ESPNU have for the remainder of the season that will be announced on 21-day selection announcements.
SCOUTING KENT STATE: The Golden Flashes enter the game with a 14-3 record and lead the MAC at 4-0. Winners of eight in a row, Kent State has not lost since its 73-66 setback on the road at then-No. 18 Gonzaga. All three of their losses have come on the road this year, including a 74-72 decision at the College of Charleston, Nov. 23, before dropping a 49-44 score at then-No. 2 Houston, Nov. 26. Led by 2021-22 MAC Coach of the Year Rob Senderoff, the Golden Flashes have three players scoring in double-figures, including 2021-22 MAC Player of the Year Sincere Carry, who is averaging 17-1 points per game and a team-best 3.1 assists. Malique Jacobs is averaging 12.6 while Miryne Thomas leads the way with 6.0 rebounds per game to go along with 11.9 points per contest.
IN THE SERIES WITH KENT STATE:
» Kent State leads the all-time series, 47-35 and has won four in a row overall, including the last meeting, a 90-71 decision in Kent, Ohio, Feb. 5, 2022.
» Eastern leads the series when hosting the game in Ypsilanti, 25-13, with KSU winning the last meeting, 56-47, Jan. 18, 2022.
» The series has been a tale of two halves. First played Feb. 18, 1950, Eastern posted a record of 30-22 through the first 52 games played, culminating in the 1997-98 season. Since then, however, KSU is 25-5, including a 17-game winning streak that ended Feb. 8, 2014, with a 70-53 EMU home win.
MID-MAJOR TOP 25: The game with Kent State will mark the first time this year the Eagles have faced an opponent ranked in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 as the Golden Flashes are ranked No. 4 in the latest poll (Jan. 9). The last time Eastern faced a foe from the rankings came Feb. 12, 2022, a 74-56 loss at home to then-No. 7 Ohio. The last time the Eagles defeated a top 25 foe came Feb. 19, 2019, a 76-69 win at home over then-No. 12 Toledo.
CURRENT VERSUS FORMER: Head Coach Stan Heath, who's first head-coaching job came with Kent State during the 2001-02 season, is set to lead his current team against the Golden Flashes for the fifth time after losing both tilts last year at the helm of the Eastern program and splitting two games with KSU when he was guiding the South Florida program. Heath's lone season at KSU saw him lead the Golden Flashes to a 30-6 record with a 17-1 MAC mark and the league crown. The MAC Tournament champion, KSU advanced to the 2002 NCAA Elite Eight, falling to Indiana, 81-69, after wins over Oklahoma State, Alabama, and Pittsburgh.
QUICK REVIEW • AKRON: The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team fell on the road, 104-67, to Akron, Jan. 13, inside the James A. Rhodes Arena in Akron, Ohio. Noah Farrakhan was the top scorer for the Eagles (4-14, 1-3 MAC) with 18 points while the host Zips (11-6, 3-1 MAC) saw six players reach double digits.
Eastern fell into an early hole and was unable to climb back out as the Eagles were held to 31.0 percent shooting in the first half compared to Akron's 59.3 percent clip that led the Zips to a 46-26 lead. After a sluggish start to the second half, the hosts continued to build their lead with six players scoring at least 10 points.
Tyson Acuff and Legend Geeter each scored 11 points with all but one player that saw action in the game scoring points for the Eagles. Emoni Bates and Farrakhan led the way for EMU on the boards with four each.
QUICK NOTES • AKRON GAME:
» With 18 points at Akron, Noah Farrakhan continued his climb up the program's all-time scoring ledger. His career total of 646 points currently ranks him 79th all-time in program history, surpassing Jesse Bunkley, who tallied 644 points from 2006-08. Ty Toney (2015-17) is next on the chart in 78th with 648 points.
» Noah Farrakhan scored 18 points, marking his 10th game this year and the 30th of his career in which he scored at least 10 points in a game. Added to the 16 he scored on the road at Western Michigan, Jan. 10, Farrakhan reached double-figure scoring in back-to-back games for the first time since netting 10 at Illinois State University, Dec. 7, 21 at Niagara University, Dec. 11, an 11 at home against Detroit Mercy, Dec. 18.
» Noah Farrakhan finished the Akron game with two assists to give him at least one helper in all 17 games this year. Dating back to last year, Farrakhan has now recorded at least one assist in 29 consecutive games and in 39-of-42 contests he has appeared in for the Eagles.
» Legend Geeter scored 11 points, shooting a perfect 3-of-3 from the floor and adding a 5-of-6 free throw performance. The 11 points marked his fourth game scoring in double figures and his first since going for 13 at Illinois State, Dec. 7.
» Yusuf Jihad finished the game with five points, including one made triple. With his one made three-pointer, Jihad has now drained a triple in seven games this season and is 9-of-20 overall. Entering the year, he as a combined 4-of-17 from behind the arc, including 3-of-7 with Oakland (2020-21 season) and 1-of-10 last year with the Eagles.
» Jalin Billingsley finished the game with five points on 2-of-3 shooting, including 1-of-2 from three. With his made triple, Billingsley connected on at least one deep shot in back-to-back games for the first time in his career after shooting 1-of-2 at Western Michigan, Jan. 10.
» Colin Golson Jr. also hit at least one triple in back-to-back games after hitting one from the top of the key midway through the second half at Akron and going 1-of-1 at Western Michigan, Jan. 10. Golson hit a triple in back-to-back games for the second time in his Eastern career after draining one each at Indiana, Nov. 9, 2021, and at home against Illinois State, Nov. 12, his first two games with EMU.
» The EMU bench scored 38 points in the game; the most the team has scored this year was 29 points in a close, 87-81 loss at Illinois State, Dec. 7. It also marks the third game this year in which the bench has tallied at least 20 points.
» With his three-point bucket drained with 15:07 remaining in the first half, Jalin Billingsley helped the Eagles extend their consecutive streak to 568 games in a row with at least one made triple.
FROM THE STRIPE: Eastern Michigan has found great success from the free throw line this year with the Eagles converting 76.7 percent, which ranks second in the MAC and 14th nationally, both of which are the highest rankings attained this season for EMU. Through 17 games played (Jan. 13), the Eagles have made their way to the stripe 20+ times in nine games, including each of the last four games, in which Eastern is converting at 80.0 percent.
In the nine games EMU has shot more than 20 free throws, it has converted over 85.0 percent of their chances in three of those games and nearly added a fourth after shooting 22-of-26 (84.6 percent) at Akron, Jan. 13. One game prior, at Western Michigan, Jan. 10, Eastern opened the game 14-of-14 from the line before finishing the game 19-of-21 for a 90.5 shooting percentage, the highest the team has posted since shooting 10-of-11 at Ohio, Feb. 3, 2022, a 90.9 conversion rate.
TWENTY AND UP: Taking 20 or more free throws in a game is not new for the program: Eastern has hit the marker 105 times in the previous seven seasons (not including this year). Collectively, those teams shot at an 85.0 percent clip or better in six of those games with the most recent game seeing EMU go 17-of-20 (85.0 percent) at home against Northern Illinois University, Feb. 27, 2021. Prior to that, the last two instances came in the 2016-17 season with 17-of-20 performances at home against Ball State University, Jan. 24, 2017, and against Akron at the MAC Tournament in Cleveland, March 9, 2017. The 2015-16 team was the last to have three games of 20+ free throws and an 85.0-or-better performance in the same season.
MOVING UP: The Eagles are currently hitting at a 76.7 percent clip from the free throw line this season, which ranks second in the MAC and 14th nationally. As it stands, the current Eagles have the best shooting percentage from the line in program history with the 2020-21 team's 74.5 percent shooting ranking first following its 18 game, COVID-shortened season. When looking at teams that played full seasons, the 2007-08 squad leads the way at 72.9 percent following its 31-game slate.
In conference-only games, the Eagles rank second in the MAC at 81.1 percent shooting while leading the way in both makes (86) and attempts (106).
CLIMBING HIGHER: With 18 points scored at Akron, Jan. 13, Noah Farrakhan brought his total to 646 points scored for the Eagles since joining the program ahead of the 2021-22 season. Farrakhan's point total currently ranks him 79th in program history with Ty Toney (2015-17) next on the charts in 78th at 648 points. If Farrakhan were to maintain his current scoring average (12.6) the rest of the regular season, he would reach the top 50 in program history while surpassing 800 points.
NOT ALL SCORING: Noah Farrakhan led the way at Akron, Jan. 13 with a team-best 18 points. The top returning scorer from last year's team, Farrakhan not only continues to score points, but also set up his teammates for buckets. With two assists against the Zips, Farrakhan has tallied at least one helper in all 17 games this season and, dating back to last season, has done so in 29 consecutive games. For his career, he dished out at least on assist in 39-of-42 games played (92.8 percent) for Eastern and, while including his one season at East Carolina, has done so in 46-of-54 (85.2 percent) career games.
TEN OR MORE: In all but two games so far this season, Emoni Bates has scored in double figures as the sophomore is making his case for one of the top scorers in the MAC and the NCAA. With his 23 points at Western Michigan, Jan. 10, Bates reached double-figure points for the 14th time in the 15 games he has played while scoring at least 15 points for the 13th time. Additionally, he reached the 20-point mark for the seventh time this year and the second time in three games. All told, Bates leads the MAC at 19.8 points per game and ranks tied for 21st nationally.
MORE THAN AVERAGE: Emoni Bates is currently averaging 19.8 points per game, which ranks him first in the MAC and tied for 21st nationally. He also is the highest scoring sophomore in the nation. If Bates is able to finish the year at or above 20.0, he would be the first Eastern player to average more than 20 points per contest for the season since the 2005-06 campaign when both John Bowler and Carlos Medlock accomplished the feat. If he is able to finish at 21.0 points per game or better this year, he would be the first Eagle to do so since Earl Boykins averaged 25.7 in 1997-98.
DOING IT ALL: Tyson Acuff did it all against Detroit Mercy, Dec. 18, as the sophomore not only tied for the team lead with 19 points, he also dished a team-best six assists, led the way with five steals and turned the ball over just twice. His second-highest point output behind the 25 he scored against Winthrop, Nov. 22, at the Cancun Challenge, Acuff also jump started the defense with his five thefts, the most for an Eagle in a single game since Yeikson Montero took the ball away five times against Bowling Green, Feb. 23, 2021.
Through the Jan. 13, game at Akron, Acuff appears in several league rankings, including 23rd in scoring (12.6), sixth in free throw percentage (83.3), 13th in assists per game (2.8), and fifth in steals per game (1.6). In four conference games, he ranks third in steals with 2.3 per game.
OFF THE BENCH: Led by Noah Farrakhan's 18 points, the Eastern Michigan bench combined to score 38 points at Akron, Jan. 13, the highest output this season for the Eagles. The total is the most in a single game since EMU's 99-68 home win over Central Michigan, Jan. 11, 2022, when the bench combined for 52 points.
WAY DOWNTOWN: Eastern connected on five three-point attempts in its game at Akron, Jan. 13, to extend the program's streak to 568 games in a row with at least one triple drained. Jalin Billingsley extended the streak for EMU with his lone triple of the game, which came with 15:07 remaining in the first half of play. The last time the Eagles failed to hit from downtown came Jan. 24, 2004, when Miami held Eastern to 0-of-7 from three.
HOME COOKING: According to the latest update from College Basketball Reference, Jan. 11, the Eagles currently rank third nationally in regards to points scored per game by in-state players with Eastern averaging 54.8 points per game from its Michigan-born players. Northern Iowa (68.1) and Youngstown State (58.1) rank just ahead of the Eagles. Additional research through 17 games played this year shows that those same in-state players have accounted for 74.5 percent of the team's scoring with Michigan-born Eagles having collected 921 of the team's 1,236 points so far in 2022-23.
UP NEXT: The Eagles return to action Saturday, Jan. 21, in the back-half of an EMU women's-men's doubleheader against Northern Illinois University inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center. The women's game between the Eagles and Huskies is set to begin at 1 p.m. with two men's teams meeting in a projected 3:30 p.m. tip. Both games will air live on ESPN+, WEMU (89.1 FM) and the Varsity Network app.
