Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
Buffalo
Men's Hoops Returns to the Road to Face Buffalo
2/5/2023 8:22:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Eagles are coming off a tough overtime loss at Ball State
| Men's Basketball at Buffalo | |
| Date | Tuesday, Feb. 7 | 7 p.m. |
| Venue | Buffalo, N.Y. | Alumni Arena |
| 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 | |
BUFFALO, N.Y. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team returns to road action Tuesday, Feb. 7, with a trip to face the University at Buffalo inside Alumni Arena at 7 p.m. The Eagles (6-17, 3-7 Mid-American Conference) and Bulls (11-12, 5-5 MAC) will meet for the only time this season with the Eagles looking to get back into the win column for the third time in their last four games.
The game will be streamed live on ESPN+ with Paul Peck and Matt Mattia 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:
» Eastern is coming off a tough, 91-90, loss in overtime at Ball State, Feb. 3, which snapped the Eagles' two-game winning streak.
» The Eagles have scored at least 90 points in back-to-back games for the first time since the 1998 MAC Tournament in which Eastern won all three games to claim the crown. It also is the first time since the opening two games of the 1996-97 season in which EMU has tallied 90+ in back-to-back MAC games.
» Eastern has scored 40+ points in the opening half of play in its last two games and stands 3-2 in such games this year. The 91-90 overtime loss at Ball State, Feb. 3, snapped a three-game winning streak in such contests this year.
» Emoni Bates scored 35 points at Ball State, Feb. 3, his third game of 35+ this season, which stands as the second-most such games in the NCAA this year behind Detroit Mercy's Antoine Davis, who has four.
» Bates ranks 14th in the NCAA with 21.0 points per game and stands tied for 25th with 461 total points.
» In the past four games, Bates has scored 112 points, the second-most in a four-game stretch for the Eagles behind John Bowler, who scored 113 in the final four games of the 2005-06 season.
» Bates holds two of the longest 'Hero Runs' in the nation this year, which runs of scoring 10+ points in a row for his team. His 29-point run at Toledo, Jan. 24, rank first nationally.
» The Eagles have connected on at least one made three-pointer in 574 games ahead of the game at Buffalo. The last time EMU failed to drain a three-pointer was Jan. 24, 2004, after going 0-of-7 at Miami.
MADE THE TURN: Eastern is on the "back nine" of its conference slate as the game at Ball State, Feb. 3, was the 10th of an 18-game Mid-American Conference slate in which the Eagles stand 3-7. With the top eight teams in the final standings earning places in the 2023 MAC Tournament in Cleveland, Ohio, the Eagles are currently ninth on the ladder, one win shy of the final playoff position. Buffalo, who is 5-5 in league play, is currently sixth on the charts with Ohio and Bowling Green just ahead of the Eagles with eight games to play.
FOUR IN FIVE: The Eagles' game at Buffalo, Feb. 7, will bring an end to a stretch of four road games in their last five games. The stretch started with an 84-79 loss at Toledo, Jan. 24, and a 74-69 win at Miami, Jan. 28. Following a 90-79 home win over Ohio, Jan. 31, the Eagles were back to the road for two more, including the 91-90 overtime loss at Ball State, Feb. 3, before Tuesday's game with the Bulls.
The opposite schedule is about to begin, however, as EMU will be the home team in four of the next five games, starting with the Feb. 14 game with Akron inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center.
SCOUTING BUFFALO: The Bulls enter the game with an 11-12 overall record and 5-5 in MAC play after winning their most recent game, 85-76, at Western Michigan, Feb. 4, to snap a two-game losing streak. The Bulls, who are 8-3 at home this year, including a 3-2 mark in league play, but have dropped their last two home contests with losses to Toledo, 86-77, Jan. 20, and Akron, 81-64, Jan. 27. Curtis Jones leads the way offensively for Buffalo, averaging 16.1 points per game, with Zid Powell and Isaiah Adams also in double digits at 12.9 and 11.0, respectively. LaQuill Hardnett is the team's top rebounder with 7.6 boards per game while Armori Foster leads the team with 3.9 assists per game.
IN THE SERIES WITH BUFFALO:
» Buffalo holds a 20-14 all-time advantage in the series and has won three in a row, including an 83-69 decision, Feb. 17, 2022, in Ypsilanti.
» UB leads the series when hosting the game, standing 12-4 in those games. Buffalo has won 10 in a row on its home court against the Eagles, including a 102-64 decision in the last meeting inside Alumni Arena, Feb. 8, 2022.
» The Eagles will look to claim their first win in Buffalo since Feb. 4, 2004, a 77-66 victory for Eastern.
BACK TO THE 90s: The Eagles have been on a scoring tear lately as they have scored 90 points in each of their last two contests, including their 90-79 home win over Ohio, Jan. 31, and their 91-90 overtime loss at Ball State, Feb. 3. The two-game scoring run marks the first back-to-back games with 90+ points scored since the 1998 MAC Tournament, in which the Eagles scored 90-or-more in all three contests to claim the title. When looking at regular season conference games only, the two-game run is first since the opening two games of the 1997-98 MAC slate in which EMU scored home wins of 91-77 over Kent State and 104-67 over Central Michigan, Jan. 4, 1998, and Jan. 8, 1998, respectively.
Should Eastern score in the 90s in its game at Buffalo, it would mark the first time it has happened in the regular season since the opening three games of the 1993-94 season in which EMU defeated Hillsdale (Nov. 29), 104-66, and Indianapolis (Dec. 2), 111-79, at home before defeating Milwaukee (Dec. 6) on the road, 102-94, in overtime. It also would be the first time EMU has scored in the 90s in three MAC games ever.
QUICK REVIEW • BALL STATE: EMU saw Emoni Bates score 35 points, reaching the 30-point marker for the fourth time this season, but it was not enough as the Eagles fell in overtime at Ball State, 91-90, Feb. 3. The Eagles (6-17, 3-7 MAC) had three players score in double figures, led by Bates' 35 points while Tyson Acuff added 18 points and Noah Farrakhan helped out with 16 points and six rebounds inside Worthen Arena.
The EMU defense was a problem in Friday's game, forcing 13 Ball State turnovers while committing eight. Those takeaways turned into 12 points on the offensive end of the floor.
After falling behind 23-13, Eastern Michigan went on a 7-0 run with 11:55 left in the first half, culminating in a three from Acuff, to narrow its deficit to 23-20. The Eagles then closed the rest of the gap and grabbed a 40-37 lead heading into halftime. Eastern Michigan capitalized on 10 Ball State turnovers in the period, turning them into 12 points on the other end of the floor.
Ball State proceeded to take a 60-58 lead before Eastern Michigan went on a 6-0 run, finished off by Kevin-David Rice's three, to seize a 64-60 lead with 9:14 to go in the contest. The Cardinals then fought back to even things up at 78-78 and send the game to overtime. Ball State then edged ahead in overtime, leaving Eastern Michigan behind 91-90 at the final buzzer.
BEING CAREFUL: In their game at Ball State, Feb. 3, the Eagles committed just eight turnovers, one of their fewest totals this year. The season-best is six miscues recorded at Niagara, Dec. 11, with EMU also turning the ball over just eight time against Florida Atlantic at home, Dec. 4, and at South Carolina, Dec. 30, prior to the game at Ball State. In conference games only, the eight turnovers are the fewest in a MAC game this year, surpassing the 10 recorded at Akron, Jan. 13. It also is the first single-digit total since losing the ball eighth times last year at home against Western Michigan, March 1, 2022.
FROM THE STRIPE: Eastern Michigan has found great success from the free throw line this year with the Eagles converting 75.5 percent, which ranks second in the MAC and 37th nationally. Through 23 games played (Feb. 3), the Eagles have made their way to the stripe 20+ times in 12 games, including in seven of the last 10 games, in which Eastern is converting at 77.2 percent in those games. In four of the 12 games EMU has shot more than 20 free throws, it has converted over 85.0 percent of their chances after shooting 18-of-21(85.7 percent) at Miami, Jan. 28.
Overall, Miami currently leads the league as the RedHawks are connecting at a 76.9 percent clip. When looking at conference games only, the Eagles still rank second as they are hitting at 76.3 percent while Akron leads the way with its 79.1 percent conversion rate.
MOVING UP: The Eagles are currently hitting at a 75.5 percent clip from the free throw line this season. 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 following its 18 game, COVID-shortened season just behind this year's squad. When looking at teams that played full seasons, the 2007-08 squad leads the way at 72.9 percent following its 31-game slate.
FEELING 40: The Eagles built a 40-37 halftime lead at Ball State, Feb. 3, marking the fifth time this year they have scored 40+ in the opening stanza and the third game in a row after scoring 40 at Miami, Jan. 28, and 47 in a home win over Ohio, Jan. 31. Overall, the Eagles are 3-2 in games in which they reach 40 points in the first half with losses to then-No. 22 Michigan, Nov. 11, and the loss at Ball State book-ending three wins in a row that started with the home defeat of Detroit Mercy, Dec. 18.
HE'LL HAVE A 30 PIECE: In the 91-90 overtime loss at Ball State, Feb. 3, Emoni Bates was up to his old tricks as the sophomore finished the game with 35 points, his third game of 35-or-more this season. With those points, along with his then-career-high 36 points at South Carolina, Dec. 30, and current career-high 43-point performance at Toledo, Jan. 24, Bates is one of just two players in the NCAA this year to have three or more games of 35+ points, joining Detroit Mercy's Antoine Davis on the list as the Titans' player has four. At a program level, Bates now has four games of 30+ this year, which is the most by an EMU player in a single season since Earl Boykins recorded four such games in the 1997-98 season.
ADDING UP: Starting with his career-high 43-point game at Toledo, Jan. 24, Emoni Bates has been pouring in points as the sophomore has accumulated 112 points over the past four outings, an average of 28.0 points per game. Bates' scoring, which also included 17 at Miami, Jan. 28, 19 at home over Ohio, Jan. 31, and 35 at Ball State, Feb. 3, is the most in a four-game stretch at Eastern since John Bowler tallied 113 points in the final four games of the 2005-06 regular season. Bowler's four-games included point totals of 29, 32, 21 and 31.
STREAKER: According to research compiled by Andrew Weatherman (@andreweatherman), Emoni Bates has two of the longest in what he refers to "Hero Runs", which is a scoring run of 10-or-more points in a single game. Bates' 29-point run at Toledo, Jan. 24, is the biggest run of the season with Frankie Policelli of Stony Brook ranking second with a 22-point streak. Bates also on the list a second time, tying for the ninth-longest scoring run with 17 points in a row at South Carolina, Dec. 30. The two games are Bates' highest offensive outputs this year with the 36 scored at USC formerly standing as his career high before his 43-point explosion at UT topped his personal ledger.
GETTING HIS: Emoni Bates, who ranks 15th nationally at 21.0 points per game and stands tied for 25th in total scoring with 461 points, hasn't scored all his points in huge outbursts. In the 22 games he has played for the Eagles, Bates has scored at least 10 points 19 times, gone for at least 15 points 18 time and hit for 20 or more 10 times. By reaching the 20-point plateau 10 times, Bates is now tied for the seventh-most such games in Eastern history along with teammate Noah Farrakhan, who accomplished the feat 10 times last year.
RECORD CHASES: With eight games to play in the regular season (ahead of the game at Buffalo, Feb. 7), Emoni Bates has positioned himself among the top players in program history as he has entered or is nearing the top 10 of several statistical categories. Here is a look at several of those categories:
» Bates' 43 points scored at Toledo, Jan. 24, ranks as the ninth-most in a game at Eastern and the most since Raven Lee scored his school-record 50 points at Central Michigan, Feb. 28, 2017.
» Bates has scored 461 points this year, which ranks as the ninth-highest total in a sophomore campaign in program history. With his 35 points, he moved past Kennedy McIntosh, who scored 454 in 1968-69, and Harvey Marlatt, who tallied 457 points one year earlier in 1967-68. Brandon Bowdry (2008-09) is next on the list, currently sitting eighth with 472 points. If Bates continues to average 21.0 points per game, he would bring his total to 629 points by the end of the regular season, which would place him second on the ledger with only the 'Ice Man', George Gervin, ahead of him with the record total of 886 points in 1971-72.
» Bates is connecting on 36.9 percent of this three-point shots as he has drained 62 triples on the year. So far, his total leaves him 12 shy of reaching the top 10 on the single-season three-point field goals made, with Brian Tolbert sitting 10th with 74 made triples in 1995-96. If Bates, who is averaging 2.8 triples made per game, maintains his current pace, he would add around 22 more threes to his total by the end of the regular season, which would bring his total to 84, the fourth-most in a year.
» Speaking of threes, Bates has twice this year etched his name on the single-game three-point basket list. He drained a career-high nine shots from downtown at Toledo, Jan. 24, to record the second-highest total in a game after recording the fifth-most makes with eight at South Carolina, Dec. 30.
» Bates currently is averaging 21.0 points per game, which currently ranks as the sixth-highest average in a single season in program history. If he maintains his current pace, he would become the first Eagle to end a campaign averaging 20.0+ points since the 2005-06 season when both John Bowler and Carols Medlock accomplished the feat. If he can stay at or above 21.0 points per game, he would be the first Eagle to do so since Earl Boykins averaged 25.7 points in 1997-98.
DOUBLE LEADER: Through the Ball State game, Feb. 3, Emoni Bates is leading the team in both scoring and rebounding as the sophomore is averaging 21.0 points and 5.5 rebounds. If he finishes the season leading both, it would mark the first time an Eagle has finished atop both categories in the same year since 2021-22 when Ty Groce averaged 15.2 and 6.9. Should Bates lead both categories and average over 20.0 points per game, he would be the first to do so since John Bowler averaged 20.1 points and 10.8 rebounds during the 2005-06 season.
CLIMBING HIGHER: Noah Farrakhan continued his climb up the program's all-time scoring ledger as his 16 points at Ball State, Feb. 3, brought his career total to 729 points scored playing for Eastern Michigan (his overall career total is 765 points when including the 36 points he scored at East Carolina). With his 729 points, Farrakhan currently ranks 61st on the program's all-time scoring list. Averaging 12.9 points per game this year, if Farrakhan were to maintain his current scoring average the rest of the regular season, he would reach the top-50 while surpassing 800 points.
NOT ALL SCORING: While Noah Farrakhan continues his climb up the program's all-time scoring ledger, he also continues to assist teammates on their scoring. Through 23 games played this year, Farrakhan has tallied at least one helper in all 23 contests and has dropped at least one dime in 35 consecutive games dating back to last season. In fact, in his two seasons with the Eagles, Farrakhan has recorded at least one assist in 45-of-48 games played for Eastern and, when including his one season with East Carolina (2020-21), he has done so in 52-of-60 career games.
LOTS OF HELPING: Since the 1998-99 season, several Eagles have strung together streaks of consecutive games with at least one assist with Noah Farrakhan's current streak of 35 games ranks fifth. Next on the list is Tim Bond with 44 games in a row that were built with assists in his final eight games of the 2015-16 season, all 33 games played in 2016-17, and the first three games of the 2017-18 season. Mike Talley holds the record as he assisted in all 72 games he played for EMU, including 37 games in 2013-14 and 35 games in 2014-15.
BIG STUFF FROM ACUFF: Tyson Acuff had a big game against Ohio, Jan. 31, as he set or tied career-highs in several statistical categories. The sophomore guard scored a career-high 29 points, surpassing the 25 he scored against Winthrop, Nov. 23, at the Cancun Challenge, while his six made three-point shots and eight attempts from beyond the arc surpassed the four he made for Duquesne, Dec. 19, 2021, against UC Irvine, and the seven attempts at South Carolina, Dec. 30, respectively. From the free throw line, he equaled his career-best in both makes and attempts, going 7-of-9, that he previously set against Northern Illinois, Jan. 21. Finally, he dished out six assists, tying his previous best he set against Detroit Mercy, Dec. 18. Acuff followed that performance with 18 more points in a team-high 41 minutes played while hitting another three triples and dishing out two assists.
ONE-TWO PUNCH: The Eagles have two stalwarts in the back court this year with both Tyson Acuff and Noah Farrakhan leading the way. Acuff ranks among the top 25 in several categories in the MAC, including 17th in scoring (13.4) and in three-point baskets made per game (1.6), 13th in free throw percentage (78.7), 13th in assists (3.0), third in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.8), and sixth in steals (1.5). Farrakhan, who continues to rise up the school's scoring ledger, is 20th in points (12.9), 17th in free throw percentage (74.6) and 21st in assists (2.5). Overall, the duo has combined to record six, 20+ point games this year for EMU.
MANAGING WINS: Throughout the nation each year, the managers for the two teams playing will get together and play a game of their own. So far this year, the EMU managers have only been able to play five games, but are currently undefeated at 5-0 following their win over the Ohio managers, Jan. 30. According to Manager Games on Twitter (@ManagerGames_), EMU is currently ranked No. 17 nationally.
WAY DOWNTOWN: The Eagles connected on 10 three-point shots at Ball State, Feb. 3, to extend the program's streak to 574 games in a row with at least one triple drained. Emoni Bates connected on a deep shot with 15:27 remaining in the opening half against the Cardinals to extend the streak. The last time the EMU failed to hit a three was Jan. 24, 2004, when Miami held Eastern to 0-of-7.
HOME COOKING: According to the latest update from College Basketball Reference, Feb. 1, the Eagles currently rank fourth nationally in regards to points scored per game by in-state players with Eastern averaging 54.4 points per game from its Michigan-born players. Northern Iowa (69.0), Youngstown State (58.5), and Northern Colorado (54.7) rank just ahead of EMU. Additional research through 23 games played shows that those same in-state players have accounted for 74.5 percent of the team's scoring with Michigan-born Eagles having collected 1,266 of the team's 1,699 points.
UP NEXT: After playing four of its last five games on the road, Eastern returns home Saturday, Feb. 11, when the Eagles play host to the University of Toledo inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center. The Eagles and Rockets will meet in the second half of a women's-men's doubleheader with the EMU women playing host to Western Michigan University at 5 p.m. and the men's game slated for a 7:30 p.m. tip. The EMU-UT game will be streamed live on ESPN3 with Ryan Wooley (pxp) and Justin Rose (analyst) on the call. Tom Helmer, the Voice of the Eagles, will have the call on the WEMU (89.1 FM) and the Varsity Network app.
