Eastern Michigan Athletics
Saturday, December 28
Davidson, N.C.
2 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
at
Davidson
Eastern Traveling to Davidson for Saturday Game
12/26/2024 6:20:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Eagles play Wildcats at 2 p.m.
| Men's Basketball at Davidson | |
| Date | Saturday, Dec. 28, at 2 p.m. |
| Venue | John M. Belk Arena (5,295) | Davidson, N.C. |
| Preview Info | EMU Notes (PDF) | Media Guide (PDF) |
| Live Stats | Fan Stats | Media Stats |
| Watch | ESPN+ |
| @EMU_MBB | @EMUAthletics | |
DAVIDSON, N.C. (EMUEagles.com) -- After overcoming an 11-point halftime deficit to beat Wright State, 86-82, Dec. 21, the Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team travels to Davidson for a 2 p.m. game Saturday, Dec. 28, at John M. Belk Arena as the Eagles play their final game of the 2024 calendar year.
ON AIR
Eastern Michigan and Davidson will air on ESPN+ from the John M. Belk Arena. Live stats will also be available on EMUEagles.com.
OPENING TIPS
»Eastern Michigan trailed 38-27 through 20 minutes but rallied to upend Wright State, 86-82, Dec. 21. Senior Da'Sean Nelson posted his first career double-double by scoring a career-high 27 points and hauling in a career-high 13 rebounds. Senior Jalen Terry scored 21 points with six three-pointers.
»Nelson and Terry combined for 34 second-half points as the Eagles scored 59 second-half points, their most points in a half against a Division I foe since Jan. 30, 2016, at Western Michigan, when EMU scored 62 in the second half.
»Senior Da'Sean Nelson has seven-straight games with at least 10 points for the first time in his career.
»Eastern and Davidson are meeting for the second time in series history. The first game saw Davidson and Golden State Warriors legend Stephen Curry score 15 points with 13 turnovers in the Wildcat win.
»Eastern Michigan is the only school in the nation to have four different players score 27 points in separate games this season.
»Eastern Michigan has four players averaging at least 11.5+ points each for the first time since the 1990-91 season.
»Eastern Michigan's Stan Heath is in his fourth year at the helm of the Eagles, holding a 36-67 record at EMU and a 246-274 record over 17 years as a head coach.
11-POINT HALFTIME COMEBACK
Eastern Michigan trailed 38-27 against Wright State, Dec. 21, before opening the second half on a 15-2 run en route to topping the Raiders, 86-82.
The Eagles overcame an 11-point halftime deficit to win for the first time since overcoming a 12-point halftime margin against Kent State, Jan. 6, 2024.
59 SECOND-HALF POINTS
Eastern scored 59 points in the second half for the first time since Dec. 9, 2020, when EMU scored 64 points in the opening half against Adrian. The 59 second-half points are the most in the second half since Eastern scored 62 points in the second frame, Jan. 30, 2016, at Western Michigan.
DA'SEAN NELSON MAC POTW (x2)
Named MAC Player of the Week, Dec. 23, senior Da'Sean Nelson netted a career-high 27 points to go with a career-high 13 rebounds for his first career double-double as the Eagles topped Wright State, 86-82, Dec. 21, overcoming an 11-point halftime deficit. Nelson added a pair of assists and one steal, while drawing 11 fouls against the Raiders.
Nelson was named Co-MAC Player of the Week, Dec. 2, becoming the first Eagle since the 2019-20 season to earn multiple MAC Player of the Week honors in the same season as Boubacar Toure and Ty Groce each earned MAC West Division Player of the Week twice.
DA'SEAN NELSON 10+ POINTS IN 7-STRAIGHT
After scoring 27 points against Wright State, Dec. 21, senior Da'Sean Nelson has seven-straight games with at least 10 points for the first time in his career.
JALEN TERRY SCORES 28 AGAINST PFW
Senior Jalen Terry netted 28 against Purdue Fort Wayne, Dec. 15, equaling his career high. Terry was 11-for-22 from the floor. His 11 made field goals are a career high.
FOUR ROAD NON-CONFERENCE WINS?
With road wins at IU Indy, Nov. 14, at Oakland, Nov. 21, and at Houston Christian, Nov. 25, Eastern has three non-conference true road wins for the first time since the 1996-97 season. With a win at Davidson, Dec. 28, the 2024-25 Eagles would match the 1996-97 squad's mark of four non-conference true road wins. The wins against both Houston Christian, Nov. 25, and Northern Arizona, Nov. 26, equaled the 2019-20 team with four non-conference wins away from home. The 2019-20 team had four non-conference wins away from (two road, two neutral site).
ONLY SCHOOL WITH 27+ POINTS (x4)
With senior's 27 points against Wright State, Dec. 21, junior Christian Henry's 28-point showing against Detroit Mercy, Nov. 30, senior Jalen Terry's 28 points against IU Indy, Nov. 14, and senior Jalin Billingsley's 32 points against Siena Heights, Nov. 8, Eastern Michigan is the only team in the nation with four different players reaching 27 points this season.
Different Players Scoring 27+ Points:
T1. Eastern Michigan 4
T2. Seven Schools 3
SUCCESS IN CLOSE GAMES
After a four-point win against Wright State, Dec. 21, Eastern moves to 5-0 in games decided by four points or less. The trend has continued from the 2023-24 season when the Eagles were 8-3 in games decided by four points or less.
FOUR EAGLES AVERAGING 11.5+ POINTS
Eastern has four players averaging 11.5 points for the first time since 1990-91.
Player PPG 2024-25
Jalen Terry 16.3
Da'Sean Nelson 14.0
Christian Henry 13.9
Jalin Billingsley 11.5
Player PPG 1990-91
Marcus Kennedy 20.0
Carl Thomas 14.1
Lorenzo Neely 11.6
Kory Hallas 11.5
Eastern is the only team in the MAC with four players averaging at least 11.5 points per game.
DOUBLE-DIGIT ASSISTS
Eastern Michigan has 10 consecutive games with at least 10 assists for the first time since a 13-game streak during the 2017-18 season.
The 13.3 assists per game by the Eagles ranks seventh in the MAC.
10+ TURNOVERS FORCED STREAK SNAPPED
Eastern Michigan had forced double-digit turnovers by its opponents in nine-straight games for the first time since a nine-game streak in the 2021-22 season before forcing nine against PFW, Dec. 15, and nine against Wright State, Dec. 21. The 2020-21 Eagles forced at least 10 turnovers in all 18 games, making EMU's nine-game streak the longest to start a season since 2020-21.
The 13.2 turnovers per game by EMU opponents ranks seventh in the MAC.
YUSUF JIHAD SHOOTING FROM DOWNTOWN
Senior Yusuf Jihad has converted at a solid rate so far this season, making 8-of-20 (.400) of his three-point attempts.
Jihad was 27-for-71 (.380) from downtown in 2022-23.
JALEN TERRY MAC MINUTES LEADER
Senior Jalen Terry leads the MAC in minutes, averaging 36.8 minutes per game.
1. Luke Barrett (St. Mary's) 38.0
2. Bennett Stiritz (Drake) 37.6
3. Kino Lilly, Jr. (Brown) 37.3
4. Giberson Jimerson (SLU) 37.1
5. P.J. Haggerty (Memphis) 37.0
6. Jacobi Wood (Murray St) 36.9
7. Ethan Taylor (Air Force) 36.8
8. Jalen Terry (EMU) 36.8
With former Eagle Tyson Acuff ranking fourth in the nation in minutes per game at 37.9 in 2023-24, EMU is the first school since Stony Brook (2021-23) to have different players rank inside the top eight in minutes nationally.
ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY VS. DAVIDSON
Eastern and Davidson are meeting for the second time in series history. The first game saw Davidson and Golden State Warriors legend Stephen Curry score 15 points with 13 turnovers in the Wildcat win, 81-77, Nov. 10, 2006.
LAST TIME IN NORTH CAROLINA
EMU last played in North Carolina, Nov. 14, 2018, falling to top-ranked Duke, 84-46.
JALEN TERRY REBOUNDING AT 6-FEET TALL
Despite standing at 6-feet-0, senior Jalen Terry is averaging a 5.3 rebounds per game, which ranks 15th in the MAC. Terry ranks sixth in the MAC in defensive rebounds per game at 4.9.
JT 25+ POINTS, 6+ THREE-POINTERS
Senior Jalen Terry posted back-to-back games with at least 25 points and six made three-pointers at IU Indy, Nov. 14, and at Cleveland State, Nov. 16. He is one of five MAC players to accomplish that feat and the first to do so since Jordan Dartis for Ohio University in 2019.
MAC Players With 25 Points AND 6 Three-Pointers in CONSECUTIVE Games (Since 2002-03):
MOH Michael Bramos 4 Dec. 3-13, 2008
EMU Jalen Terry 2 Nov. 14-16, 2024
OU Jordan Dartis 2 Nov. 24-30, 2019
CMU Marcus Keene 2 (x2) Dec. 3-6, 2016; Jan. 17-21, 2017
BSU Skip Mills 2 March 4-6, 2006
Terry is one of just five Eagles since 2002-03 to record multiple games with at least 25 points and six made three-pointers in a season. He would be the first in that time frame to record three such games.
EMU Players With 25 Points AND 6 Three-Pointers TOTAL Games in One Season (Since 2002-03):
Jalen Terry 2 2024-25
Tyson Acuff 2 2022-23
Emoni Bates 2 2022-23
Elijah Minnie 2 2018-19
Willie Mangum 2 2016-17
Terry was also the first Eagle since Carlos Medlock, Feb. 11-15, 2006, to knock down six three-pointers in back-to-back games.
76 POINTS IN A LOSS
Despite scoring 76 points against PFW, Dec. 21, EMU suffered its first regulation loss when scoring 76 points since Feb. 10, 2024, an 82-76 loss at Louisiana-Monroe.
BELOW THE CENTURY MARK
In 375 games at the George Gervin GameAbove Center, only one team has reached 100 points against the Eagles as 2022-23 Florida Atlantic, which reached the 2023 Final Four, scored 101 at EMU, Dec. 4, 2022.
Horizon League preseason favorite Purdue Fort Wayne fell one point shy becoming the second Eagle foe to reach 100 points at the George Gervin GameAbove Center as Eastern fell, 99-76, Dec. 15.
Top Point Totals by Foes at the George Gervin GameAbove Center
Date School Points
12/4/2022 Florida Atlantic 101
12/15/2024 Purdue Fort Wayne 99
11/30/2024 Detroit Mercy 98
11/12/2023 Illinois State 98
THR33-POINT STR3AK, 624-STRAIGHT GAM3S
Eastern, which hit nine threes against Wright State, Dec. 21, has now hit at least one triple in 624-straight games. EMU last failed to score from downtown Jan. 24, 2004, when Miami held the Eagles to 0-of-7 from behind the arc.
The Eagles have converted at least five three-pointers in 12-consecutive games, dating back to the final game of the 2023-24 season. The 12-game streak is EMU's longest since a 15-game streak extending from the 2020-21 to the 2021-22 season.
2024-25 PRESEASON ALL-MAC TEAMS
First Team
Payton Sparks, Senior, Center, Ball State
Anthony Pritchard, Senior, Guard, Central Michigan
VonCameron Davis, R-Senior, Forward, Kent State
AJ Clayton, Senior, Forward, Ohio
Javan Simmons, Sophomore, Forward, Toledo
Second Team
Isaiah Gray, Senior, Guard, Akron
Jalen Sullinger, Senior, Guard, Kent State
Shereef Mitchell, Graduate Student, Guard, Ohio
AJ Brown, R-Sophomore, Guard, Ohio
Isaiah Adams, Fifth Year, Guard, Toledo
PRESEASON PICKED NINTH
After finishing 10th in 2023-24, EMU was picked ninth in the MAC preseason coaches' poll.
2024-25 MAC Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll
(First Place Votes)
1. Ohio (11) – 121
2. Akron (1) – 106
3. Kent State – 99
4. Toledo – 95
5. Bowling Green – 73
6. Miami – 72
7. Ball State – 67
8. Central Michigan – 55
9. Eastern Michigan – 36
10. Western Michigan – 33
11. Northern Illinois – 24
12. Buffalo – 11
Tournament Champion: Ohio (8), Kent State (3), Toledo (1)
The six Ohio schools made up the top six while the bottom six is filled with the rest of the MAC schools.
MICHIGAN MATCH-UPS
The Eagles play three in-state opponents in non-conference action with contests against Siena Heights (Nov. 8), Oakland (Nov. 21), and Detroit Mercy (Nov. 30).
NEW FOE, WHO DIS?
The Eagles added competition against three first-time opponents this season; they face off against Texas State, Nov. 4 (L, 44-64), Houston Christian, Nov. 25 (W, 74-73), and Wright State, Dec. 21.
WHO'S BACK??
EMU returns four players from its 2023-24 roster including seniors Jalin Billingsley, Yusuf Jihad, and Micah Schnyders, as well as sophomore Arne Osojnik.
WHO'S GONE??
EMU lost 10 players from its 2023-24 game one roster including Tyson Acuff (Rutgers), Orlando Lovejoy (Detroit Mercy), Legend Geeter (Detroit Mercy), Conner Serven (Virginia Tech), Cyril Martynov (Eastern Kentucky), Julius Ellerbe (Coppin State), John McGriff (transfer portal - no destination), Javantae Randle (Central State), Prakash Ketterhagen (Lourdes), and Andrew Wells (graduation). The Eagles also lost Director of Operations LaMonta Stone (Assistant Coach - Detroit Mercy) and Graduate Assistant Nick Madray (graduation --> Utah Jazz).
WHAT'S GONE??
EMU lost 1,332 of its 2,047 points (65.07%) from the 2023-24 season, most notably leading scorer Tyson Acuff, who averaged 21.7 ppg (8th in the nation) on 43/29/81 shooting splits and transferred to Rutgers.
FRESH FACES
EMU added 11 newcomers to its 2024-25 roster including seniors Jalen Terry (DePaul), Da'Sean Nelson (DePaul), John Shanu II (UTRGV), and Cooper Smith (Michigan), juniors Christian Henry (Panola College), Julian Lewis (Miami), and Trey Pettigrew (Salt Lake CC), and freshmen Mario Brunetto (Classical Gymnasium), Mbaye N'Diaye (SEED Academy), Godslove Nwabude (Zion Prep), and Dillon Tingler (Huntington Prep).
DEPAUL DUO TO YPSILANTI
Jalen Terry and Da'Sean Nelson both came to Ypsilanti from DePaul and are expected to have big roles for the Eagles in 2024-25. Terry averaged 8.5 ppg and Nelson scored 9.7 ppg for the Blue Demons in 2023-24.
STAYING HOME
Eastern Michigan has just four players (Yusuf Jihad, Farmington Hills; Jalen Terry, Flint; Cooper Smith, Mio; and Julian Lewis, Ypsilanti) from the Mitten State on its 2024-25 roster, EMU's fewest since 2020-21 (four).
INTERNATIONAL INFLUX
International student-athlete representation doubled on the Eagles 15-player roster this season, as they added three true freshmen from Senegal (Mbaye N'Diaye), Nigeria (Godslove Nwabude), and Italy (Mario Brunetto), respectively. The trio joins sophomore Arne Osojnik who represented Slovenia twice as a member of the U18 national team at the Euro Championships. A complete breakdown of the EMU roster can be found on page 11.
Most international true freshmen in the nation:
1. Buffalo - 6
2. Florida Atlantic - 5
t3. Eastern Michigan - 3
Manhattan - 3
Oregon State - 3
San Francisco - 3
Seattle - 3
UT-Martin - 3
Weber State - 3
Most African true freshmen in the nation:
t1. Eastern Michigan - 2
Seton Hall - 2
Osojnik is one of five players from Slovenia in the country.
Slovenian MBB Players at NCAA Division I:
Arne Osojnik - Eastern Michigan
Klemen Vuga - UAPB
Urban Klavzar - Florida
Jan Vide - LMU (Calif.)
Sasa Ciani - UIC
Brunetto is one of 17 Italians players while N'Diaye is one of 32 Senegalese players and Nwabude is one of 38 Nigerian players.
DOUBLEHEADER DAY
The Eagles are scheduled to play three double-headers with the EMU women's basketball team in 2023-24 with four of the five doubleheaders taking place in Ypsilanti. Both the EMU men's and women's teams will play Jan. 11 (vs. Akron), Feb. 15 (men vs. Toledo, women vs. Ball State), and Feb. 22 (Northern Illinois).
The men's team was 5-0 at home in doubleheader games in 2023-24.
EMONI BATES NBA + G-LEAGUE
Former Eagle Emoni Bates was named a G-League All-Star with the Cleveland Charge in 2023-24, averaging 24.8 ppg. Bates also appeared in 15 games with the Cavaliers during the 2023-24 season. He underwent surgery in early October to repair a torn meniscus and is expected to return to action at some point during the 2024-25 season.
EASTERN HADN'T PLAYED WRIGHT STATE?
Despite being separated by 174 miles, Eastern Michigan and Wright State have never competed against each other in men's basketball, prior to Eastern's 86-82 win, Dec. 21.
Of the 44 Division I schools within 300 miles (straight line on map) of Ypsilanti, Eastern had played all but four of them, meeting 37 of the 44 multiple times.
Schools Within 300 Miles Eastern Had Not Played:
School Distance
Wright State 174
Northwestern 211
West Virginia 264
Morehead State 279
NEXT UP
Eastern Michigan opens MAC play with a 2 p.m. home game against Northern Illinois Saturday, Jan. 4.
FOLLOW US
For the most up-to-date information on the Eagles, visit EMUEagles.com. Fans can also follow the team on social media, including Twitter (@EMU_MBB) and Instagram (@EMUMBB).
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