Eastern Michigan Athletics

Tuesday, February 20
Buffalo, N.Y.
7 p.m.

Eastern Michigan University

at

Buffalo

Tyson Acuff

EMU Traveling to Buffalo for Tuesday Contest

2/18/2024 9:09:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Eagles seeking to build on BGSU win, Feb. 17

Men's Basketball at Buffalo
Date Tuesday, Feb. 20, at 7 p.m.
Venue Alumni Arena (6,783) | Buffalo, N.Y.
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BUFFALO, N.Y. (EMUEagles.com) -- Coming off a 69-60 win over Bowling Green State University, Feb. 17, the Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team is scheduled to travel to the University at Buffalo for a Mid-American Conference game Tuesday, Feb. 20, at 7 p.m. The teams will square off at UB's Alumni Arena.
 
ON AIR
Eastern Michigan and Buffalo will air on ESPN+. Tom Helmer will have the call live on WEMU (89.1 FM) and the Varsity Network App.
 
OPENING TIPS
» Eastern led for nearly 37 minutes in its defeat of Bowling Green, 69-60, its most recent contest, Feb. 17. Junior Tyson Acuff led the way with 34 points and 10 rebounds while sophomore Legend Geeter had 13 points and seven boards as the duo combined for 31 of the team's 33 first-half points. EMU improved to 5-0 in home doubleheader games in 2023-24.
» Buffalo enters the game 3-22 overall and 1-11 in the MAC after suffering a 73-62 loss to MAC-leading Akron in its most recent game, Feb. 17. Eastern topped the Bulls, 75-65, in the teams' most recent meeting, Jan. 27. EMU has lost 11-straight games at Buffalo and is seeking its first win as the visiting team in the series since 2004.
» Acuff is averaging 21.8 points per game through 25 games, which leads the MAC and sixth in the nation. His season has been highlighted by five 30-plus point performances (31 vs. Cleveland State, Nov. 18; 31 vs. North Dakota, Nov. 26; 31 at BGSU, Jan. 2; 30 at Ohio, Jan. 20; 34 vs. BGSU, Feb. 17).
» Acuff has scored 23-plus points in 12 games. Acuff is one of seven players in the nation with 12 showings of 23 or more points.
» Eastern Michigan's Stan Heath is in his third year at the helm of the Eagles, holding a 28-59 record at EMU and 237-266 record over 16 years as a head coach. Fifty of NCAA Division I's head coaches are coaching their alma mater, up from 48 in 2022-23.

TYSON ACUFF: ONE NATION'S TOP SCORERS
Junior Tyson Acuff is averaging 21.8 points per game through 25 games, which leads the MAC and is sixth in the nation. Acuff's season has been highlighted by five 30-plus point performances.
 
National scoring leaders:
1. Tommy Bruner         25.3     Denver
2. Xavier Johnson         23.3     Southern Illinois
3. Zach Edey                 23.3     Purdue
4. Vonterius Woolbright 22.3     Western Carolina
5. Tyler Thomas           22.1     Hofstra
6. Tyson Acuff              21.8     Eastern Michigan
 
TYSON ACUFF: 5TH IN PROGRAM HISTORY PPG
Junior Tyson Acuff's 21.8 ppg would rank fifth in program history for a single season.
 
1. George Gervin          29.5     1971-72
2. Earl Boykins              25.7     1997-98
3. Kennedy McIntosh 25.4         1970-71
4. Grant Long               23.0     1987-88
5. Tyson Acuff              21.8     2023-24
6. Derrick Dial              20.9     1997-98
 
TYSON ACUFF: RISING IN EMU RECORDS
Junior Tyson Acuff is at 952 points in his EMU career.
 
EMU all-time leaders in points:
1.     Kennedy McIntosh  2,219   1967-71
33.   Cleon Gilliam           990     1951-55
34.   Ed Gallup                 980     1960-64
35.   Paul Jackson            979     2018-19
36.   Ricky Cottrill             978     2000-04
37.   Mike McCaskill         977     1983-87
        Michael Ross            977     2001-05
39.   Tyson Acuff              952     2022-24
40.   Tom MacKenzie        951     1957-61
 
If Acuff can reach 1,000 points scored at EMU, he would be the 32nd player in program history to do so and the first since Tim Bond surpassed 1,000 in 2018.
 
Including his 239 points in two seasons at Duquesne, Acuff is at 1,191 career points, passing the 1,000 mark with a 21-point performance against Ball State, Jan. 16. He sits at 130 career three-pointers made with 38 coming at Duquesne.
 
TYSON ACUFF: 38.2 MINUTES/GAME
Junior Tyson Acuff, who played at least 37 minutes in 20 of the last 21 games, is averaging 38.2 minutes per game. He played 40 minutes against BGSU, Feb. 17, his ninth time playing the entirety of the game this season. Acuff has played all 40 minutes in six of the last seven games and in four-straight contests. The 38.2 mark leads the MAC and ranks third in the country. Acuff edges Ricky Cottrill's mark of 37.7 minutes per game for the most by an Eagle since 2000.
 
National minutes per game leaders:
1. Isaac McBride           38.5     Oral Roberts
2. Kareem Thompson    38.2     Oral Roberts
3. Tyson Acuff              38.2     Eastern Michigan
 
TYSON ACUFF, NATION'S LEADER IN FGM/GAME
Junior Tyson Acuff leads the nation in field goals made per game.
 
National field goals made per game leaders:
1. Tyson Acuff              8.08     Eastern Michigan
2. Tommy Bruner         8.07     Denver
3. Tyler Thomas            8.0      Hofstra
 
TYSON ACUFF: NINE GAMES WITH 10+ FGM
Junior Tyson Acuff has converted 10-plus field goals in nine games this season with his most recent being his 12 against BGSU, Feb. 17.
 
Games with 10-plus field goals made in 2023-24:
1. Tommy Bruner          10       Denver
2. Tyson Acuff                9        Eastern Michigan
    Marcus Hill                 9        Bowling Green
 
TYSON ACUFF, 11 GAMES WITH 23+ POINTS
Junior Tyson Acuff has scored 23-plus points 12 times this season with his most recent being a 34-point effort against BGSU, Feb. 17. Acuff is one of seven players in the nation with 12 showings of 23 or more points.
 
Games with 23-plus points in 2023-24:
1. Tommy Bruner          16       Denver
2. Zach Edey                  15       Purdue
3. Tyler Thomas             13       Hofstra
    David Jones               13       Memphis
5. Tyson Acuff               12       Eastern Michigan
    Xavier Johnson          12       Southern Illinois
    Elijah Pepper             12       UC-Davis
 
TYSON ACUFF GOES FOR 29+ POINTS (x7)
Junior Tyson Acuff has seven games with 29-plus points this season, most recently providing a 34-point outing against BGSU, Feb. 17. Acuff is one of three players in the nation and the only player in the MAC with seven-plus 29-point showings.
 
Games with 29-plus points in 2023-24:
1. Tommy Bruner           9        Denver
2. Tyson Acuff                7        Eastern Michigan
    Xavier Johnson           7        Southern Illinois
 
TYSON ACUFF: DOUBLE-DIGITS IN 27-STRAIGHT
Junior Tyson Acuff has netted at least 11 points in 27-straight contests, extending back through the final three games of the 2022-23 season.
 
EMU consecutive games in double-digits since 2000:
1.     Tyson Acuff               27      2022-24
2.     John Bowler              21      2005-06
3.     Carlos Medlock         20      2007-10*
 
*Medlock missed the 2008-09 season with a broken foot.
 
TYSON ACUFF: 34 POINTS, 10 REBOUNDS VS. BGSU
Junior Tyson Acuff poured in a season-high 34 points to go with a career-high 10 rebounds for his first career double-double against BGSU, Feb. 17. Acuff netted 22 points in the first half. His 34 points are tied for the 10th-most by a player inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center (since 1998-99). His career high of 36 points against the University of Toledo, Feb. 11, 2023, ranks as the sixth-highest scoring total in George Gervin GameAbove Center history. Acuff was 12-for-21 from the field, converting nine field goals in the first half. His nine field goals made in the opening half are tied for the most field goals made in a half against a Division I foe in George Gervin GameAbove Center history.
 
EASTERN MICHIGAN VS. BUFFALO
Eastern Michigan trails in the series against Buffalo, 21-13. The teams have played every calendar year since 1999, making 2024 the 26th-straight calendar year that the teams have played. The Eagles have dropped 11-straight games in Buffalo and are seeking their first win at UB since defeating the Bulls, 77-66, Feb. 4, 2004. Nine of EMU's 11-straight losses in Buffalo have come by single digits. EMU topped Buffalo in the most recent contest between the two teams by a 75-65 decision, Jan. 27, to snap a four-game skid in the series. The Eagles shook off a 36-35 second-half deficit to earn the win behind 19 points from junior Tyson Acuff and 16 points from freshman Arne Osojnik. Eight Eagles netted multiple field goals in the game, just the second time this season EMU has had eight players convert multiple shots from the field (Nov. 11 vs. Georgia Southern).
 
PATH TO THE PLAYOFFS: MAC TOURNEY OUTLOOK
Eastern Michigan sits tied for 10th in the MAC standings with six games to play as the MAC Tournament looms. The Eagles are two games back of Western Michigan for eighth place and the final spot in the eight-team tournament field. EMU, which expected to need at least four wins in the final six games to make the field, will seek to gain ground in its next four contests as daunting road match-ups at first-place Akron (March 5) and third-place Central Michigan (March 8) close Eastern's 2023-24 regular season slate. EMU is seeking its first trip to the postseason since 2019-20.
 
Akron was the first team to clinch a trip to the MAC Tournament, which is played in Cleveland from March 14-16. Complete MAC standings are available on page 11.
 
AHEAD OF PACE: WINS BY DATE
Eastern Michigan surpassed its 2022-23 win total as the Eagles secured their ninth win of the 2023-24 season, Jan. 27 vs. Buffalo, about one month earlier in the season compared to the Eagles' eighth win of the 2022-23 season.
 
2022-23 Date                    Win Number                       2023-24 Date
Nov. 7 vs. Wayne State             1      Nov. 11 vs. Georgia Southern
Nov. 30 at FIU                              2          Nov. 18 vs. Cleveland State
Dec. 18 vs. Detroit Mercy         3              Nov. 21 at Detroit Mercy
Jan. 7 vs. Central Mich.             4         Nov. 25 at Central Arkansas
Jan. 28 at Miami                          5      Dec. 1 vs. Lake Superior State
Jan. 31 vs. Ohio                           6                      Dec. 21 vs. Hampton
Feb. 21 vs. Western Mich.        7                  Dec. 30 vs. Northwood
Feb. 25 vs. Ball State                  8                        Jan. 6 vs. Kent State
 
CORRELATION AND MAYBE CAUSATION
Some statistics have provided increased insight into whether the Eagles will win or lose:
 
Did the Eagles.....?                            Yes          No
Lead/tie at halftime                           8-2        2-13
Hold opponent to 71 points or less     9-1        1-14
Shoot better % than opponent          10-2       0-13
Outrebound opponent                       8-3        2-12
 
Trends were broken in EMU's 92-90 overtime loss against BGSU, Jan. 2, as the Eagles suffered their first loss in three of the above categories. EMU led, 42-34, at halftime; outshot BGSU, .500-.462; and outrebounded the Falcons, 43-41. The Eagles also limited Miami to 71 points in their 71-54 loss, Jan. 13, before outrebounding Ball State, 37-31, in a 76-62 loss, Jan. 16. EMU dropped a 76-66 decision at NIU, Feb. 3, after leading 32-28 at the break. The Eagles lost to Toledo, 91-87, Feb. 6, despite outrebounding UT, 34-28, while also outshooting the Rockets, .542-.559, Feb. 6.
 
Win when trailing at the half...         Half       Final
Nov. 18 vs. Cleveland State              29-32      69-62
Jan. 6 vs. Kent State                         26-38      71-69
 
Win when being outrebounded...     REB        Final
Nov. 25 at Central Arkansas             35-36      74-71
Jan. 6 vs. Kent State                         29-35      71-69
 
Win when allowing 72+ points...        PA        Final
Nov. 21 at Detroit Mercy                    72        76-72
 
TIGHT GAMES GOING TO EASTERN MICHIGAN
EMU has found success in games decided by 10 points or less in 2023-24, holding a 9-5 record in such games. The Eagles' losses in the category were a tight 72-70 loss to North Dakota, Nov. 26; a 92-90 overtime loss at BGSU, Jan. 2; a 76-66 loss at NIU, Feb. 3; a 91-87 loss to Toledo, Feb. 6; and a 82-76 loss at ULM, Feb. 10. EMU is also 5-3 in games decided by four points or less.
 
SIX REJECTIONS VS. BGSU
Led by freshman Arne Osojnik and junior Jalin Billingsley's two blocks, the Eagles' six blocks recorded against BGSU, Feb. 17, are a season-high and the most by EMU since recording six against the University of Akron, Jan. 22, 2022. Junior Yusuf Jihad and sophomore Cyril Martynov turned away one shot apiece against the Falcons.
 
LEGEND GEETER: CAREER-HIGHS VS. BGSU
Redshirt sophomore Legend Geeter played a career-high 35 minutes against BGSU, Feb. 17, matching his career high with 13 points, which he has achieved three times in his career. He also scored 13 points once earlier in the 2023-24 season, at 10th-ranked Florida Atlantic, Nov. 14. Geeter, who dished out three assists for the second time this season, also matched his season high with seven rebounds against the Falcons, which he had most recently achieved against Kent State, Jan. 6.
 
CONNOR SERVEN: CAREER-HIGH 38 MINUTES VS. BGSU
Redshirt junior Connor Serven played a career-high 38 minutes and 22 seconds against BGSU, Feb. 17. Serven's previous career high was 36 minutes against Kent State, Jan. 6. Serven netted six points to go with six rebounds, which included a three-pointer to open the Eagles' second-half scoring.
 
ORLANDO LOVEJOY: 3-STRAIGHT WITH 5 AST, 3 STL
Sophomore Orlando Lovejoy has dished out at least five assists and made least three steals in three-straight games. The last Eagle to accomplish that feat was Tim Bond in 2017-18. Bond also did so in 2016-17. If Lovejoy is able to tally at least five assists and three steals against Buffalo, Feb. 20, he would be the first Eagle to do so in four-straight games since at least 1998-99. Lovejoy is the first Eagle since Paul Jackson in 2018-19 to record at least five assists in three-straight games as Jackson dished out five or more in four-straight games on two separate occasions. Damari Parris also had three-straight games with five-plus assists in 2018-19. Lovejoy is the first Eagle since Yeikson Montero in 2020-21 to record at least three steals in three-straight games. If Lovejoy is able to secure three steals against Buffalo, Feb. 20, he would be the first Eagle with a trio of steals in four-straight games since Tim Bond in 2017-18, who had three separate streaks of four games with three-plus steals.
 
Lovejoy also has at least five assists in four of his last five games.
 
ORLANDO LOVEJOY: ONE STEAL IN 13-OF-14 GAMES
Sophomore Orlando Lovejoy has secured at least one steal in 13 of the last 14 games. Lovejoy also has multiple steals in eight of his last 12 games. He has three-straight games with at least three steals after tallying three at ULM, Feb. 10, three against Toledo, Feb. 6, and a career-high four against Northern Illinois, Feb. 3.
 
ARNE OSOJNIK: 3 ASSISTS, 2 BLOCKS VS. BGSU
Freshman Arne Osojnik dished out a career-high three assists while matching his career-best with two blocked shots against BGSU, Feb. 17. Osojnik scored seven points in his 1-of-5 performance from downtown.
 
ARNE OSOJNIK: 1ST IN MAC FRESHMEN SCORING
Freshman Arne Osojnik is first in the MAC in scoring by a true freshman, averaging 8.2 points per game.
 
Freshmen MAC scoring leaders (true freshmen only):
1. Arne Osojnik             8.2      Eastern Michigan
2. Sonny Wilson            7.8      Toledo
3. Ryan Sabol                7.7      Buffalo
4. Anquan Boldin Jr.      7.3      Buffalo
5. Evan Isparo               6.6      Miami
6. Mekhi Cooper           6.2      Miami
 
YUSUF JIHAD: 8TH IN MAC 3PT%
Junior Yusuf Jihad is eighth in the MAC with an impressive .406 shooting percentage from deep as he is 26-for-64 on three-point attempts. Jihad does not meet the 2.5 three-pointers made per game qualifier, so is therefore not ranked nationally. Jihad was 16-for-44 (.374) on three-point attempts in 2022-23.
 
MAC 3PT% leaders:
1. Ajay Sheldon            .522     Ohio
2. Andrew Lorentsson  .441     Toledo
3. Davion Bailey           .427     Ball State
4. Aidan Rubio             .427     Central Michigan
8. Yusuf Jihad              .406     Eastern Michigan
 
JALIN BILLINSGLEY: INCREASED ROLE, PRODUCTION
Junior Jalin Billingsley, who has started nine-straight games, has seen an increased role while seeing positive results on the floor. Billingsley is averaging 6.7 ppg, 4.7 rpg, and 19.3 mpg for the season.
 
First 12 games played (averages):
Minutes               Points               Rebounds
15.9                     4.8                         3.8
 
Last eight games played (averages):
Minutes               Points               Rebounds
23.7                     9.0                         5.8
 
JALIN BILLINSGLEY: 3-OF-4 WITH 10+ POINTS
Junior Jalin Billingsley has scored at least 10 points in three of the last four games. Prior to his three-point outing against BGSU, Feb. 17, he had three-straight games with 10-plus points for the first time in his career. Billingsley netted 10 at ULM, Feb. 10; a season-high 13 against Toledo, Feb. 6; and 12 at Northern Illinois, Feb. 3. In his previous 17 games played in 2023-24, Billingsley had three total games with 10-plus points. Billingsley also hauled in a career-high nine rebounds at ULM, Feb. 10, falling one board short of his first career double-double.
 
TWO EAGLES WITH 10+ POINTS VS. BGSU
The Eagles had two players (Acuff, 34; Geeter, 13) net 10-plus points against BGSU, Feb. 17. Four players (Acuff, 31; Lovejoy, 14; Geeter, 12; Osojnik, 11) scored in double figures for the first time this season at BGSU, Jan. 2.


Eagles with 10-plus points in 2023-24 and number of games:
1. Tyson Acuff                24
2. Orlando Lovejoy        10
3. Yusuf Jihad                 9
4. Arne Osojnik               8
5. Jalin Billingsley            6
6. Legend Geeter            5
7. Julius Ellerbe              3
8. John McGriff               1
    Connor Serven            1
 
11 DIFFERENT PLAYERS IN THE STARTING LINEUP
Eastern Michigan has used 11 different players in the starting lineup this season. Junior Tyson Acuff (24), freshman Arne Osojnik (18), sophomore Orlando Lovejoy (15), redshirt sophomore Legend Geeter (15), redshirt junior Julius Ellerbe (12), junior Jalin Billingsley (10), junior Yusuf Jihad (9), sophomore Cyril Martynov (8), redshirt junior Connor Serven (7), redshirt junior John McGriff (4), and redshirt sophomore Javantae Randle (3) have all started for EMU.
 
In total, the Eagles have used 17 unique lineups in 25 games. The Acuff-Ellerbe-Geeter-Jihad-Osojnik combo is one of only five lineups used multiple times, recording a 2-1 record. More information can be found on page 10.
 
EMU leads the nation in unique starting lineups.
 
Nation's leaders in number of unique starting lineups:
1. Eastern Michigan      17
    Milwaukee                17
3. Detroit Mercy            15      
    UMKC                        15
          
THR33-POINT STR3AK, 607-STRAIGHT GAM3S
Eastern, which hit seven threes against ULM, Feb. 10, has now hit at least one triple in 607-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.
 
"THIS ONE'S GOING TO OVERTIME" (x2)
EMU went to overtime in its first two MAC games. The Eagles topped Kent State, 71-69, Jan. 6, after falling at Bowling Green, 92-90, Jan. 2. The games marked the first time EMU has played consecutive overtime games since Jan. 7 and Jan. 10, 2015, in losses against Ball State and Miami, respectively.
 
DOUBLEHEADER DAY
The Eagles are scheduled to play five 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 Nov.18 (men vs. Cleveland State, women vs. SIUE), Jan. 6 (men vs. Kent State, women vs. Toledo), Jan. 20 (at Ohio), Jan. 27 (men vs. Buffalo, women vs. Ball State), Feb. 17 (men vs. Bowling Green, women vs. Northern Illinois). The EMU men also hosted a doubleheader with the EMU's volleyball team, Nov. 11.
 
The men's team is 4-1 in doubleheader games so far in 2023-24 and 4-0 at home.
 
MT. MARTYNOV, SEVEN-FOOTER
Sophomore Cyril Martynov stands at seven feet tall and is one of five players in the MAC scaling at least seven feet, per each MAC school's official website. Miami's Reece Potter is the tallest in the conference at 7-foot-1 while Bowling Green's Jason Spurgin, Central Michigan's Hunter Harding, and Western Michigan's Javonte Brown are all 7-foot.
 
WHO'S BACK??
EMU returns 10 players from its 2022-23 roster including juniors Tyson Acuff, Jalin Billingsley, Yusuf Jihad, Kevin-David Rice, and Andrew Wells; redshirt sophomores Legend Geeter, Javantae Randle, and Prakash Ketterhagen; sophomore Orlando Lovejoy; and redshirt freshman Derik Pranger.
 
WHO'S GONE??
EMU lost six players from its 2022-23 roster including Emoni Bates (2nd Round pick in NBA Draft), Noah Farrakhan (transfer to West Virginia), Derek Ballard Jr. (graduation), Luka Savicevic (transfer to Lafayette), Collin Golson Jr. (transfer to Wayne State), and JZ Zaher (transfer to Bowling Green).
 
WHAT'S GONE??
EMU lost 1,114 of its 2,239 points (49.8%) from the 2022-23 season, most notably being the program's 15th NBA draftee as Emoni Bates was picked in the second round of the 2023 NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers (49th overall).
 
FRESH FACES
EMU added six newcomers to its 2023-24 roster including redshirt juniors John McGriff (Binghamton), Julius Ellerbe (East Central CC), Connor Serven (Illinois), and Micah Schnyders (Wheaton College), sophomore Cyril Martynov (Georgia Tech), and freshman Arne Osojnik (Ljubljana, Slovenia).
 
HALF MICHIGAN-MADE
Half of the Eastern Michigan 16-player roster hails from Michigan while Illinois (two), Maryland (two), and Colorado (one) are represented, as well as a pair of international student-athletes with one from Canada and another from Slovenia. A complete breakdown of the EMU roster can be found on page 13.
 
EMONI BATES NBA + G-LEAGUE
Former Eagle Emoni Bates played his first significant minutes in the NBA, Oct. 31, for the Cleveland Cavaliers against the New York Knicks as the rookie netted nine points with six rebounds in 23 minutes. Bates later sent shockwaves through the G-League in his first game with the Cleveland Charge, scoring 29 points with seven made three-pointers, Nov. 10, in Cleveland's 119-106 win over the Wisconsin Herd. Bates is averaging 25.5 points per game and has six outings of 29-plus points for the Charge. Bates later scored 38 points in a 116-104 win over the Santa Cruz Warriors, Jan. 6. Bates has been named a G-League All-Star.
 
NEXT UP
Eastern Michigan is scheduled to travel to the Ball State University, Feb. 24, for a 2 p.m. tip inside BSU's Worthern Arena.
 
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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