Eastern Michigan Athletics

Tuesday, February 27
Ypsilanti, Mich.
7 p.m.

Eastern Michigan University

vs

Western Michigan

Jalin Billingsley

Eagles Hosting WMU Tuesday

2/25/2024 8:59:00 PM | Men's Basketball

EMU seeking final push toward MAC Tournament

Men's Basketball vs. Western Michigan
Date Tuesday, Feb. 27, at 7 p.m.
Venue George Gervin GameAbove Center (8,754) | Ypsilanti, Mich.
Preview Info EMU Notes (PDF) | Media Guide (PDF)
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YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team is scheduled to host Western Michigan University for a Mid-American Conference game Saturday, Feb. 27, at 7 p.m. The teams will square off at EMU's George Gervin GameAbove Center as both squads are looking to make a run into the MAC Tournament. The game is promoted as "Sitcom Night" as sitcom-themed in-game promotions and activities will be plentiful.
 
ON AIR
Eastern Michigan and Western Michigan will air on ESPN+ with Ryan Wooley and Justin Rose on the call. Tom Helmer will have the call live on WEMU (89.1 FM) and the Varsity Network App.
 
OPENING TIPS
» Eastern rallied to upend Ball State, 58-56, in its most recent contest, Feb. 24. Junior Tyson Acuff led the way with 19 points while junior Jalin Billingsley had a career-high 17 points. Freshman Arne Osojnik drilled a key three-pointer to extend the lead to 57-53 with 25 seconds left.
» Western Michigan enters the game 10-17 overall and 7-7 in the MAC after securing a 91-72 win over Buffalo in its most recent game, Feb. 24. The Broncos topped the Eagles, 73-56, in the teams' most recent meeting, Jan. 23. WMU lost six-straight games after beating EMU but have won two of the last three since the return of B. Artis-White from injury. EMU has won 10 of the last 12 meetings against WMU in Ypsilanti.
» Acuff is averaging 21.9 points per game through 27 games, which leads the MAC and is fifth 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 13 games. Acuff is one of five players in the nation with 13 showings of 23 or more points.
» Eastern Michigan's Stan Heath is in his third year at the helm of the Eagles, holding a 29-60 record at EMU and 238-267 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.
 
EASTERN MICHIGAN VS. WESTERN MICHIGAN
Eastern Michigan trails in the series against Western Michigan, 55-65. The teams have played every calendar year since 1974, making 2024 the 51st-straight calendar year that the teams have played. EMU dropped the most recent meeting, 73-56, in Kalamazoo, Jan. 24. The Eagles never gained traction in the contest, trailing 31-20 at halftime and cutting the lead to single digits with 13:41 remaining before the Broncos pulled away for good. EMU, led by junior Tyson Acuff's 14 points, were limited to 32.5% shooting in the game. The 17-point loss was EMU's largest in the series since falling, 87-60, Feb. 27, 2011, a stretch of 24 games. That contest happened to come after the Eagles had suffered a 17-point loss in Kalamazoo earlier in the season. EMU holds a 34-18 advantage in games played in Ypsilanti, having won three of the last four and 10 of the last 12. The Eagles defeated the Broncos, 66-59, Feb. 21, 2023, in the teams' most recent meeting at EMU.
 
TYSON ACUFF: ONE NATION'S TOP SCORERS
Junior Tyson Acuff is averaging 21.9 points per game through 27 games, which leads the MAC and is fifth in the nation. Acuff's season has been highlighted by five 30-plus point performances.
 
National scoring leaders:
1. Tommy Bruner         25.1     Denver
2. Zach Edey                 23.3     Purdue
3. Xavier Johnson         22.8     Southern Illinois
4. Tyler Thomas           22.4     Hofstra
5. Tyson Acuff              21.9     Eastern Michigan
 
TYSON ACUFF: 5TH IN PROGRAM HISTORY PPG
Junior Tyson Acuff's 21.9 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              21.9     2023-24
6. Derrick Dial              20.9     1997-98
 
TYSON ACUFF: RISING IN EMU RECORDS
Junior Tyson Acuff is at 997 points in his EMU career.
 
EMU all-time leaders in points:
1.     Kennedy McIntosh  2,219   1967-71
28.   George Gervin        1,044   1970-72
29.   Fred Cofield            1,030   1983-85
30.   Lewis Scott             1,014   1983-87
31.   Bill Stephens           1,004   1955-60
32.   Tyson Acuff              997     2022-24
33.   Cleon Gilliam           990     1951-55
 
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 1,236 career points, passing the 1,000 mark with a 21-point performance against Ball State, Jan. 16. He sits at 138 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 22 of the last 23 games, is averaging 38.2 minutes per game. Acuff played all 40 minutes at Ball State, Feb. 24. Acuff has played all 40 minutes in seven of the last nine games, playing the entirety of the game 10 times this season. 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           38.6     Oral Roberts
2. Kareem Thompson 38.3        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               8.2      Eastern Michigan
2. Tyler Thomas            8.1      Hofstra
3. Tommy Bruner          8.1      Denver
 
TYSON ACUFF: 10 GAMES WITH 10+ FGM
Junior Tyson Acuff has converted 10-plus field goals in 10 games this season with his most recent being his 11 against Buffalo, Feb. 20.
 
Games with 10-plus field goals made in 2023-24:
1. Tyson Acuff               10       Eastern Michigan
    Tommy Bruner          10       Denver
    Marcus Hill                10       Bowling Green
 
TYSON ACUFF, 13 GAMES WITH 23+ POINTS
Junior Tyson Acuff has scored 23-plus points 13 times this season with his most recent being a 26-point effort at Buffalo, Feb. 20. Acuff is one of five players in the nation with 13 showings of 23 or more points.
 
Games with 23-plus points in 2023-24:
1. Tommy Bruner          16       Denver
    Zach Edey                  16       Purdue
3. Tyson Acuff               13       Eastern Michigan
    Tyler Thomas             13       Hofstra
    David Jones               13       Memphis
 
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 29-STRAIGHT
Junior Tyson Acuff has netted at least 11 points in 29-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               29      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).
 
Acuff's efforts earned him MAC Player of the Week. Acuff is the first Eagle since Bryce McBride to receive the honor outright and the first since Emoni Bates was named MAC Co-Player of the Week, Feb. 27, 2023. McBride did so Dec. 13, 2021.
 
PATH TO THE PLAYOFFS: MAC TOURNEY OUTLOOK
EMU sits in sole possession of 10th in the MAC standings with four games to play as the MAC Tournament looms. The Eagles are two games back of Kent State for eighth place and the final spot in the eight-team tournament field. EMU, which is expected to need at least three wins in the final four games to qualify, will seek to gain ground in its next two contests, both of which are at home, as daunting road match-ups loom at first-place Akron (March 5) and third-place Central Michigan (March 8) to close Eastern's 2023-24 regular season slate. EMU does not control their own destiny and is seeking its first postseason trip since 2019-20.
 
Akron was the first team to clinch a trip to the MAC Tournament, which is played in Cleveland, Ohio, from March 14-16. The Zips are one of four teams to secure a spot while Buffalo is the only team to have officially been eliminated. Complete MAC standings are available on page 11.
 
EMU ELIMINATION SCENARIOS
Entering Tuesday's game, EMU can still finish as high as fifth in the MAC. With Tuesday's results, EMU's highest possible finish could drop to as low as eighth.
 
EMU eliminated from seeds 1-4
 
EMU eliminated from 5-seed if...
-BGSU beats Miami OR
-Kent State beats Buffalo AND Ball State beats CMU OR
-EMU loses to WMU
 
EMU eliminated from 6-seed if...
-EMU loses to WMU
 
EMU eliminated from 7-seed if...
-EMU loses to WMU AND Miami beats BGSU OR
-EMU loses to WMU AND Kent State beats Buffalo AND Ball State beats CMU
 
EMU cannot be eliminated from 8-seed Tuesday.
 
CATCH KENT STATE, PASS BALL STATE
EMU's most feasible path to the MAC Tournament is likely to depend on the results of EMU (4-10), Kent State (6-8), and Ball State (5-9). Due to the Eagles' 71-69 win over Kent State, Jan. 6, EMU holds the tiebreaker over the Golden Flashes while EMU is also likely to have the advantage in tiebreaker scenarios with Ball State, as well as a potential three-way tie between the teams, depending on final conference standings as winning percentages against top MAC teams is used as the second tiebreaker after head-to-head.
 
EMU remaining schedule:
Feb. 27 vs. Western Michigan
March 2 vs. Miami
March 5 at Akron
March 8 at Central Michigan
 
Kent State remaining schedule:
Feb. 27 vs. Buffalo
March 2 vs. Central Michigan
March 5 at Ball State
March 8 at Toledo
 
Ball State remaining schedule:
Feb. 27 at Central Michigan
March 2 vs. Western Michigan
March 5 vs. Kent State
March 8 at BGSU
 
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        3-14
Hold opponent to 71 points or less    10-1       1-15
Shoot better % than opponent          11-2       0-14
Outrebound opponent                       9-3        2-13
 
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, .559-.542, 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
Feb. 24 at Ball State                         26-27      58-56
 
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 10-6 record in such games. EMU is also 6-3 in games decided by four points or less.
 
7-0 SECOND-HALF RUN (x2) AT BALL STATE
Ball State held its largest lead of the contest at 49-43 with 8:14 to play before a 7-0 Eagle run, highlighted by a junior Jalin Billingsley three-pointer, gave the Eagles their first lead since the 18:47 mark of the second half in EMU's win at Ball State, Feb. 24.
 
The Cardinals scored the game's next four points to lead 53-50 but EMU launched a second 7-0 run to lead, 57-53.
 
ARNE OSOJNIK: DAGGER THREE AT BALL STATE
Freshman Arne Osojnik drilled a triple with 24.3 seconds to play to give the Eagles control with a 57-53 lead. Osojnik was 2-for-5 from deep in the 58-56 win at Ball State, Feb. 24. Osojnik hit a three against Kent State, Jan. 6, to send the game into overtime.
 
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           7.93     Toledo
3. Ryan Sabol               7.85     Buffalo
4. Anquan Boldin Jr.      7.3      Buffalo
5. Evan Isparo               7.0      Miami
 
JALIN BILLINSGLEY: CAREER-HIGH 17 POINTS AT BSU
Junior Jalin Billingsley netted a career-high 17 points to go with six rebounds in the 58-56 win at Ball State, Feb. 24. Billingsley also tied his career high with seven made field goals, which he set against Wayne State, Nov. 7, 2022. Billingsley's previous career high in points was 16, also against Wayne State, Nov. 7, 2022.
 
JALIN BILLINSGLEY: INCREASED ROLE, PRODUCTION
Junior Jalin Billingsley, who had started 10-straight games before playing 27 minutes off the bench at Ball State, Feb. 24, has seen an increased role while seeing positive results on the floor. Billingsley is averaging 7.1 ppg, 4.9 rpg, and 20.0 mpg for the season.
 
First 12 games played (averages):
Minutes               Points               Rebounds
15.9                     4.8                         3.8
 
Last 10 games played (averages):
Minutes               Points               Rebounds
24.3                     9.5                         5.9
 
CONNOR SERVEN: A BIT OF EVERYTHING AT BSU
Redshirt junior Connor Serven, who has started three-straight games, did a bit of everything in EMU's 58-56 win at Ball State, Feb. 24. Serven scored just three points, but equaled his career high with three assists while pulling down eight rebounds, which falls just one board short of his top mark of nine, set at Buffalo, Feb. 20. Serven also blocked two shots for the first time in his career while recording two steals for the third time in his career. Serven's +6 plus-minus rating was the highest of any player in the game.
 
(OFFENSIVE) REBOUNDING AT BALL STATE
All eight Eagles that saw the floor recorded at least one offensive rebound in EMU's 58-56 win at Ball State, Feb. 24. Despite that, EMU only recorded 10 offensive rebounds while outrebounding BSU, 42-35. The Eagles improved to 9-3 when outrebounding its opponent. Redshirt junior Connor Serven and junior Jalin Billingsley each tallied two offensive boards while the other six Eagles each had one apiece. Serven's eight total rebounds led EMU as all eight players had multiple rebounds.
 
TWO EAGLES WITH 10+ POINTS AT BALL STATE
The Eagles had two players (Acuff, 19; Billingsley, 17) net 10-plus points against Ball State, Feb. 24. 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                26
2. Orlando Lovejoy        11
3. Yusuf Jihad                 9
    Arne Osojnik               9
5. Jalin Billingsley            7
6. Legend Geeter            5
7. Julius Ellerbe              3
8. Connor Serven            2
    John McGriff               1
 
ORLANDO LOVEJOY: ONE STEAL IN 14-OF-16 GAMES
Sophomore Orlando Lovejoy has secured at least one steal in 14 of the last 16 games. Lovejoy also has multiple steals in eight of his last 14 games. He had three-straight games with at least three steals with three at ULM, Feb. 10, three against Toledo, Feb. 6, and a career-high four against Northern Illinois, Feb. 3, but recorded just one at Buffalo, Feb. 20.
 
11 DIFFERENT PLAYERS IN THE STARTING LINEUP
Eastern Michigan has used 11 different players in the starting lineup this season. Junior Tyson Acuff (26), freshman Arne Osojnik (20), redshirt sophomore Legend Geeter (17), sophomore Orlando Lovejoy (15), redshirt junior Julius Ellerbe (12), junior Jalin Billingsley (11), junior Yusuf Jihad (10),  redshirt junior Connor Serven (9), sophomore Cyril Martynov (8), redshirt junior John McGriff (4), and redshirt sophomore Javantae Randle (3) have all started for EMU.
 
In total, the Eagles have used 18 unique lineups in 27 games. The Acuff-Ellerbe-Geeter-Jihad-Osojnik combo is one of only six 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      18
    Milwaukee                18
3. Detroit Mercy            15      
    UMKC                        15
    Siena                         15
          
THR33-POINT STR3AK, 609-STRAIGHT GAM3S
Eastern, which hit five threes against Ball State, Feb. 24, has now hit at least one triple in 609-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.
 
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
 
 
"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 5-1 in doubleheader games in 2023-24 and 5-0 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 host Miami University, March 2, for a 2 p.m. tip inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center. The team will be celebrating Senior Day.
 
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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