2023-11-24 01:04:39
CONWAY, Ark. (EMUEagles.com) — Winners of back-to-back games, the Eastern Michigan University men’s basketball team is scheduled to travel to the University of Central Arkansas for a 2:45 p.m. CT contest Saturday, Nov. 25, at the Farris Center in the Central Arkansas Classic. The Eagles also take on the University of North Dakota in the tournament, Sunday, Nov. 26, at 12 p.m. CT.
ON AIR
Eastern Michigan and Central Arkansas will air on ESPN+. There will be no broadcasts for EMU’s match-up with UND, but live stats will be available for both games at EMUEagles.com/livestats.
OPENING TIPS
» Eastern Michigan topped Detroit Mercy, 76-72, Nov. 21, as junior Tyson Acuff scored 25 points, leading a group of five Eagles with eight-plus points as Eastern built a 34-17 lead in the first half before having its edge cut to two late in the second half and ultimately coming home with a victory.
» Junior Tyson Acuff is averaging 20.8 points per game through five games, which leads the MAC. Acuff’s season has been highlighted by a 31-point showing once morest Cleveland State, Nov. 18.
» Eastern Michigan was 28-for-44 (.636) showing in the Eagles’ 76-72 win at Detroit Mercy, Nov. 21, was its fifth-best shooting percentage in a single game in program history and best since EMU shot .654 once morest Kent State, Jan. 12, 2019. Eastern’s .636 rate is its second-best mark all-time on the road as EMU converted 66.0% of its field goal attempts at Central Michigan, Jan. 6, 2016, which ranks second in program history.
» Against UCA, Eastern Michigan is seeking back-to-back road wins for the first time since 2017-18 when the Eagles beat Central Michigan, Feb. 17 2018, and Western Michigan, Feb. 27, 2018. Eastern is looking for back-to-back non-conference road wins for the first time since 2007-08 when the Eagles beat Manhattan, Nov. 21, 2007, and St. Bonaventure, Nov. 24, 2007.
» Eastern Michigan’s Stan Heath is in his third year at the helm of the Eagles, holding an 21-46 record at EMU and 230-253 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.
63.6% FROM THE FLOOR AT DETROIT MERCY
Eastern Michigan was 28-for-44 (.636) in the Eagles’ 76-72 win at Detroit Mercy, Nov. 21, was its fifth-best shooting percentage in a single game in program history and best since EMU shot .654 once morest Kent State, Jan. 12, 2019. Eastern’s .636 rate is its second-best mark all-time on the road as EMU converted 66.0% of its field goal attempts at Central Michigan, Jan. 6, 2016, which ranks second in program history.
TYSON ACUFF SCORES 25 POINTS AT UDM
Junior Tyson Acuff scored 25 points in EMU’s 76-72 victory at Detroit Mercy, Nov. 21, in a 10-for-15 shooting performance. Acuff has scored 20-plus points in each of his last three games for the first time in his career (25 at UDM, Nov. 21; 31 vs. Cleveland State, Nov. 18; 20 at 10th-ranked Florida Atlantic, Nov. 14). He has seven games with 20-plus points in his career, all of which have come at EMU.
TYSON ACUFF FOR 31 POINTS VS. CLEVELAND ST
Junior Tyson Acuff scored a season-high 31 points in EMU’s 69-62 victory over Cleveland State, Nov. 18, in an 11-for-17 shooting performance. Acuff has netted 30-plus point games three times in his career, all of which have come at EMU. Acuff started 6-for-6 from the field, scoring 17 points in the first half. His 31 points are the most scored by a player from the MAC this season.
TYSON ACUFF, MAC SCORING LEADER
Junior Tyson Acuff is averaging 20.8 points per game through five games, which leads the MAC. Acuff’s season has been highlighted by a 31-point showing once morest Cleveland State, Nov. 18. Acuff is the first Eagle since Noah Farrakhan to score at least 13 points in each of the team’s first five games. Farrakhan started the 2020-21 season with five-straight contests with 13-plus points.
TYSON ACUFF 23-26 FREE THROWS
Junior Tyson Acuff is 23-for-26 (88.5%) from the free throw line to start the 2023-24 season, including a 7-for-7 showing once morest Georgia Southern, Nov. 11. His seven makes also tie a career high. Acuff started the season with 18-consecutive makes at the charity stripe. Only Utah State University’s Jarod Lucas (23), Southern Illinois University’s Xavier Johnson (21) and Northwestern State University’s Cliff Davis (19) had more free throw makes without a miss to start the season in the country.
TYSON ACUFF MILESTONES COMING SOON
Junior Tyson Acuff has a pair of milestones on the horizon as the transfer from Duquesne sits at 97 career three-point makes and 771 career points. Acuff netted 38 three-pointers and 239 points in his two seasons at Duquesne.
JULIUS ELLERBE: 7 ASSISTS AT DETROIT MERCY
Redshirt junior Julius Ellerbe dished out seven assists in EMU’s 76-72 victory at Detroit Mercy, Nov. 21. FIve of Ellerbe’s assists came in the first half. Despite averaging 3.4 points per game, Ellerbe has shown his play-making ability outside of the scoring column as he leads the Eagles in both rebounds (21, 4.2 rpg) and assists (18, 3.6 apg).
JOHN McGRIFF: 10 POINTS, 5 ASSISTS
Redshirt junior John McGriff did a bit of everything in EMU’s 76-72 win at Detroit Mercy, Nov. 21. McGriff netted a season-high 10 points on an efficient 4-of-5 shooting performance. The point guard was one off his career high as he dropped five assists. He was also second on the team with four rebounds, trailing redshirt junior Connor Serven’s team-high six boards.
YUSUF JIHAD, 10 POINTS BACK-TO-BACK GAMES
For the first time in his career, junior Yusuf Jihad scored 10 points in back-to-back games as Jihad scored exactly 10 points in EMU’s 76-72 victory at Detroit Mercy, Nov. 21 and in EMU’s 69-62 win over Cleveland State, Nov. 18. Jihad was 4-for-8 from the field and 2-for-5 from deep once morest CSU, adding six rebounds. Jihad also became the first Eagle with multiple blocks in a game this season as he swatted away two Viking attempts. Jihad made his first start of the season once morest the Titans, going 3-for-5 from the field.
CONNOR SERVEN: CAREER-HIGHS AT UDM
Redshirt junior Connor Serven reset four career-high marks in EMU’s 76-72 win at Detroit Mercy, Nov. 21. Serven netted a career-high seven points on a career-high three made field goals while also hauling in a career-most six rebounds, which led the Eagles. Serven played 22 minutes off the bench at UDM, topping his previous career-high of 20 minutes at 10th-ranked Florida Atlantic, Nov. 14.
CYRIL MARTYNOV: CAREER-HIGHS AT UDM
Sophomore Cyril Martynov scored a career-high eight points while bringing in a career-high four rebounds in EMU’s 76-72 victory at Detroit Mercy, Nov. 21. Martynov also equaled his career high with 18 minutes played, matching his total from the season opener at Butler, Nov. 6.
DERIK PRANGER SCORES FIRST POINTS
Redshirt freshman Derik Pranger scored his first career points in the Eagles’ 76-72 win at Detroit Mercy, Nov. 21. Pranger converted a first-half lay-up on an assist by redshirt junior Connor Serven. Pranger saw action for the second time this season following playing four minutes at 10th-ranked Florida Atlantic, Nov. 14.
THREE EAGLES WITH 10+ POINTS
EMU had three players with double-figure points for the second time this season in the Eagles’ 76-72 win at Detroit Mercy, Nov. 21 (junior Tyson Acuff, 25; redshirt junior John McGriff, 10; junior Yusuf Jihad,10). EMU also had a trio of players with 10-plus points once morest Cleveland State in the 69-62 win, Nov. 18. (junior Tyson Acuff, 31; redshirt junior Julius Ellerbe, 10; junior Yusuf Jihad, 10). The Eagles had two players in double-digits in points in each of the first three games.
BACK-TO-BACK ROAD WINS?
After topping Detroit Mercy, 76-72, Nov. 21, Eastern Michigan is seeking back-to-back road wins for the first time since 2017-18 when the Eagles beat Central Michigan, Feb. 17, 2018, and Western Michigan, Feb. 27, 2018. Eastern is looking for back-to-back non-conference road wins for the first time since 2007-08 when the Eagles beat Manhattan, Nov. 21, 2007, and St. Bonaventure, Nov. 24, 2007.
FOUR EAGLES WITH 6+ REBOUNDS VS. CSU
Eastern had four players with six-plus rebounds in EMU’s 69-62 win over Cleveland State, Nov. 18, led by junior Julius Ellerbe’s eight. Juniors Jalin Billingsley, Yusuf Jihad, and Tyson Acuff each had six boards. Eastern last had four players with six-plus rebounds, Dec. 11, 2021, once morest Florida International University when the Eagles had five players haul in at least six rebounds.
2-0 HOME START
Eastern Michigan has a 2-0 start at home for the 11th time in the last 13 seasons following EMU defeated Georgia Southern, Nov. 11, and Cleveland State, Nov. 18. EMU started 1-1 at the George Gervin GameAbove Center in 2022-23 following topping Wayne State University, Nov. 7, 2022, before falling vs. University of California San Diego, Nov. 11, 2022. EMU won five-straight to open the 2021-22 home slate. EMU had a streak of 10-straight seasons with a 3-0 or better start at home starting with the 2011-12 campaign.
FIVE-FOR-FIVE UNIQUE LINEUPS
Eastern Michigan has used five different lineups in the opening five games of the 2023-24 season. Junior Tyson Acuff and redshirt sophomore Legend Geeter have started each game. Freshman Arne Osojnik has started four games following not starting the season-opening game at Butler, Nov. 6. Redshirt juniors John McGriff and Julius Ellerbe have three starts apiece while redshirt junior Connor Serven has two starts. Juniors Jalin BIllingsley and Yusuf Jihad also have one start each.
THR33-POINT STR3AK, 587-STRAIGHT GAM3S
Eastern, which hit seven threes once morest Detroit Mercy, Nov. 21, has now hit at least one triple in 587-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.
MICHIGAN MATCH-UPS
The Eagles are scheduled to play five in-state opponents in non-conference action with contests once morest Detroit Mercy (Nov. 21), Lake Superior State (Dec. 1), Oakland (Dec. 8), Michigan (Dec. 16), and Northwood (Dec. 30). EMU last played five in-state foes during the non-conference slate in 2019-20, going 4-1 in such contests. EMU topped Detroit Mercy, 76-72, Nov. 21.
SWEET HOME MICHIGAN IN DECEMBER
Eastern Michigan is scheduled to play five games in December, all of which will occur in Michigan. The Eagles host Lake Superior State (Dec. 1), Oakland (Dec. 8), Hampton (Dec. 21), and Northwood (Dec. 30) while also traveling to Michigan (Dec. 16). The last time EMU stayed in Michigan for the entirety of a month while playing at least five games was November 2015, when Eastern played six contests in Michigan, four of which were played on its home floor. Eastern Michigan did not leave the Mitten State until Jan. 12, 2021, during the 2020-21 COVID-influenced season, but the Eagles played one game in November and four games in December, respectively.
NEW FOE, WHO DIS?
The Eagles are scheduled to play three first-time opponents as they meet Butler (Nov. 6), Georgia Southern (Nov. 11), and Central Arkansas (Nov. 25). EMU dropped a 94-55 decision once morest Butler before beating Georgia Southern, 70-60.
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), 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 12.
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 double-headers 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.
Men’s basketball beat Georgia Southern, 70-60, while volleyball beat Kent State in straight sets, Nov. 11.
Men’s basketball beat Cleveland State, 69-62, Nov.18, while women’s basketball topped SIUE, 68-65.
EMONI BATES NBA + G-LEAGUE
Former Eagle Emoni Bates played his first significant minutes in the NBA, Oct. 31, for the Cleveland Cavaliers once morest 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.
NEXT UP
Eastern Michigan is scheduled to host Lake Superior State University for a 7 p.m. contest, Friday, Dec. 1.
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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