Eagles Flock North to Square Off With Central Michigan

Men's Basketball at Central Michigan
Date	Tuesday, Feb. 28 \| 7 p.m.
Venue	Mount Pleasant, Mich. \| McGuirk Arena (5,300)
Game Notes	EMU Game Notes
Live Stats	Fan Stats
Watch	ESPN 3
Listen	89.1 FM WEMU
Twitter	@EMUHoops \| @EMUAthletics

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- After snapping a seven game losing streak, the Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team looks close out the regular season on a high note in its final week. The Eagles (14-15, 6-10 MAC) head to Mount Pleasant, Mich. to square off with in-state Mid-American Conference West Division foe Central Michigan University, Tuesday night, Feb. 28, at McGuirk Arena. Tip is slated for 7 p.m.

The Green and White heads into the game with the Chippewas (16-13, 6-10 MAC) following an 84-68 victory over Northern Illinois, Feb. 25. That victory gave EMU its first win since Jan. 28. The Eagles lost seven in a row over that nearly month long span.

Central Michigan has been struggling as of late as well. The high scoring CMU offense has lost five in a row, including three straight at home. Most recently, the Chippewas traveled to Toledo and fell, 87-66, at Savage Arena.

FINDING THE GAME AT HOME: The Eastern Michigan versus Central Michigan matchup will have both audio and video on Tuesday night. Fans can dial into 89.1 FM or listen over the internet at WEMU.org to hear the smooth sounds of veteran play-by-play voice, Chad Bush. Joining Bush on the call this season will be analyst Assistant Athletic Media Relations Director Sean Hostetter. Coverage on 89.1 WEMU will begin 10 minutes prior to the tip of each game this year.

For those wishing to watch the Eagles' game live, tune into ESPN3, where Adam Jaksa will call the CMU versus EMU contest. Matt DeVries will join Jaksa on the broadcast to provide analysis. Fans can also stream the game on their WatchESPN app as well.

ALL-TIME VERSUS CENTRAL MICHIGAN: Tuesday night's 7 p.m. matchup will be the 194th time that the Eagles and Chippewas square off on the hardwood. The Eagles trail the series, 100-93, but have defeated CMU in three straight games, including an 85-63 win to open MAC play, Jan. 3.

In the win at home earlier this season, sophomore Baylee Steele had a career game, finishing with a final stat line of 18 points and 10 rebounds, both of which were career-bests, securing his first double-double since joining Eastern Michigan. Fellow sophomore James Thompson IV matched Steele's stat line with 18 and 10, including a perfect six-of-six from the free throw line. Redshirt sophomore Jordan Nobles continued his strong streak of games, posting 13 points and nine rebound.

LIKELY LOOK FOR THE CHIPPEWAS...

#	Name	Pos.	Cl.	Ht.	Wt.	ppg	rpg	apg	Hometown-Previous School
2	Braylon Rayson	G	Sr.-Sr.	5-9	190	20.5	4.5	3.2	Dallas, Texas-West Mequite
3	Marcus Keene	G	Sr.-Jr.	5-9	175	29.7	4.5	5.0	San Antonio, Texas-Youngstown State
12	Josh Kozinski	G	Sr.-Jr.	6-4	185	7.7	3.2	0.6	Edwardsburg, Mich.-Edwardsburg
21	Cecil Williams	F	Jr.-Jr.	6-6	210	8.2	6.1	0.6	Columbia, Mo.-Moberly Area C.C.
24	Luke Meyer	F	Jr.-Jr.	6-11	220	6.0	4.9	0.4	Addison, Mich.-Addison

LAST TIME OUT: Eastern Michigan hosted a pivitol MAC West Division battle with Northern Illinois, Feb. 25. The Eagles snapped a seven game losing streak when it defeated the Huskies, 84-68, at the Convocation Center.

Willie Mangum IV led the scoring attack with 22 points on 8-of-17 shooting, including 5-of-12 from downtown. Ray Lee added his third-straight 20-plus point scoring performance, going 7-of-11 from the floor and 3-of-5 from three point land. Additionally, James Thompson IV added another double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds, while going 9-of-11 from the free throw line. Thompson also recorded two blocks and a steal. Tim Bond stuffed the box score, netting 11 points, nine assists, three steals, two rebounds, and a block in the win.

SCOUTING THE CHIPPEWAS: The Central Michigan squad comes into Tuesday night's game after losing its last five games. CMU has one of the best offenses in the country and a large part of their offense is junior guard Marcus Keene. Keene leads the nation in scoring at 29.7 points per game, while his backcourt mate, Braylon Rayson, chips in with 20.5 points per contest. CMU's 88.2 points per game ranks as the third-best scoring offense in the country. However, on the flip side, the Chippewas also allow 86 points per game which ranks 345th in the NCAA. Additionally, Central is one of the best in the country when it comes to ball security. The Chippewas only turn the ball over 11.4 times per game, which leads the Mid-American Conference.

BATTLE FOR THE MICHIGAN MAC TROPHY: Eastern has not yet won the Michigan MAC Trophy under Head Coach Rob Murphy. In fact, EMU has yet to secure the Michigan MAC Trophy since its inception. However, with a win over Central Michigan Tuesday, Feb. 28, the Green and White will secure the trophy for the first time in the Murphy era. With a 3-1 record, the Eagles would have the best record versus WMU and CMU as the best record those two squads can earn is 2-2. Should EMU lose, the best they can do is tie for the trophy which would allow CMU to retain it.

BIG GAMES FOR LEE, TIMES THREE: After scoring 24 points versus Ball State, Jan. 24, EMU guard Ray Lee had struggled, scoring in single digits for six-straight games. However, over the last three, Lee has turned up the offensive firepower, scoring 20-plus points in three straight games. At Western Michigan, Lee notched 27, before re-entering the starting lineup and recording 22 and 21 points in back-to-back games. Over the last three games, Lee is averaging 23.3 points per game and shooting 49 percent from the floor and 45.5 percent from beyond the arc. He has been no slouch in other departments either, posting 2.7 rebounds, three assists, and 2.3 steals per game over that span as well.

SNAPPING THE SKID: After losing seven games in a row, the Eagles were able to snap that streak Saturday, Feb. 25, when they defeated Northern Illinois, 84-68. That seven game losing streak marked the longest in the Rob Murphy era and the longest since the 2010-11 campaign when the Green and White lost eight in a row.

DUAL GUARD SHOW: EMU's senior guards Ray Lee and Willie Mangum have teamed up to showcase the EMU offense over the last two games. Both have had back-to-back 20-plus point performances and have been lights out shooting from three. In the last two games, the duo has combined for 91 points and 20 three-point field goal makes. The two guards have shot a combined 47.1 percent from the floor, while scorching the nets from beyond the arc, notching a 69.1 three point field goal percentage over the last two games.

FIGHTING FOR HOME COURT ADVANTAGE: With a top-four seed for the MAC Tournament mathmatically eleminated for Eastern Michigan, the Eagles have set their sights on a top-eight seed and home court advantage in the first round of the tournament. At 6-10 in conference action, the Eagles currently hold the No. 10 seed and would travel to Toledo, March 6, for the first round. However, the Green and White still has a shot at the No. 7 and 8 seeds. Trailing Northern Illinois and Bowling Green by one game and Toledo by two games, EMU has a shot at jumping into a home game.

PROTECTING THE RIM: As a team, Eastern Michigan has recorded 127 blocked shots this season, averaging 4.4 per game, which is the top in the MAC. That average would rank sixth all-time in EMU history, while their 127 blocks are already the fifth-most in a single season since 1987. On pace to record 142 blocks, the 2016-17 squad would remain in the No. 5 spot on the single season block list and would be the fifth team under Rob Murphy to earn a spot in the top 10.

EMU forward James Thompson IV has made waves in the Eastern Michigan record book for both his scoring and his rebounding, but his shot blocking has gone somewhat unnoticed. The Baton Rouge, La. native has recorded 73 blocked shots in under two seasons donning the Green and White. With those 73 blocks, the sophomore has tied Tyson Radney (1998-02) for the eighth-most in a career at EMU.

CHECK OUT THIS CREW: Eastern Michigan has seen the offensive numbers pick up this season and a large part of that outburst has to do with the fact that EMU has five of the top-100 all-time scorers in EMU history on the roster. Ray Lee is fifth all-time with 1,772 points, while James Thompson IV comes in at 38th with 897 points. Willie Mangum IV's 860 points is tied for 41st, while Tim Bond is 64th with 702 points and Ty Toney's 614 is good for the 81st-most points scored in a career.

TIM B, PLAYING D: After being named to the All-MAC Defensive Team a season ago, EMU junior guard Tim Bond has continued to prove why he is such a hot defensive commodity through the 2016-17 season. The Baltimore, Md. native is currently leading the Mid-American Conference in steals with 65 and an average of 2.2 per game. Last year, Bond racked up 67 steals, which ranked third all-time in a single season. Bond is on pace to surpass that total this season. Currently, the 6-foot-7 guard has amassed 149 steals in almost three seasons, which ranks eighth in the EMU career record book.

It's not just Bond's ability to pick the opponent's pocket that shows his defensive prowess. He is also a stellar shot blocker. With 21 blocks this year, the junior has racked up 63 blocks in his career, a number that puts him just six blocks away from the EMU career top-10.

WILLIE TAKES IT DOWNTOWN: Senior guard Willie Mangum IV is on pace to have the best three-point shooting season in Eastern Michigan history. Averaging three three-point makes per game, Mangum is on pace to knock down 92 triples. That number would be the most in EMU single season history. Additionally, the Richmond, Va. native entered the top-10 all-time in career three-point makes. With 151 triples, Mangum currently ranks ninth all-time.

ON THE HORIZON: Following their Tuesday evening contest at Central Michigan, the Eagles complete the regular season at home on Senior Day, Friday, March 3. Eastern Michigan will host Toledo, Friday night at 7 p.m. The Eagles' four seniors, Quaran Jones, Ray Lee, Willie Mangum IV and Ty Toney will all be honored prior to the game.

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Players Mentioned

Tim Bond

Quaran Jones

Ray Lee

Willie Mangum IV

Jordan Nobles

Baylee Steele

James Thompson IV

Ty Toney

Eastern Michigan Athletics