Hustle Belt: All Posts by Zackery VannieuwenhzeMAC Football, MAC Basketball, MAC Recruiting, MAC Baseball and all of the other #MACtion hijinks in between - hustlebeltblog@gmail.comhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/50387/hustle-fav.png2022-10-21T12:57:36-04:00https://www.hustlebelt.com/authors/zack-vannieuwenhze/rss2022-10-21T12:57:36-04:002022-10-21T12:57:36-04:002022-23 MAC Men’s Basketball Preseason Preview: Eastern Michigan Eagles
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<img alt="NCAA Basketball: Eastern Michigan at Indiana" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/N7JogTF_8dKHWw41zeuQdY-6x2E=/0x761:1825x1978/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71524874/usa_today_17125687.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The new look Eagles look to be worth the hype, with or without Emoni Bates. </p> <p id="rFCCra"><em>[Editor’s note: Our preview has been updated to reflect Emoni Bate’s re-addition to the team after his suspension for legal issues was lifted, as article was written prior. Thank you for reading!]</em></p>
<p id="rgJryz">One of the MAC’s more historic programs looks to return to the top of the league and play into March in the upcoming season, as few teams enter this coming basketball season with as much excitement as the Eastern Michigan Eagles. </p>
<p id="bdlUxy">The Eagles had a viral offseason highlighted by their addition of Ypsilanti native Emoni Bates and several other strong transfer additions, positioning EMU as one of the top programs in the MAC. Offseason improvements to the George Gervin GameAbove Center have improved the facility as much as the coaching staff has improved the Eagles roster as well. </p>
<p id="pu9wTK">There’s a lot of optimism in the air in Ypsilanti, and with good reason; there should be a lot of winning basketball played on the court in 2022-23. </p>
<p id="8mfg6A">Let’s examine the team in full:</p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="V3oDNS">
<h2 id="OKam5O"><strong>Last Season: </strong></h2>
<p id="xlIrMX">Eastern Michigan struggled to a 10-21 overall mark and a 5-15 in conference mark, but there were highlights. </p>
<p id="GHckyE">The Eagles welcomed Stan Heath back home after Rob Murphy left to run the Pistons’ G-League affiliate. The Eagles challenged the Indiana Hoosiers early in the season in a competitive loss, but their marquee performance for Eastern arguably came on Saturday, December 11, when they beat Florida International in front of a large crowd to honor Eastern legend George Gervin.</p>
<p id="BCeYpI">While the season was filled with struggles, it featured the emergence of two freshman in Noah Farrakhan and Mo Njie. Farrakahan led the team with 16.6 points per game and Njie was honored on the all-MAC freshman team.</p>
<p id="NcXUkE">It was an odd year a year ago, where you had a roster constructed hastily coming out of the COVID era, and featuring a change in staffs from Rob Murphy to Stan Heath. This fall and winter season will be the first roster largely with players added by Heath and his staff.</p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="OCdzcC">
<h2 id="oxxeGA"><strong>Departures:</strong></h2>
<ul>
<li id="Nt46yq">
<strong>G Monty Scott-</strong> Noah Farrakhan’s half-brother provided a 1-2 scoring punch, as a transfer from Portland State. Averaged over 10 points per game. </li>
<li id="KQEql2">
<strong>G Bryce McBride- </strong>Played in 24 games with 10 starts, scoring 11.6 per game while shooting over 40 percent. He was the team’s second leading scorer and earned MAC player of the week honors in December. </li>
<li id="9YesJA">
<strong>G Darion Spottsville- </strong>Steady and tough veteran guard was the only Eagle to play in every game. He led the Eagles in minutes played. Third-leading rebounder as a guard. </li>
<li id="s5TyCt">
<strong>F Nate Scott- </strong>The team’s most athletic dunker, and leading rebounder. He played in 30 games with 18 starts as a transfer from Northern Illinois. </li>
<li id="IX2SkA">
<strong>F Thomas Binelli- </strong>Italian sharpshooter never got going after injury struggles. </li>
<li id="UGHydF">
<strong>C Mo Njie-</strong> All MAC as a freshman, left for SMU. He averaged 6.6 points and 5.3 rebounds. Big loss for the Eagles. </li>
<li id="72Fx64">
<strong>C Axel Okongo- </strong>French 7’ footer, who transferred in from Missouri provided depth.</li>
<li id="GrPz2P">
<strong>G Malcolm Clements- </strong>Appeared in one game and attempted one shot.</li>
</ul>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="7PcSGW">
<h2 id="tZHHpv"><strong>Schedule at a glance:</strong></h2>
<p id="5RPzeR">Perhaps no schedule release has ever been as hyped in Eastern Michigan basketball history as this year’s, and fans were rewarded with an exciting slate. </p>
<p id="NyvdQ6">EMU non-conference opponents went 212-193 or 196-210 a season ago, (depending on if they play Southern Miss or Wintrop in the Cancun Classic). The schedule features four programs who played post-season basketball a season ago.</p>
<p id="qLlRW1">After an exhibition against longtime MAC assistant Cornell Mann and Grand Valley State, Eastern will open at home against division two, Wayne State. Eastern will then have their showcase game on Nov. 11 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit against the University of Michigan for a nationally televised game. Michigan returns national player of the year candidate Hunter Dickinson and was an elite eight team a year ago. The last time Eastern played Michigan, they won.</p>
<p id="mIXAtp">After an matchup with a historically strong Bradley program, EMU will travel to Rochester and the O’Rena to rekindle their rivalry with Greg Kampe’s Oakland Golden Grizzlies. A strong regional matchup, <a href="https://www.hustlebelt.com/2019/10/30/20903090/did-oaklands-arrival-to-division-1-change-the-trajectory-of-emu-hoops">the programs have not met officially since 2017-18</a>, when they had a home-and-home series (though they had a charity exhibition last fall). The inability to meet every year was much to the chagrin of former head coach Rob Murphy. </p>
<p id="6hZSa5">Eastern will then travel to Cancun for the Cancun Challenge to face Purdue Fort Wayne and either Wintrop or Southern Miss. The Eagles will return home to face UC San Diego before making the trip to Miami to repay Florida International for their visit to Ypsilanti on George Gervin Day. </p>
<p id="EPAF4z">The Eagles will then host the Florida Atlantic Owls, before road matches with the typically strong, Illinois State and Niagara before hosting another regional rival in Detroit Mercy. UDM features guard Antonie Daivs, who might be the best player that EMU faces (No disrespect to Sincere Carry or Hunter Dickinson). Davis is the all-time leading scorer for the Titans and averaged 23.9 points per game last season.</p>
<p id="DjbBGt">Eastern then wraps up their non-conference schedule with a game at South Carolina, in a matchup which could feature Emoni Bates against star Gamecock freshman, GG Jackson. </p>
<p id="n8n19C">EMU opens MAC play after New Year’s by hosting Bowling Green, on January 3rd. They travel to defending league champion Akron on January 14 before hosting Sincere Carry, on January 17. Eastern has matchups with defending regular season champion Toledo on January 24 and February 11.</p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="j14YQR">
<h2 id="ZOMQY5"><strong>Roster at a glance:</strong></h2>
<p id="tI6f6A">First off, lets address the elephant in the room.</p>
<p id="mLoNP8"><strong>Emoni Bates, 6’10, So.</strong> is the highest pedigree player to ever commit to a MAC school in the modern era and returns home to Ypsilanti. </p>
<p id="8m3U4i">At six-foot-ten, Bates would add badly needed size to the Eastern roster and a third high- scoring option. Bates length and skill would fill out the expected lineup nicely. Bates averaged 9.7 points and 3.7 rebounds at Memphis a year ago, when he should have been just a high school senior. </p>
<p id="56DONv">Bates is back from suspension after a legal issue which ultimately resulted in dropped charges, and should slot in as a starter right away. </p>
<p id="4FyTPH"><strong>Likely starters:</strong></p>
<p id="FiSvn5"><strong>PG Noah Farrakhan, 6’2, So.</strong></p>
<p id="0XRzye">Farrakhan should be the Eagles best player and one of the best players in the MAC. The one time ballyhooed recruit from Newark, New Jersey was a revelation as a transfer from East Carolina. Farrakhan provides instant offense for Eastern and is capable of single handedly taking over games (see: EMU vs Indiana last year). He was seventh in the MAC in scoring last year, and shot 40 percent from three. </p>
<p id="RrRJyF"><strong>SG Tyson Acuff, 6’4, Jr.</strong></p>
<p id="tZmlVk">Remember the name. </p>
<p id="KpsmOG">Acuff, a Detroit Cass Tech product who was at Duquense, appears capable of filling the shoes of Monty Scott, who exhausted his eligibility. Acuff led Duquense in three-point shooting, and didn’t miss a game in two years at Duquense for former EMU assistant Keith Dambrot. Acuff somewhat stole the show at Eastern’s recent scrimmage, showing the ability to shoot but also able to drive to the basket. A willing defender who was once ranked higher than Toledo’s Ryan Rollins as a recruit, Acuff could be a surprise all-MAC candidate by seasons end. </p>
<p id="gkASuE"><strong>SF Kevin David Rice, 6’4, Jr.</strong></p>
<p id="R8dmfL">David Rice is former JUCO prospect from Grand Blanc high school and Delta Community College. He appeared in 20 games last winter with two starts while showing the ability to score, which was showcased during a 15-point effort against rival Central Michigan. He’ll likely sub in for Emoni Bates when he needs a rest from the small forward role.</p>
<p id="PPLk5z"><strong>PF Colin Golson Jr., 6’6, So.</strong></p>
<p id="i82Z0b">Golson might be the Eagles strongest player; he looks like a grown man in the paint (something which matters in a grown-man’s league like the MAC). The Ferndale native who transferred in from Siena, saw action in 28 games with 17 starts. He went for double digits nine times, with four 16-point games. </p>
<p id="oRPZjr"><strong>C Legend Geeter, 6’7, So.</strong></p>
<p id="AIDS6u">Eastern must replace Mo Njie from last year’s team, after Njie transferred to SMU after earning all-MAC freshman honors. Geeter is a skilled Providence transfer who is another hyped recruit after once being a candidate for Michigan’s Mr. Basketball in high school. </p>
<p id="xtqlmV">He played for former Eastern Michigan assistant LaMonta Stone at River Rouge high school and also played for the well-known, “The Family” on the AAU circuit. He also had a high school rivalry with current teammate, Emoni Bates. Geeter is skilled offensively, which was highlighted during a recent scrimmage where he scored off of a spin-move. The question will be with his defensive responsibility in a grown-man’s league like the MAC. Geeter screams like a player who will be much better by March than what we expect at the start of the season.</p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="WsHSF1">
<p id="wcHo0U"><strong>Projected Bench:</strong></p>
<p id="4e4c1i"><strong>PF/C Derek Ballard Jr., 6’8, Sr.</strong></p>
<p id="HYQXMa">The graduate student is a fan favorite who could be confused as the Mayor of Ypsilanti. Ballard will likely be one of the first big men off of the bench for head coach Stan Heath, a somewhat shocking career arch for a player who began as a walk-on under former head coach Rob Murphy. Ballard has added an improved three point shot and can be trusted by the staff defensively as an experienced big. He appeared in 20 games a season ago.</p>
<p id="KifM1G"><strong>F Jalin Billingsley, 6’7, So.</strong></p>
<p id="cQUrDw">Another transfer, this time from Georgetown where he played for NBA legend Patrick Ewing. Billingsley was once a finalist as a candidate for Mr. Basketball in Ohio while playing in the Cleveland area. He played in 30 games last season for the Hoyas, averaging 2.1 points and 1.8 boards per game. He’s able to shoot from the outside and may fit offensively as a three or stretch four. He’s lanky which leads to blocks, even if he can be somewhat passive in the paint. </p>
<p id="W7qWby"><strong>G Luka Savicevic, 6’3, So.</strong></p>
<p id="fbXEWP">Savicevic is an experienced player who has international experience with Macedonia. A play-making guard, Savicevic offers a scoring option off of the Eagle bench, as he can shoot the three ball. He appeared in 23 games last winter, making four starts. He finished with averaged of 3.2 points per game, 1.3 rebounds per game, and he had 29 assists. During a recent scrimmage, he was the focus of his opposing teammates defensively. </p>
<p id="O9KioA"><strong>G Orlando Lovejoy, 6’2, Fr.</strong></p>
<p id="9JCu2m">Lovejoy is another player who might surprise fans by having a bigger than expected roll by season’s end. A hyped recruit as a Detroit native, Lovejoy played a prep year in North Carolina, after he was a four-time captain at Romulus’ Summit Academy. During a recent scrimmage, Lovejoy showed impressive skills off of the dribble.</p>
<p id="sPPOrU"><strong>G Andrew Wells, 6’2, So.</strong></p>
<p id="NG0nsY">Wells is an in-state product from East Lansing, who saw time in six games last season while scoring once. The year prior, he appeared in seven games. Both his father and grandfather went to EMU. </p>
<p id="jDQt0Y"><strong>G Parker Ketterhagen, 6’3, So.</strong></p>
<p id="jcUD4U">Walk-on who is the grandson of Eastern legend Kennedy McIntosh, who holds the school scoring record and was a three-time All-American. Ketterhagen did not see playing time last year but did once score 32 points at prep school. </p>
<p id="kbZj2Y"><strong>F Derik Pranger, 6’9, Fr. </strong></p>
<p id="Smk42I">A late add to the 2022 recruiting class, Pranger joins the Eagles from Colorado. He didn’t commit to the program until late summer. He is a raw prospect who will need a year of strength and conditioning at the collegiate level. He’s 6’9 but plays like a wing and has a way’s to go defensively, however he features an advanced offensive toolbox and can shoot from deep (think of a Euro big). </p>
<p id="vs1nVO"><strong>F Yusef Jihad, 6’7, Sr.</strong></p>
<p id="RCnGZa">Jihad is another veteran big for Stan Heath and company from North Farmington High School in Farmington Hills. Jihad is strongly built and appeared in 19 games last winter, he averaged just 1.8 points per game. Jihad joined the Eagles last year from Oakland University, who Eastern Michigan will visit on November 19. His brother Basheer Jihad plays for MAC rival Ball State.</p>
<p id="U8VaAo"><strong>G Joey Zaher, 5’11, Fr.</strong></p>
<p id="sOdEVN">Walk-on from Flint Powers Catholic averaged 4.4 points per game as a high school senior but showed an ability to shoot the basketball during a recent scrimmage.</p>
<p id="ugYtdh"><strong>F Jevantae Randle, 6’9, So.</strong></p>
<p id="JGurDC">Yet another Detroit native, Randle averaged 20 points and 12 rebounds as a senior for Detroit Douglas enroute to a state championship. He is another Eagle who played his AAU ball for the famed, “The Family” program. He sat out last season as a redshirt, but could offer needed size to the program. He made some plays in their recent scrimmage and should be another Eagle pushing for time. </p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="poF72M">
<p id="R51cih"><strong>Conclusion:</strong></p>
<p id="MlWaq1">The Eagles have lost some leadership from last year’s team and losing Mo Njie to the transfer portal is another setback but the overall skill level and depth appear to have improved. The Eagles led by Farrakhan have enough without Emoni Bates to surprise in the league and if you can add Bates, then his size extends the lineup and adds another strong scoring threat. </p>
https://www.hustlebelt.com/2022/10/21/23386268/2022-23-mac-mens-basketball-preseason-preview-eastern-michigan-eaglesZackery Vannieuwenhze2022-07-07T09:00:00-04:002022-07-07T09:00:00-04:00Ypsi Is Real for Emoni Bates
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<img alt="Memphis v Gonzaga" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ITnJ3gBT4kkDtRzlHsYC2wqJAPA=/1x0:4252x2834/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71056043/1386593533.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Ypsilanti’s native son gives the city the shining moment it needed.</p> <p id="t39ACp">People aren’t born already in love with Eastern Michigan University or the city of Ypsilanti.</p>
<p id="Mc4WBr">Both are an acquired taste that comes from knowing their quirks and appreciating the struggle. Eastern students are used to being overlooked by those students from the University of Michigan, which sits just six miles away.</p>
<p id="Y0oweZ">Ypsilanti is no different. </p>
<p id="Y8Hwgl">It is often referred to in jest as Ann Arbor’s affordable housing district, as it is a blue-collar town which, like any rust belt blue collar community, has had its share of troubles, tucked next to one of the highest cost of living college communities in the United States. </p>
<p id="svSMRe">Outsiders love to point to Ypsi’s crime rate compared to the rest of Washtenaw County but they haven’t seen the sunset looking from Depot Town towards the iconic Ypsilanti water tower. </p>
<p id="mW2or6">Ypsilanti is no longer used to the nicest things in life. Its charm is now built on history and grit. Eastern Michigan University is no different in that respect. Many of the students drive into campus from home, and their homes are located pretty much everywhere as the school boosts a diverse student body. Despite GameAbove’s efforts and the recent renovations on campus, EMU students aren’t used to the nicest things in the world. </p>
<p id="BL7fJd">Much too often, news outlets only want to talk about Eastern Michigan when something goes wrong. </p>
<p id="rnRZo7">A brief online search for Eastern Michigan University generally reveals some unsavory articles on sexual assaults, budgets, sports cuts, and racial turmoil. Except this week, when Emoni Bates announced that he is coming…no, staying home. ESPN, CBS Sports, Bleacher Report and many more covered the news and even tweeted photoshopped pictures of Bates in an Eastern uniform. For a school which has struggled with its branding, this coverage is invaluable.</p>
<p id="AEHGNY">Emoni Bates is an Ypsilanti native, he is Ypsi born and breed. When at the age of 15, he was on the cover of Sports Illustrated he was still playing for his public school, Ypsilanti Lincoln. The cover read, “Born for this”, and it is likely that they didn't mean born to play for EMU. While playing at Lincoln, his games were often at the then Convocation Center, located on EMU’s West campus. His appearances drew large crowds, which forced school officials to remove the tarps from the upper-level seats.</p>
<p id="6IhqYe"> He stayed at his public school when most top hoops prospects moved away for prep basketball factories, like Oak Hill Academy, IMG Academy or one of countless others. When he finally did make the move from public school to a prep academy his dad help founded “Ypsi Prep Academy”, keeping them within the area. </p>
<p id="Bsfro9">He originally committed to Michigan State as the number one national recruit in the 2022 class but then reclassified to the class of 2021 and flipped to Memphis to play for Penny Hardaway. Bates averaged 9.7 points and 3.3 rebounds as an 18 year-old playing division one basketball, when he should have still been playing as a Senior in high school. </p>
<p id="M7wjH9">If Eastern Michigan were to add a Power Five transfer with that stat line, they would have been excited already, but when that player is a local product who has been on the cover of Sports Illustrated? They’d have to be over the moon. He had 15 or more points in each of his first three games before the schedule got tougher and injuries sidelined him. It’s fair to wonder if the schedule will get that much tougher now that he is in the Mid-American Conference? </p>
<p id="OUjOs5">There is no downside to this deal for Eastern Michigan. It is an afternoon in June and you, like ESPN are caring about EMU basketball. It is almost assured to be a one-year deal, with the expectation being that Emoni Bates comes in and plays well. He instantly rises the stature of Eastern basketball, gets them a few more games off of ESPN+ and hopefully helps put them back into the NCAA tournament field for the first time since 1998, before turning pro. </p>
<p id="iwxfWO">That’s the best-case scenario. The worst-case scenario is that he turns out like Patrick Baldwin at Wisconsin-Milwaukee of the Horizon League. A five-star recruit, he committed to play for his dad and the Panthers. However, injuries and uneven performances marred his time in college before ending his season due to “undisclosed reasons”. His dad was fired after the season and he became a late first-round selection of the Golden State Warriors. </p>
<p id="iSgem1">MAC fans will also remember Trey Ziegler, who played at Central Michigan under his dad Ernie. The consensus top-30 recruit spent two largely successful seasons in Mt. Pleasant, average 16.4 and 15.3 points before transferring to Pitt, following his father’s firing. Central didn’t finish better than third in the MAC West with Trey Ziegler so there's no guarantee that Bates talents will lead to a victory parade past the brick water tower.</p>
<p id="nTaEyl">Short of a run deep into the NCAA tournament, it will be hard to see Emoni Bates ranking among the Eastern greats. He won’t be here long enough to make the impact of an Earl Boykins, a Brandon Bowdry, or even a James Thompson IV but he doesn’t have to be. </p>
<p id="Xld9Lh">He’s his own player with his own past and future, a future which EMU is glad to be a part of. Every night Eastern should have the best player on the court. There will be no sneaking up on anyone in the MAC and the days of a sleepy, Saturday afternoon game in places like Muncie have ended for the Eagles. </p>
<p id="A98LDo">The naysayers will come. </p>
<p id="WbzXBp">They will come from East Lansing and say that Emoni Bates wouldn’t have cut it at Michigan State. They will come from Memphis, and say that Emoni Bates had no other choice from other Schools. They will come from the AAU circuit and question his dad’s influence. They will come from Twitter and speculate that Emoni Bates won’t last the whole season. They will run articles saying that his transfer to EMU shows how far he has fallen. They won’t bother the Ypsi locals and they won’t bother the Eastern community, we have heard it all before.</p>
<p id="dsY3MK">For now, we have that shiny, exciting new piece. Emoni Bates is a renovated Sill Hall but in human form and he has picked Eastern Michigan. At a time where enrollment drops, someone one has picked to stay in Ypsilanti. Emoni Bates loves Ypsilanti, the way that an Eastern grad student loves The Bomber Restaurant on a morning after a night of too many beverages the night before. We can only hope that he will have half as much love for EMU as he does for Ypsilanti but with that love of Ypsilanti, he is going to fit right in.</p>
<p id="viznW4">No one knows how this will end, but for that one day in June, Ypsilanti was the most talked about college basketball city and that is pretty cool. It is nice to have this moment in the sun for a community which doesn’t get that many. It might only be for a few days in June but the hope is that this feeling will carry well into March for the Eastern community.</p>
https://www.hustlebelt.com/2022/7/7/23190752/emoni-bates-eastern-michigan-eagles-basektball-transfer-returns-home-ypsilanti-macZackery Vannieuwenhze2022-07-05T15:00:00-04:002022-07-05T15:00:00-04:002022 Non-Conference Opponent Primer: Eastern Michigan Eagles
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<img alt="NCAA Football: LendingTree Bowl-Eastern Michigan at Liberty" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/dBvbALVZvHqOgvL0904ekEp7iMI=/0x0:3837x2558/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71048495/usa_today_17381112.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Robert McDuffie-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Road trips to Louisiana and Arizona State highlight tough early slate for Eagles.</p> <p id="0Tkdr7">It won't be that long until the sounds from the Pride of the Peninsula will be heard from The Factory at Rynearson Stadium all the way to Ypsilanti’s iconic water tower.</p>
<p id="57nrgV">However, after their season opener against Eastern Kentucky, the Eagles will play arguably their two toughest opponents of the season in Louisiana and Arizona State, both on the road.</p>
<p id="Zg9DNa">The challenge early schedule should serve as an early guide as to what to expect from the Eagles this fall. </p>
<p id="ifEsAT">A 2-2 non-conference mark should be expected, a 3-1 or better non-conference record and you can start thinking about a run through the MAC.</p>
<p id="1ssRCI">Here’s a primer on each of Eastern’s non-conference foes.</p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="UsWCVT">
<h2 id="qgKB1p"><strong>Friday, Sept. 2: Eastern Kentucky Colonels @ Eastern Michigan Eagles</strong></h2>
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<img alt="NCAA Football: Eastern Kentucky at Louisville" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/I0q9AkQbHbcXyTVsTicf5eOAgl8=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23671063/usa_today_16734656.jpg">
<cite>Jamie Rhodes-USA TODAY Sports</cite>
</figure>
<p id="Jz8A23">Eastern Michigan will begin the 2022 season at home on a Friday night against another Eastern, the Eastern Kentucky Colonels. </p>
<p id="9kKYWE">The Friday night season opener typically draws a solid crowd, especially when the game corresponds with the University’s new student orientation event. EKU will be starting their second season as a member of the Football Championship Subdivision Atlantic Sun Conference after a long affiliation with the Ohio Valley Conference.</p>
<p id="ijuJtc">Eastern Kentucky finished 7-4 last season under head coach Matt Wells, who has guided the Colonels since 2020 and had previously served on the staffs of SEC schools like Kentucky and Tennessee. He is 10-10 all time as a head coach. A once-proud program who claims two national titles, Eastern Kentucky has not made the FCS playoffs since 2014.</p>
<p id="NOrI8a">EKU was ranked 24<sup>th</sup> in Athlon’s Sports preseason poll, featuring a rosterfilled with Division one transfers.</p>
<p id="48ueOb">Receiver turned defensive back Davion Ross was an FCS All-American by several publications last season, returning three interceptions for touchdowns en route to being named the Atlantic Sun defensive player of the year. </p>
<p id="ntSSj3">Linebacker Matthew Jackson was a Brian Buchanan Award finalist (FCS defensive player of the year award) after having 102 total tackles, and is a legit NFL draft prospect. </p>
<p id="zaMtRJ">EKU returns quarterback Parker McKinney, who was an all-conference selection a year ago with a school record 229 completions and a 18-to-9 touchdown to interception ratio. </p>
<p id="TJZmN9">Eastern Kentucky last beat an FBS team in 2014, when they beat Miami University 17-10. EMU last lost to an FCS school in in 2012, falling 31-14 to Illinois State. </p>
<p id="hFft18">While Eastern Kentucky is tougher than some of EMU’s past FCS opponents, expect the Eagles to still win but the Eastern faithful shouldn’t be surprised if this one is sneakily closer than expected.</p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="kgDLdd">
<h2 id="Z02Hd4"><strong>Saturday, Sept. 10: Eastern Michigan @ Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns</strong></h2>
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<img alt="NCAA Football: Sun Belt Conference Championship" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/4QKDBs8pXgsaE4BUewlvZJyincw=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23671065/usa_today_17291681.jpg">
<cite>Andrew Wevers-USA TODAY Sports</cite>
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<p id="qN8MTt">Week two features the Eagles on the road against one of the best nicknames— and best Group of Five teams— in college football, traveling down to Lafayette to take on the Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns.</p>
<p id="1xpknc">The Cajuns are coming off of a 13-1 season a year ago, which featured 13 straight victories including a Sun Belt championship and a bowl victory over Marshall. The Ragin’ Cajuns haven’t missed a bowl game since the 2017 season. </p>
<p id="AoDTdc">That being said, this could be somewhat of a rebuilding year in Lafayette. Head coach Billy Napier left for the University of Florida, while several players transferred out and the roster was hit hard by graduations, including that of QB Levi Lewis, who was a three-year starter under Napier. The team has just 10 total returning starters. </p>
<p id="uAdQJu">New head coach Michael Desormeaux is familiar after being promoted to from assistant coach; he guided the program to a bowl victory following Napier’s departure.</p>
<p id="8fqyMQ">A crowded quarterback battle between Chandler Fields, and transfers Ben Wooldridge (Fresno State) and Lance LeGendre of Maryland may not matter as the Cajun’s return running back Chris Smith as an explosive option, as he rushed for 855 yards a season ago but missed their bowl victory and the spring game with a knee injury. </p>
<p id="O4pmG0">Depending how the roster rebounds from their losses, this Louisiana defense might be among the best EMU faces this season, placing second turnover margin last season, 11th in scoring defense and 14th in passing defense in 2021.</p>
<p id="Vo6ls9">The potential exists for the Eagles to steal one on the road against a depleted Cajun’s squad. However, the Cajuns are still projected as the front runners in the Sun Belt conference, and have a tune up the week before against Southeastern Louisiana of the FCS.</p>
<p id="QGUGhO">If Eastern can win on the road against another solid non-power five program, fans in Ypsilanti can begin thinking of a potential MAC title.</p>
<p id="3gGJ1a">A tip for the fans, a road trip to Southern Louisiana in early September will test deodorants.</p>
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<h2 id="tcOIFk"><strong>Saturday Sept. 17: Eastern Michigan at Arizona State Sun Devils</strong></h2>
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<img alt="Syndication: Arizona Republic" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ha7ZtMBRdbMyOFkzuK7YZ7HI5Ec=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23671066/usa_today_18025352.jpg">
<cite>Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK</cite>
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<p id="VLpsWq">Week three will feature another tough task as the Eagles will fly across the Mississippi to face the Arizona State Sun Devils. The game will kick off at roughly ten o’clock Ypsilanti time and will likely be another scorcher weather-wise. </p>
<p id="u8zXub">While this game could present quite the challenge for the Eagles football roster, it should be a premier road trip opportunity for fans and alumni with the chance to see Eastern face a Power Five school in sunny Tempe. </p>
<p id="DnRvFA">Head coach Herm Edwards, formerly of the New York Jets, led the Sun Devils to a 8-5 mark a season ago, which included a Bowl loss to Wisconsin. The Sun Devils haven't had a losing season since 2016.</p>
<p id="8EgCFH">Arizona State is another Eastern opponent besieged by departures as numerous impact players entered the transfer portal as the program has been under an NCAA investigation for some time.</p>
<p id="d2dKXk">Starting quarterback Jayden Daniels left for LSU and is likely to be replaced by former Florida starter Emory Jones. Starting running back Rachaad White is off to the NFL and is likely to be replaced by Wyoning transfer Xazavian Valladay. He had 1,063 rushing yards last season for the Cowboys. LaDarius Henderson is expected to anchor their offensive line. </p>
<p id="OZLF6z">Defensively, ASU returns only two of their top nine tacklers from a season ago. </p>
<p id="CEf3ll">Eastern Michigan could again find itself in position to steal a victory against a rebuilding program, in the vein of similar upsets against Rutgers, Purdue and Illinois. The remainder of the offseason will be interesting to see if the Sun Devils lose more players, add some more impact transfers or get clarity from the NCAA.</p>
<p id="cqNRz6">That being said, it’s still the PAC-12 against the MAC and the challenges of going west (the time zone change, heat and so on) loom large.</p>
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<h2 id="NvpOe0"><strong>Saturday Oct. 1: UMass Minutemen at Eastern Michigan</strong></h2>
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<img alt="NCAA Football: Massachusetts at Florida State" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/9eLs7GgPRTPKEe_-JxzdQMvb2m0=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23671067/usa_today_17011715.jpg">
<cite>Melina Myers-USA TODAY Sports</cite>
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<p id="2ZWjWe">After a one-week return to the MAC schedule with a game against Buffalo, the Eagles play host to old former MAC foe UMass for homecoming in Ypsilanti.</p>
<p id="iXlPh0">Eastern will be looking for their second consecutive homecoming victory, and it’s probably not a coincidence that the Minutemen are EMU’s scheduled homecoming foe, as they are coming off of a 1-11 season, which included a 42-28 loss to EMU.</p>
<p id="9t57tg">It’s been a tough handful of years for the Minutemen, as their 1-11 finish last year in 2021 matched their 1-11 record from 2019.— and sandwiched an 0-4 COVID season record in 2020.</p>
<p id="Zp3DpC">Massachusetts, an independent, actually leads the all-time series against Eastern two victories to one, with their wins coming in 2014 and 2015 as members of the Mid-American Conference.</p>
<p id="E8AaPM">What’s old is new again in 2022, as 66-year-old Don Brown is back in Amherst for his second stint of duty as UMass head coach, having previously served in the role from 2004 to 2008, taking UMass to the FCS playoffs twice in that span.</p>
<p id="2kmPJK">A former defensive coordinator at the University of Michigan, Brown will be making his return to Washtenaw County for this matchup.</p>
<p id="9nNbpJ">Former Western Michigan assistant Steve Casula is his offensive coordinator and they expect to control the game by dominating time of possession and running the football. Casula was previously an analyst at the University of Michigan so picture an offense somewhat similar to that of the Wolverines. </p>
<p id="lVHKzY">Halfback Ellis Merriweather stands six-foot-two, 225 lbs. and played the part of a work horse last season enroute to 1,138 rushing yards on 218 carries, with no fumbles. He could be poised for an even bigger year as the Minutemen are having a non-descript QB battle.</p>
<p id="1fUEsY">Power five transfers in Marcus Bradley of Vanderbilt and Marcus Cushnie of Florida State are likely to lead the defense. It is a defense who finished 125<sup>th</sup> in total defense last season.</p>
<p id="W8XGYp">While it would seem that the Minutemen should improve simply off the sense that they can’t really get worse, many preseason publications are picking U-Mass to finish 130<sup>th</sup> out of 131 FBS schools. If they find a run-heavy quarterback and control the time of possession, then maybe they can find more than one win this season.</p>
<p id="LxaaMD">I just wouldn’t expect it to be against EMU on homecoming. Prepare to enjoy some seltzers Eagle fans.</p>
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https://www.hustlebelt.com/2022/7/5/23174083/eastern-michigan-eagles-football-non-conference-schedule-2022-previewZackery Vannieuwenhze2022-04-18T09:00:02-04:002022-04-18T09:00:02-04:00Observations from Eastern Michigan’s 2022 Spring Game
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<figcaption>An in-action shot of the 2022 Eastern Michigan Football Spring Game. | Zack van Nieuwehze</figcaption>
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<p>A dark, wet atmosphere didn’t cover up the enthusiastic din of football in Ypsilanti this week.</p> <p id="Bp0xrZ">On the night of Friday, April 15th, Eastern Michigan invited fans back for their first spring game open to the public since the pandemic began. </p>
<p id="NAsLJF">The calendar might have said spring, but the weather had other ideas with a cold driving rain which lasted the duration of the spring game. It gave the evening more of a midweek MACtion game type of feel.</p>
<p id="VqHCAQ">Fans returning to “The Factory”, had the chance to shop for team-issued Adidas gear in the atrium of the George Gervin GameAbove Center. The sale featured items across all sports with particular interest being paid to game-used football helmets and jerseys. Lines for the sale at one point spanned most of the atrium.</p>
<p id="ottPoN">While fans picked out gear, numerous recruits were invited to a luncheon which was bookended with NFL draft prospect and former EMU captain Thomas Odukoya speaking to recruits before the spring game. Due to the weather, the potential recruits would make up most of the spring game ground. One other guest of note was that of College Football Hall of Famer Lloyd Carr, who won a shared National Championship at Michigan in 1997 after starting his collegiate coaching career at Eastern Michigan in 1976 before leaving for Illinois following the 1977 season.</p>
<p id="2cAZvo">The spring game was what you would expect from a spring game in poor weather. It was a fast-moving affair, which was likely in everyone’s best interests. </p>
<p id="HWTdH0">Fans hoping to find out who would replace outgoing QB Ben Bryant (who transferred back to Cincinnati), got their wish, with former Missouri and Troy started Taylor Powell getting the start.</p>
<p id="VsRHzj">It was hard to read much into his performance with the poor weather, but Powell showed a strong enough arm and showed a lot of energy on the sideline after he exited the game. Fitting in with his new teammates does not seem to be an issue for Powell thus far. </p>
<p id="ZaoNFQ">Second-year QB Austin Smith started opposite and played for a similar amount. Former Cincinnati QB Cam McCoy showed impressive speed and elusiveness which will remind Eagle fans of Jairus Grissom and Reggie Bell. He also was intercepted by the underrated Kempton Shine and once had to burn a time-out due to some pre-snap confusion. Walk-on Christoper Kaminsky who had the throw of the night, connecting to Tanner Knue off play-action for 74 yard passing touchdown. </p>
<p id="Yx2MPC">Samson Evans added a short-yardage touchdown (which is his style), while Bryson Moss offered some sizzle. The Eagles receiving room remains deep. In addition to Knue, who had a nice day, the Eagles return Hasaan Beydoun, and Dylan Drummond among others. Oregon State transfer I’Shawn Stewart had his number called often, and could be a sleeper to take a step forward in his second year with the program.</p>
<p id="RoO4Rz">While it is hard to form opinions on an offensive line from a spring game, it was nice to see Jake Donnellon back on the field after he missed last season with injury. </p>
<p id="bn4Fnh">The Eagles did find themselves without several potential contributors, as defensive backs Korey Hernandez and Blake Bogan were out due to injury, while defensive end Mikey Haney, one of the Eagles top-returning pass rushers, went down with an injury late in the spring game. </p>
<p id="FlWCss">Haney was helped off the field, and would be a major loss if the injury proves to be serious. The good news for EMU, is that they will have the summer to rest up. </p>
<p id="Qsjn0c">On the transfer front, Boston College transfer Joe Sparacio made some plays, as did returning linebacker Luke Cameron. The Eagles will add Oklahoma State transfer kicker and punter Brady Pohl for the fall as they look to fill the shoes of the programs all-time leading scorer in Chad Ryland, who transferred to Maryland. </p>
<p id="InkpGR">In his audition for the job, Jesus Gomez, a native of Mexico connected from 53 yards out, which is even more impressive when you consider the rain and the wind. </p>
<p id="X3pId4">This year’s Eagles coaching staff features perhaps the most new faces since Coach Chris Creighton’s arrival, and one theme which stood out was energy. As I spoke about Powell fitting in with his teammates, there’s a buzz coming from the coaching and it was evident as you could tell none of the players minded playing in the cold rain.</p>
<p id="50BceM">The spring game serves as the first— and last— public look at Eastern football until September 2nd, when they play host to Eastern Kentucky to kick off the season.</p>
https://www.hustlebelt.com/2022/4/18/23029486/eastern-michigan-football-spring-game-observations-2022Zackery Vannieuwenhze2021-12-14T12:00:00-05:002021-12-14T12:00:00-05:00EMU names arena after George Gervin in surprise ceremony
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<img alt="COLLEGE BASKETBALL: DEC 11 Florida International at Eastern Michigan" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/B6HvOy4NuO0rBCMNM4JcongbRrQ=/0x1:2738x1826/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/70269849/1237176510.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Steven King/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The current Eagles capped off the day of celebration with a four-overtime victory over FIU.</p> <p id="VU19kS">In the first 24 years of the arena’s existence, Eastern Michigan played their home games at the Convocation Center. For the next 24 years, it’ll take on the moniker of the George Gervin GameAbove Center, a change made official on Saturday afternoon during Eastern Michigan men’s basketball’s game against FIU. </p>
<p id="XqSN0k">The name change was just one of the highlights from a day of celebration for the Eastern Michigan community as they celebrated “George Gervin Day”.</p>
<p id="SaEXwE">The name change was announced during a surprise halftime announcement which included EMU football great Charlie Batch speaking to the crowd before Gervin’s turn to speak. MAC commissioner Jon Steinbrecher and former EMU head coach Rob Murphy were also in attendance. </p>
<p id="XoOEgG">Gervin spoke glowingly about his time at EMU, mentioning former teammates including Dr. Robert Sims, a fellow GameAbove member and the first black student-athlete on the Eastern Michigan Basketball team. Gervin also mentioned that he met his wife during his first day on the Ypsilanti campus. </p>
<p id="AE0Ynz">As part of the celebration, GameAbove sponsored giveaways of special cups, rally towels, George Gervin Iceman t-shirts, bobbleheads of Gervin’s likeness, and food vouchers to each fan for free $7 combos. Select students received $75 dollars for their attendance while a select few won scholarships. Entering the arena featured an ice-sculpture for the Iceman, and numerous photo stations. Gervin himself posed for pictures and signed autographs. </p>
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<p lang="und" dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/k1HSsBbmUH">https://t.co/k1HSsBbmUH</a> <a href="https://t.co/TCecq1UYwh">pic.twitter.com/TCecq1UYwh</a></p>— Vannzee (@thevannzee) <a href="https://twitter.com/thevannzee/status/1469706690488864768?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 11, 2021</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">WHAT. A. DAY.<br><br>2⃣ halves of <a href="https://twitter.com/EMU_MBB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EMU_MBB</a> + 4⃣ OT periods = 2⃣4⃣, George Gervin's retired number! <br><br>This was just one of many more wins inside the newly named "George Gervin GameAbove Center." ️<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EMUEagles?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EMUEagles</a> <a href="https://t.co/YZDs36e51E">pic.twitter.com/YZDs36e51E</a></p>— Eastern Michigan Athletics (@EMUAthletics) <a href="https://twitter.com/EMUAthletics/status/1469796187586772998?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 11, 2021</a>
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<p id="jYfAeo">Gervin, a Detroit native, started his collegiate career at Long Beach State before transferring back to the area. While at Eastern Michigan from 1970-1972, Gervin led EMU to the 1972 College Division Final Four, and had his number 24 retired in 1996. He played ten NBA seasons, with nine All-Star nominations and six all-NBA nods. Gervin also finished as the NBA’s scoring champion four times. His career numbers were enough to earn him spots in the Basketball Hall of Fame, as well as on the NBA’s 50 Greatest Players list and the 75<sup>th</sup> Anniversary Team. </p>
<p id="QTBIkr">The second name on the arena is for GameAbove, a group of largely of EMU alums who donate to the university for various campus lifestyle improvements. Members of GameAbove include Charlie Batch, Earl Boykins, Anthony Tomey, TJ Lang, Jack Brusewitz, Gervin and others. </p>
<p id="m7T7eS">In addition to the renaming, GameAbove has pledged several donations to improve the E-Club Hall of Fame, the visitor experience, and well as the training facilities. </p>
<p id="S1Dkla">GameAbove has previously donated $15,000,000 to the renovation of the College of Engineering and Technology; $2,000,000 to the Faculty First and Students Matter initiative; $500,000 to the Ozone House; $8,000,000 to the golf facility; $1,000,000 to the student-athlete performance center and a $2,000,000 donation to 2020 graduates who lost their graduation ceremony due to the COVID pandemic.</p>
<p id="UnjDey">Saturday’s festivities were also recorded as part of an upcoming documentary on Gervin.</p>
<p id="8nOUKA">Not to be lost in all the ceremony, was a big victory for the current Eastern Michigan basketball team. In front of a rare crowd of 3,991 which reached into the arena’s second level, the Eagles played the longest game in program history needing four overtimes to knock off the 8-1 Florida International Panthers out of Conference USA, 92-88.</p>
<p id="N6DYpg">Noah Farrakhan had a career-high 27 points while Monty Scotty and Mo Njie added double-doubles. Brice McBride scored 15 points off the bench and Nate Scott threw down a Sportscenter worthy dunk in the victory. </p>
<p id="9EXjk8">The Eagles improved to 5-5 on the season and will get a much-needed break for final exams, returning December 20<sup>th</sup> to play at Valpariso.</p>
https://www.hustlebelt.com/2021/12/14/22831953/eastern-michigan-athletics-celebrates-george-gervin-day-surprise-rename-of-convocation-centerZackery Vannieuwenhze2021-12-14T08:00:00-05:002021-12-14T08:00:00-05:002021-22 #MACsketball Week In Review: Dec. 5-11th
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<img alt="COLLEGE BASKETBALL: NOV 15 Bowling Green at Ohio State" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/7kuuMWEuBz7n-91qyxcPCDLxjSk=/0x71:3000x2071/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/70268710/1236592336.0.jpg" />
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<p>With MAC football waiting for bowls, MACsketball takes center stage.</p> <p id="1D1jr9">The basketball teams of the Mid-American Conference continue ramping up towards conference play with an interesting week on non-conference play, featuring several intriguing mid-major matchups.</p>
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<p id="X4TlWk"><strong>1. Eastern Michigan honors George Gervin, beats FIU</strong></p>
<p id="apYI6F">Usually, ice in Ypsiltanti makes it harder for fans to attend games but it was just the opposite on Saturday when Eastern Michigan celebrated “George Gervin Day,” as they honored “The Iceman”, who before a standout NBA career spanning ten seasons played for EMU from 1970-72. Gervin was a four time scoring champion and was recently named to the NBA’s 75<sup>th</sup> anniversary team. Gervin returned to the Convocation Center, and was surprised at halftime with the announcement that the arena will now be known as the “George Gervin GameAbove Center’.</p>
<p id="eqv8MW">Gervin and the 3,991 fans in attendance were treated to the longest game in Eastern Michigan program history as the Eagles needed four overtimes to defeat the previously 8-1 FIU Panthers from the Conference USA, 92-88. Eagles played the longest game in program history needing four overtimes to knock off the 8-1 Florida International Panthers out of Conference USA, 92-88. Noah Farrakhan had a career-high 27 points while Monty Scotty and Mo Njie added double-doubles, with Brice McBride scoring15 points off the bench. For more on George Gervin Day, you can read my recap here: insert link to currently unpublished story. </p>
<p id="BJfPkQ">The win marked the third Eagles victory on the week as they previously defeated the Niagara Purple Eagles 60-58 on Wednesday, and previously beat the Northwood Timberwolves of the Division two ranks on Sunday. The Eagles are 5-5 on the season now but feature solid victories over strong mid-majors like FIU, Western Illinois, and Illinois State.</p>
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<p id="HozBLv"><strong>2. Buffalo Beats WKU, minus Williams</strong></p>
<p id="m3GPKC">No Jeenathan Williams, no problem for the Buffalo Bulls as they scored a solid mid-major victory on the road over Western Kentucky. The Bulls beat the Hilltoppers 77-67 at E.A Diddle Arena. </p>
<p id="HMjPL9">The Bulls won the game without the MAC’s second leading scorer in Jeenathan Williams, who is averaging 19.1 points per game on the season. In the victory minus Williams, UB was led by Josh Mballa with 19 points, and Ronaldo Segu with 18 points, as the MAC’s leading assist guy also added seven assists. WKU would beat Ole Miss of the SEC their next time out.</p>
<p id="3vxCnD">Buffalo would also beat St. John Fisher College 100-58 to improve to 6-3 while righting their ship following last weeks 68-65 loss to St. Bonaventure.</p>
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<p id="j7gppK"><strong>3. BGSU soars past Oakland</strong></p>
<p id="XfN5xZ">It hasn’t been the best season so far for Michael Huger’s bunch in Bowling Green, as the Falcons have flirted with the .500 mark while adjusting to life without Justin Turner.</p>
<p id="VR5U4T">However, BGSU scored a big mid-major victory by beating the Oakland University Golden Grizzlies, 73-72. Oakland has been ranked in the mid-major top 25 rankings most of the season and features a strong RPI, ever since upsetting Oklahoma State on the road.</p>
<p id="6oFl6s">The game featured a homecoming of sorts as Oakland head coach Greg Kampe was a two-sport star at BGSU. </p>
<p id="z11leN">The Falcons were led to the victory by 23 points from Chandler Turner. Daeqwon Plowden added 16 points, nine rebounds and a block to the victory effort.</p>
<p id="JDkYVo">It was the Falcons first game in almost a week and the victory raises their record to 5-4. </p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="kfWMUx">
<p id="Sx3Spt"><strong>4. Toledo tops Bradley</strong></p>
<p id="8Lx8uu">The Toledo Rockets continue to look like one of the top-teams in the conference, led by perhaps the MAC’s best player in guard Ryan Rollins.</p>
<p id="0gi3pZ">The Rockets briefly got back to their winning ways, beating a solid mid-major program in the Bradley Braves, 67-65 at home. The Rockets had previously loss to the Michigan State Spartans their last time out, 81-68.</p>
<p id="sUi72u">In the victory over Bradley, UT was led by 27 points from Rollins and 18 from JT Shumate. Rollins made two free throws with six seconds to play to give the Rockets the lead, and a Bradley buzzer beating attempt was no good to secure the victory. </p>
<p id="XGoSzI">Toledo would fall their next-time out to the Richmond Spiders, 72-69. Toledo at one point led 43-24 in the second half and had a chance to tie the game with 19.4 seconds to play but RayJ Dennis missed two field goals. Richmond beat UT, 76-66 in last year’s NIT.</p>
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<p id="Fx7xd0"><strong>5. Central Michigan losing streak reaches 7 Straight</strong></p>
<p id="FRSNy6">Its looking like it might be a long winter in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan for reasons beyond the usual snow, wind and ice. Tony Barbee’s bunch saw their losing streak reach seven straight games by going 0-3 on the week. The Chippewas are now just 1-9 in Barbee’s first season at CMU with their lone win coming on a buzzer beater against Eastern Illinois.</p>
<p id="RIZ4xa">Central Michigan fell 97-70 at home to Western Illinois, 84-77 at Youngstown State and 71-67 in Mt. Pleasant to UIC on the week.</p>
https://www.hustlebelt.com/2021/12/14/22832299/mid-american-conference-mens-basketball-week-in-review-dec-5-11th-2021Zackery Vannieuwenhze2021-12-01T15:30:00-05:002021-12-01T15:30:00-05:002021-22 #MACsketball Week In Review: Nov. 21-27th
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<img alt="NCAA Basketball: Good Sam Empire Classic-Gonzaga at Central Michigan" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/4HmDJceZDbiD7ZIpzEb_oak4msM=/0x103:3600x2503/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/70216387/usa_today_17214911.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Central Michigan was no match for number one, Toledo wins a trophy, and Kent State comes up with a WBK upset.</p> <p id="Sz6f7q">This past holiday week, the #MACsketball slate gave us fans of the hardwood plenty to be thankful of across both the mens and woman's side of the conference.</p>
<p id="bGZJWu">Here are some of this weeks highlights.</p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="b7iI6S">
<p id="Dne9TR"><strong>1. WBK: Kent State beats #19 UCLA, while Buffalo beats Syracuse.</strong></p>
<p id="8GSQzt">Kent State women’s basketball team improved to 4-0 on the young season in a big way with an upset victory of the nation’s #19<sup>th</sup> ranked team, the UCLA Bruins of the PAC 12. Kent State won 75-69 in the Gulf Coast Showcase. The Flashes used a 12-0 run late in the fourth quarter to seal the victory. They were led by Lindsey Thall with 20 points, and had 17 points from Katie Shumate as five Golden Flash players were in double-digits.</p>
<p id="5jHo3F">The Buffalo Bulls knocked off in-state rival Syracuse, 88-79. Dyaisha Fair had 34 points while Summer Hemphill went for 28 points and ten rebounds. Combined, Fair and Hemphill had 62 of Buffalo’s points in the victory. Unfortunately, it was Buffalo’s only victory in “The Battle for Atlantis” as they lost to both South Carolina and Oklahoma. </p>
<p id="WOhIhP">Also in woman’s basketball, Eastern Michigan made SportsCenter’s top-10 list Saturday…after allowing Delaware’s Jasmine Dickey to go for 48 points in the Blue Hens 87-72 victory. </p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="FAeNIa">
<p id="9f1jzd"><strong>2. CMU MBB gets blown out on national TV by top-ranked Gonzaga</strong></p>
<p id="ouFQnZ">The Central Michigan Chippewas couldn’t continue the magic from its buzzer beating victory at Eastern Illinois— and even if they could have, that might not have been enough, as CMU took on the consensus national number one in Gonzaga.</p>
<p id="yXfkjd">Last year’s national runner-up had no problem dispatching the Chippewas in Las Vegas, 107-54. Led by the nation’s number one recruit Chet Holmgren, who had 19 points, Gonzaga led the whole game and shot over 56 percent. All-American candidate Drew Timme dropped 11 on the Chippewas.</p>
<p id="2IGSmF">Harrison Henderson led Central with 11 points in the defeat. </p>
<p id="zzFbJV">Central would wrap up the week with a 76-69 loss to Bellarmine, as the rebuilding Chips fell to 1-4 in head coach Tony Barbee’s first season.</p>
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<p id="iZlWaQ"><strong>3. Toledo Wins Baha Mar Tournament</strong></p>
<p id="ogEH8x">Any week in which you can win a trophy is a good week— and for the Toledo Rockets, it was a good week, as the Rockets won the Baha Mar tournament title in the Bahamas. Toledo won three games en route to the tournament crown, beating Charlotte 98-86, Tulane 68-67, and Coastal Carolina 79-70 to win the tournament. </p>
<p id="c0Te1d">The strong week pushed the Rockets record to 5-1, with their only loss coming to a strong mid-major in the Oakland Golden Grizzlies.</p>
<p id="a8iGvJ">Guard Ryan Rollins is giving the Rocket faithful plenty to look forward to as he continues to climb into the NBA draft discussion. Now the MAC’s second leading scorer at 20 points per game, Rollins went for scoring totals of 35, 16 and 22 points in the tournament.</p>
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<p id="JRJJ0V"><strong>4. Ball State... is ballin’</strong></p>
<p id="huT2sy">The Ball State Cardinals bookended their Thanksgiving week with two nice results, knocking off Atlantic 10 foe UMass on Sunday, and following it up by beating in-state foe, Indiana State the next Saturday.</p>
<p id="mv7jCm">UMass is a perennial NCAA tournament contender and their three-point defeat to Ball State was just their second loss of the season. BSU rallied from nine points down at one point to win in the Jersey Mikes Classic.</p>
<p id="w121n7">Ball State was led in the victory by 22 points from NIU transfer guard Tyler Cochran, as four Cardinals scored in double digits. </p>
<p id="b3fDYs">Ball State capped their win by chopping down the Sycamores 97-75. The alma mater of NBA legend Larry Bird is having a down year at 3-4. Cochran again led the Cardinals in scoring with 15 points as five Cardinal cagers hit double-digits in the contest.</p>
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<p id="EdeH1I"><strong>5. BGSU beats Milwaukee and likely lotto pick, Patrick Baldwin Jr.</strong></p>
<p id="35dpP6">When Patrick Baldwin Jr. selected Milwaukee over Duke, he probably didn’t expect that decision to include losing to the Bowling Green State Falcons, but that’s exactly what happened when BGSU took on the Panthers last Tuesday, 82-68.</p>
<p id="kwPu1u">Baldwin is protected as a top-10 NBA draft selection following his freshman season this year, a rare recruit for a mid-major like Milwaukee. He had 17 points against the Falcons, but missed most of the second half with a knee injury.</p>
<p id="4yhzKJ">BGSU was led by in scoring by Daeqwon Plowden, who had 26 points in the victory. </p>
<p id="xlLTzD">The following day saw the Falcons lose to Southern Utah, 75-57 and they ended the week at 2-4 overall.</p>
https://www.hustlebelt.com/2021/12/1/22811092/mid-american-conference-basketball-week-in-review-nov-21-27-2021Zackery Vannieuwenhze2021-11-22T14:00:00-05:002021-11-22T14:00:00-05:002021-22 #MACsketball Review: Nov. 15-21
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<img alt="NCAA Basketball: Ohio at Kentucky" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/F0JOIqDfqfS2kVAv1uNNMSNzeSA=/0x1:4938x3293/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/70178968/usa_today_17194782.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Buffalo beats the defending C-USA Champs, Ohio and NIU impress in defeat, an NBA update and some woman’s hoops notes highlight the week that was.</p> <p id="AkUgDV">We can't blame you if you were distracted from the start of basketball season with the excitement of the MACtion football slate, but we are settling into basketball.</p>
<p id="7NZsl8">Here are some quick hits on the week that was in the land of MACsketball. </p>
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<h2 id="UINE6h"><strong>It was a rough week for the MAC</strong></h2>
<p id="kk6mtu">In men’s basketball, it wasn’t a banner week for the conference. By my math, league members went 8-10 on the week, with three of those victories against non-Division I opponents—and one of those ten loses against a Division two school, which we will touch upon later.</p>
<p id="hklD0H">Perhaps two of the more impressive showings within the conference, came in defeat. Northern Illinois, picked last in the preseason poll, was upset-minded again on the road against Missouri. Although Rashon Bruno’s squad fell 54-37, they actually held a second half lead until 13:33 remaining. To limit Missouri to just 54 points speaks to some impressive defense. Trendon Hankerson, the pride of Novi, Michigan, continues to be impressive on the young season and scored eight of the Huskies’ 37 points.</p>
<p id="CHd2dF">The previously undefeated Ohio Bobcats traveled to Lexington, Kentucky, to face blue blood program Kentucky. Despite 19 points from Ben Vander Plas, Ohio fell 77-59 at historic Rupp Arena to the nation’s #13 team. Ohio at one point led by seven, but Kentucky took its final lead with 14:31 to play and never looked back. </p>
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<h2 id="dXn3il"><strong>Buffalo knocks off defending Conference USA champs North Texas</strong></h2>
<p id="qIw4of">The Buffalo Bulls traveled to Denton, Texas, to play the reigning Conference USA champions, the North Texas Mean Green over the past week. Buffalo pulled out nice 69-66 road victory after initially trailing 36-32 at the half. Buffalo was led by four players scoring in double figures, including a career-high of 18 points from Maceo Jack. Ronaldo Segu and Josh Mballa had 17 points apiece.</p>
<p id="nvaOHC">North Texas won 18 games last season and knocked off the Purdue Boilermakers in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Despite being picked to finish sixth in this years Conference USA Preseason poll, it is still an impressive road win for Buffalo.</p>
<p id="m1GpLQ">Buffalo followed up the victory with an 87-65 victory over Rider. They are now 2-1 with their only lose coming by 12 points to #6 Michigan.</p>
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<h2 id="k3IUZK"><strong>Western Michigan falls to Division II Saginaw Valley State</strong></h2>
<p id="ykZgTF">Western Michigan returned to University Arena to host in-state division two school Saginaw Valley State, what could go wrong? </p>
<p id="bcnQBZ">The answer was, apparently, everything, as the Broncos fell 80-63 to the visiting Cardinals. WMU turned the ball over 15 times, and saw the Saginaw-based outfit pick up 18 points off turnovers to WMU’s 4. The Broncos wasted 25 points from transfer Lamar Norman Jr. in the defeat. SVSU mostly led throughout the game as they held an 11-point lead in the first half.</p>
<p id="NABS9e">Things have been rough in Kalamazoo since replacing the venerable Steve Hawkins with his former assistant Clayton Bates. WMU went 5-16 a year ago, and is now 1-2 this season with their only win coming against Division III’s Hope College. What amde it all the worse for the Broncos faithful was that the D2 Cardinals looked like the better team throughout the contest, as Western struggled to drive to the basket all game long.</p>
<p id="euUwZv">The Broncos desperately need all-MAC preseason guard B-Artis White to return from his ankle injury, which he suffered in their blow-out defeat to Michigan State.</p>
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<p id="xCBXRG"><strong>4. Central Michigan beats Eastern Illinois on a buzzer beater.</strong></p>
<p id="IEeHlo">Things are looking better for Western’s rival Central Michigan as the Chippewas found their first victory on the road at Eastern Illinois, in what was the MAC’s most exciting finish on the week. Transfer Jermaine Jackson Jr. got the Tony Barbee era off to a flying start, hitting a buzzer-beating layup off of a Christian Laettner-esque pass to knock off the Cougars. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SCTop10?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SCTop10</a> Watch again with Adam Jaksa's radio call as Jermaine Jackson Jr. hits a lay-up at the buzzer to give CMU a thrilling 62-61 victory at Eastern Illinois on Monday night. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SCTop10?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SCTop10</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FireUpChips?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FireUpChips</a> ⬆️ <a href="https://t.co/mFkogrqdPO">pic.twitter.com/mFkogrqdPO</a></p>— CMU Men's Basketball (@CMUMensBBall) <a href="https://twitter.com/CMUMensBBall/status/1460453242052222980?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 16, 2021</a>
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<p id="fyvFF4">The buzzer-beater ended a night which saw the Chippewas come back from a 20-point deficit and gave Tony Barbee his first victory as a Chippewa. Jackson and Cameron Healy had 14 points in the victory.</p>
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<h2 id="sKooEb"><strong>NBA Update: Former Falcon Richaun Holmes is balling, while Abdel Nadar is playing for a winner</strong></h2>
<p id="qXs9gf">This off-season, former Bowling Green great Richaun Holmesgot paid to the tune of four years and almost 47 million dollars from the Sacramento Kings. The contract is a far cry from his days as a second-round draft choice of the “trust the process” Philadelphia 76ers. So far, he is living up to that contract by averaging a double double of 13.8 points per game, and 10.1 rebounds per game. On Monday night at the Pistons, Holmes went for 19 points and nine boards. Earlier this season, he had a 20-rebound game against the Charlotte Hornets.</p>
<p id="us3Ss9">Another former MAC hoopster, Abdel Nader of Northern Illinois, is averaging 2.4 points and 1.9 rebounds a game for a Phoenix Suns team which has won 11 straight games and is the reigning Western Conference champions.</p>
<p id="omFnm2">Former Ohio Bobcat Jason Preston has yet to make his debut due to injury for the Clippers after his selection in the second round. He was a gem in the Summer League, scoring 15.3 points, 4.4 rebounds and 8.2 assists per game.</p>
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<h2 id="P1AmSI"><strong>MAC WBB Update: CMU retires five numbers; EMU women score 133.</strong></h2>
<p id="9n4EDO">Woman’s basketball is off to a good start in the MAC. Those who follow the woman’s version of MAC hoops knows that Central Michigan has been the gold standard in recent years, taking that crown from the Toledo Rockets. This weekend, the Chippewas welcomed nationally-ranked Michigan to Mount Pleasant. </p>
<p id="qQwCT1">(CMU and Michigan have a bevy of connections, with legendary coach Sue Guevara and current head coach Heather Oesterle having been hired from there, and former Chippewas such as Reyna Frost joining the Michigan staff as assistants.) </p>
<p id="SbYgSf">At the game, CMU honored Crystal Bradford, Reyna Frost, Tinara Moore, Presley Hudson (CMU’s all-time leading scorer and current CMU director of player personnel) and former coach Sue Guevara in a banner ceremony, with the numbers 23, 13, 2 and 3 all <a href="https://cmuchippewas.com/news/2021/11/12/womens-basketball-to-honor-quintet-of-all-time-greats.aspx">getting the retirement treatment</a>. Guevara was at Central from 12 seasons and won 231 games. Over her last four seasons at the helm, CMU WBB went a robust 100-33. Bradford, now of the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream was the MAC’s player of the year in 2014, while Moore (currently a starter for Lointek Gernika Bizkaia in Spain) was player of the year in 2018 and Frost in 2019. </p>
<p id="iWMYEw">Meanwhile in Ypsilanti, the Eastern Michigan Eagles won their second straight game. This one against Grace Christian, where the Eagles set a program record with 133 points scored in a 133-45 victory over the GCU Tigers. Regardless of the competition, 133 points is impressive. EMU was led with 20 points from both LSU transfer Treasure Thompson and Florida transfer Danielle Rainey. A total of six Eagles scored in double, while the Eagles added 55 points off turnovers.</p>
https://www.hustlebelt.com/2021/11/22/22794553/2021-22-mid-american-conference-basketball-mens-womens-week-in-review-nov-15Zackery Vannieuwenhze2021-11-14T18:45:00-05:002021-11-14T18:45:00-05:002021-22 Mid-American Conference Men’s Basketball Review: Opening Week
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<img alt="Syndication: Detroit Free Press" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/CeoVzmLC38JVoWN7MCVrlRsbu5U=/0x0:2400x1600/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/70142100/usa_today_17134408.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK</figcaption>
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<p>Upsets and near upsets lead the week as the men of the MAC returned to the hardcourt.</p> <p id="u9uvvj">The Mid-American Conference basketball made its (mostly) triumphant return this week, as NCAA basketball tipped off as a whole on Nov. 9th. </p>
<p id="D4lcmL">With so many eyes still on the excitement of the MAC football schedule and the MACtion mid-week games, we don't want you to miss anything.</p>
<p id="rojbUL">Here are just some of the results from the past week which are worth noting.</p>
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<p id="222XSY"><strong>1. Northern Illinois beats Washington, Miami beats Georgia Tech</strong></p>
<p id="iYEUYH">The basketball season got off to a strong start within the conference as both Northern Illinois and Miami pulled road upsets against major conference opponents.</p>
<p id="NOutCQ">NIU knocked off the Washington Huskies, 71-64 in a game which didn’t start until much of the MAC landscape was to bed. The victory represented a strong showing for new head coach Rashon Bruno, who was making his head coaching debut. The Huskies won behind 29 points from Trendon Hankerson, not bad for a team picked to finish last in the MAC.</p>
<p id="jObw83">However, the good vibes ended in Seattle as the Huskies would fall on the road to Indiana 85-49 on Friday night.</p>
<p id="K3BDc6">Miami traveled to Atlanta and upended the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 72-69 for a nice victory. Mekhi Lairy of Miami capped his 23 point night with a go-ahead bucket with just 15.8 seconds to play.</p>
<p id="YALZFJ">Miami would then blast Lamar University 104-75 to win their home opener and to improve to 2-0 on the week.</p>
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<p id="ergv6f"><strong>2. Akron almost beats Ohio State, Eastern Michigan almost beats Indiana.</strong></p>
<p id="FHGBmf">While the MAC celebrated their early season successes, it could have been even better. Akron traveled in-state to Ohio State to face the 17th-ranked Buckeyes. The Zips would lose 67-66 with OSU scoring with just .03 seconds to play in the game. Ali Ali paced the Zips with 17 points and converted a key four-point play late in the game. </p>
<p id="vUeoAv">Akron would then beat Point Park in their home-opener by a score of 102-46.</p>
<p id="dtudKc">Eastern Michigan kicked off the Stan Heath era in exciting style, winning the second half with a rally to lose at IU 68-62. They trailed 36-19 at the half, but came within a point in the second before the Hoosiers found some breathing room. Transfer Noah Farrakhan led the Eagles with 18 points, all in the second half.</p>
<p id="IqPFh3">The Eagles didn’t keep Stan Heath waiting long for his first victory as the won their home opener on Friday with a 103-98 double overtime victory against Illinois State, in what was arguably the most exciting game of week. They again had to make a comeback, this time from 16 points back as Monty Scott scored 28 points.</p>
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<p id="kem4r0"><strong>3. Jeenathan Williams goes for 32 points against #6 Michigan</strong></p>
<p id="mUOm6g">It was a matchup of preseason favorites as the Buffalo Bulls traveled to Ann Arbor to face the sixth-ranked Michigan Wolverines.</p>
<p id="IS9p0n">Buffalo would fall to the Wolverines by a score of 88-76, but the game was closer than that with the Bulls pulling within five during the second half. </p>
<p id="d1cs0s">Buffalo’s Jeenathan Williams delivered the MAC’s performance of the week as he poured in 32 points, with eight boards on 14-22 shooting (2 of 5 from three). </p>
<p id="Y59k5N">It was Williams’ and Buffalo’s only game of the week.</p>
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<p id="FUcjCh"><strong>4. Ohio with two strong mid-majors wins</strong></p>
<p id="iSWFW5">No Jason Preston? No problem.</p>
<p id="ckIeCz">The Ohio Bobcats have picked up where they left off last season, when we saw them winning an NCAA tournament game over the then reigning champion, Virginia.</p>
<p id="ibClZN">Ohio knocked off a strong Belmont program, 92-80. Belmont has made nine all-time NCAA tournaments, and won the Ohio Valley regular season title last year. Ohio was led by guard Mark Sears, who brought home 27 points and went four of four from three.</p>
<p id="SsY3Eh">Ohio wasn’t done, traveling to Cleveland State to face the defending Horizon League champion Vikings. </p>
<p id="BrF9Bt">Facing a school which was a tournament team a year ago, Ohio won 67-56 behind another 15 points from Sears. </p>
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<p id="yreLKV"><strong>5. Women’s hoops start strong in the MAC</strong></p>
<p id="1trMmj">The women’s hoops season is off to another predictably strong start with nine MAC programs undefeated, with another program (Eastern Michigan) at 1-1. Overall, the MAC is a combined 12-4 on the young season.</p>
<p id="FHWJNS">Expect the MAC to continue to be one of the stronger mid-major conferences in the women’s game.</p>
https://www.hustlebelt.com/2021/11/14/22781557/2021-22-mid-american-conference-mens-basketball-review-opening-weekZackery Vannieuwenhze2021-11-01T16:00:00-04:002021-11-01T16:00:00-04:00What We Learned: Takeaways from EMU MBB’s preseason victory over Oakland University
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<figcaption>Photo by Richard Clement /Icon SMI/Icon Sport Media via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The Stan Heath era has begun, and so has the Noah Farrakhan era.</p> <p id="d1pONA">On Thursday night, it was a the unofficial beginning of a new era of Eastern Michigan Men’s Basketball, as the Eagles played the Oakland Golden Grizzlies in a charity exhibition. It is a new era with an old twist, as new man Stan Heath last touched ground in green and white at EMU as a backup point guard for the Eagles in 1985. </p>
<p id="ZGA9SX">In his first game as head coach, Heath saw the Eagles win 74-69 over an OU team that was without arguably their top player in Micah Parrish. </p>
<p id="uxurS5">Here are some things which stood out from the charity exhibition with ticket proceeds going to the Covenant Academy.</p>
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<h1 id="vIw7V1"><strong>Noah Farrakhan is for real</strong></h1>
<p id="k1cqrI">Noah Farrakhan is a 6’2 point guard out of New Jersey, who comes to Ypsilanti by way of East Carolina and the famed IMG Academy. As a recruit, Farrakhan was a fringe five-star recruit at one point before tailing off late in the recruiting process. Last year at ECU, he played in 12 games and averaged just three points.</p>
<p id="9itfDT">That stat-line doesn’t match with what we saw on the court Thursday as Farrakhan stole the show. He was 13-of-19 for 27 points, with seven rebounds and six assists (all of which were team highs). Perhaps what was most impressive was the variety of ways in which he scored. He was one of four from three but showed the ability to drive to the basketball, hit jumpers and floaters with ease as the starting point-guard. (Note: He did leave early with injury but it looked to be of the cramp variety).</p>
<p id="Bn0BW3">He was the best player on the court Thursday night. His performance showcased a skillset which would be make him an all-MAC candidate for an EMU team which is looking for a new identity.</p>
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<h1 id="VHi2m8"><strong>Monty Scott and Colin Golson provide secondary scoring options for the Eagles</strong></h1>
<p id="siJhyE">While Farrakhan stole the show with 27 points, Monty Scott wasn’t far behind with 16 points, serving as the Robin to Farrakhan’s Batman. </p>
<p id="lSAAkj">Scott, a Senior transfer from Portland, started 22 games last season for Portland State where he averaged 13.7 points with 5 boards per game. On Thursday, the 6’5 guard was 5-of-9 for 16 points. He got to the line often going 5-of-6 on free throws, while adding six boards. When Farrakhan left the court, Scott was able to continue the Eastern runs.</p>
<p id="k4wRM0">Golson, joins the Eagles as a 6’6 freshman transfer from Siena where he followed former Siena assistant Bob Simon to Ypsilanti. Simon is also an EMU alum.</p>
<p id="NF952e">Golson, a native of nearby Ferndale, Michigan, averaged 5.2 points and 3.1 points a game for Siena, while shooting an impressive 37.5 percent from three. On Thursday night, he added ten points showing a confident approach.</p>
<p id="pvuVEt">Having three or more capable scorers bodes well for the Eagles moving forward.</p>
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<h1 id="d6Jcxc"><strong>The zone is gone!</strong></h1>
<p id="PGWRYY">The difference between the Rob Murphy era and the new era was glaring early as the Eagles came out in man-to-man defense (something that I never saw during my time as a student at EMU). Under Murphy, the Eagles ran strictly the Syracuse 2-3 zone, and while it had its moments it became much maligned among the Eastern faithful who wanted to see a mixture of man and zone at times. </p>
<p id="mq440r">The change in defense principals should make it harder for opponents to rain down threes over the Eagles, and could lead to more universal fits for the scheme in recruiting.</p>
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<h1 id="I7EvCM"><strong>The picture of the low post is less clear.</strong></h1>
<p id="S7wy9T">In addition to Farrakhan, Golson, and Monty Scott we also saw a lot of team captains Bryce McBride, and Darion Spottsville, two returning players. They are both guards showcasing EMU’s guard and wing depth. </p>
<p id="vDX1xy">The low-post positions are less defined. </p>
<p id="yyMTDu">Nathan Scott is a senior transfer in-conference from NIU, where he made ten starts a season ago, while average 5.4 points and 3.9 boards a game. Scott’s dad played at EMU from 1983-87, overlapping with Coach Heath. The younger Scott had four points and four boards on Thursday, while Oakland transfer Yusef Jihad saw some time in his revenge game after playing sparingly for the Golden Grizzlies a year ago.</p>
<p id="iMVjgb">The affable Derek Ballard Jr. showed his usual high energy approach while seven-footer Axel Okongo, a former Missouri transfer, had four rebounds.</p>
<p id="mFvEXQ">The name to keep an eye on here might be Thomas Binelli, as the 6’10 sharp shooting Italian made his return to the court following a year lost to injury and COVID-related immigration issues. Binelli entered the transfer portal this off-season and reportedly had a chance to transfer to recent power Texas Tech before electing to return to Ypsi. He didn’t play as much as expected, which was somewhat surprising, but he didn’t miss a shot, sinking his lone fiel goal attempt, and going 2-of-2 from the stripe. He also added five boards. </p>
<p id="21AGFA">If Binelli picks up where he left off when we last saw him, the fan-favorite should add another scoring option for Heath’s Eagles.</p>
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<h1 id="LuS9gh"><strong>Oakland and Eastern Michigan should play every year</strong></h1>
<p id="mtEaZK">I will continue beating this drum, Eastern Michigan and Oakland University should play each and every year. While it is great that they agreed to do this one-off game for charity, this should be a regular season game. Outside of Detroit Mercy (while we are at it, EMU and Detroit Mercy should play each and every year as well), Oakland and EMU are the two closest division one schools to the Motor City and as mid-majors with the troubles in scheduling that mid-majors face, it just makes too much sense. Oakland’s addition to Division one hoops arguably changed the trajectory of Eastern Michigan basketball in the 1990’s and beyond.</p>
<p id="nEO0qL">Greg Kampe runs a strong program up in Rochester Hills (and is a great Twitter follow), with strong fan support for such a small school. Oakland’s inclusion on future schedules should provide a strong (but winnable) test for both schools. Hopefully, the scheduling of the preseason game will lead to future matchups, in season.</p>
<p id="u2sv6T">Also, kudos to these programs for scheduling this exhibition. It is a rarity to see two D1 programs have an open-door exhibition game. This was so much better than those “secret scrimmages”. </p>
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<p id="NWFoyf">In conclusion, this was about as important of an exhibition game as you can have for Eastern Michigan basketball. The program largely had a lost year a season ago due to COVID and with so much change both in leadership and on the roster, no-one was sure just what this Eagle team would look like.</p>
<p id="EFHliK">It’s hard to imagine a better debut for this staff and team than winning on the road against a solid program. Coach Kampe is usually bullish on his rosters but came into the game speaking highly about his squad, so any victory (exhibition, minus their best player) is cause for optimism.</p>
<p id="S0MJA1">A preseason look across the MAC doesn’t show many sure thing programs this year, except for maybe Buffalo. The Eagles showed enough in the exhibition victory to make me think that they can out-perform their lowly pre-season prognostications.</p>
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<p id="a5Wvvf"><strong>Other Eastern Basketball notes:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li id="O8RVzG">Former Eastern wing Tim Bond was selected in the first round of the NBA’s G-League draft by the Windy City Bulls, while former head coach Rob Murphy conducted his first draft as general manager of the Motor City Cruise, selecting Ypsilanti native Jaylen Johnson with his first pick</li>
<li id="a4YWQj">Former Eastern guard Ray Lee appears on the Motor City Cruise roster, re-uniting with his former head coach</li>
<li id="4W2Nzn">Recent EMU transfer Ty Groce did not play in Butler’s pre-season victory over Tiffin University, while nursing a minor injury. He is expected to start this season for the Butler Bulldogs.</li>
</ul>
https://www.hustlebelt.com/2021/11/1/22755622/what-we-learned-eastern-michigan-mens-basketball-preseason-victory-over-oakland-university-2021Zackery Vannieuwenhze