Eastern Aims for a Stellar 2-0 MAC Kickoff Against Toledo on Tuesday

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — Aiming for a 2-0 start in Mid-American Conference competition for the first time since 1999-2000, the Eastern Michigan University men’s basketball team is heading to Toledo for a matchup at Savage Arena on Tuesday, Jan. 7, at 7 p.m.
 
ON AIR
Eastern Michigan and Toledo will be broadcast live on ESPN+ from Savage Arena. Tom Helmer and Greg Steiner will provide the commentary live on WEMU (89.1 FM) as well as the Varsity Network App. Live statistics will also be accessible at EMUEagles.com.
 
OPENING TIPS
» Fueled by a remarkable 32-point, nine-rebound effort from senior Da’Sean Nelson, Eastern Michigan narrowly defeated Northern Illinois, 75-71, in the MAC opener on Jan. 4.
» In the NIU game on Jan. 4, junior Christian Henry contributed 13 points and nine assists. His nine assists are the highest by an Eagle since Paul Jackson recorded 10 on Jan. 26, 2019, against Western Michigan.
» Hailing from Toledo, senior Da’Sean Nelson is currently averaging a team-leading 15.7 points per game and has reached double figures in scoring for nine consecutive games.
» Eastern Michigan has had four different players score 28 points in separate contests this season, making it the only team in the nation to achieve that feat. Moreover, they are unique in having four players reaching at least 27 points in different matches this season. A total of 12 other schools feature three players each surpassing 27 points as 359 different players have achieved a 27-point performance this season, with 287 different players recording a 28-point outing.
» EMU boasts a 6-0 record in games decided by four points or fewer, the best in the country.
» For the first time since the 1990-91 season, Eastern Michigan has four players averaging at least 11.5 points each.
» Following a 75-71 victory over Northern Illinois, Jan. 4, Eastern is striving for a 2-0 start in MAC play for the first time since 1999-2000.
» Eastern Michigan’s Stan Heath is in his fourth season leading the Eagles, with a 37-68 record at EMU and a 247-275 record over his 17-year coaching career.

2-0 IN THE MAC?

After a 75-71 win over Northern Illinois on Jan. 4, Eastern is pursuing a 2-0 start in MAC competition for the first time since the 1999-2000 season. The Eagles are 1-0 in conference play for the first time since the 2021-22 season. The 85-79 victory against Western Michigan on Jan. 4, 2022, also represents the last occasion EMU triumphed in its first MAC away game of the season.

 

DA’SEAN NELSON IN TOLEDO

Senior Da’Sean Nelson is preparing to return to his hometown for the contest against the Rockets on Tuesday, Jan. 7. Nelson, who was not recruited by Toledo after graduating from Robert S. Rogers High School in the Glass City, played some summer basketball at Savage Arena but never stepped on the court for a home game as a Rocket. He is anticipated to have over 60 friends and family members present for Tuesday’s contest.

 

ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY VS. TOLEDO

Eastern and Toledo are clashing for the 116th time, with Toledo leading the all-time series, 63-52, having won the last seven encounters, including a narrow 91-87 victory in Ypsilanti on Feb. 6, 2024. In that matchup, despite EMU maintaining an 81-74 advantage with 3:35 remaining, the Rockets emerged victorious. Eastern’s 87 points marked their highest output against Toledo in the series since a 91-85 win on Feb. 20, 2016. Furthermore, the 87 points rank as the second-most scored by EMU in a loss to the Rockets, with the record being 88 in a 95-88 overtime setback on March 3, 1981.

 

The Eagles have suffered four consecutive defeats in Toledo, including a 70-63 setback on Feb. 11, 2023, during their most recent outing at UT.

 
DA’SEAN NELSON CAREER-HIGH 32 POINTS

Senior Da’Sean Nelson scored a career-best 32 points along with nine rebounds in the victory over Northern Illinois on Jan. 4. Nelson, who tallied 16 points in both halves, also set a personal best with 12 field goals made.

 
DA’SEAN NELSON 10+ POINTS IN 9-STRAIGHT

After his 32-point performance against Northern Illinois on Jan. 4, senior Da’Sean Nelson has scored at least 10 points in nine consecutive games for the first time in his career.

 
With 18 regular-season games remaining, Nelson would require the Eagles to qualify for the MAC Tournament to have a shot at surpassing Tyson Acuff‘s 27-game streak of double-digit scoring achieved in the 2023-24 season.

 

DA’SEAN NELSON MAC POTW (x3)???

Senior Da’Sean Nelson, who garnered MAC Player of the Week honors on Dec. 2 and Dec. 23, is in a strong position to secure his third conference weekly accolade of the season following a notable performance with 32 points and nine rebounds against Northern Illinois on Jan. 4.

 
Nelson is the first Eagle since the 2019-20 season to obtain two MAC Player of the Week awards in a single season, following Boubacar Toure and Ty Groce, each of whom received the MAC West Division Player of the Week honor twice.

 
Should he achieve recognition for the third time, Nelson would be the first player in the MAC to accomplish this feat since former Akron Zip and current Indiana Pacer Enrique Freeman received the accolade eight times during the 2023-24 season.

 

CHRISTIAN HENRY NINE ASSISTS

Junior Christian Henry recorded a career-high nine assists against Northern Illinois on Jan. 4, marking the best performance by an Eagle since Paul Jackson had 10 assists on Jan. 26, 2019, against Western Michigan.

 

FIVE STARTERS MADE A THREE AT DAVIDSON

In the game against Davidson on Dec. 28, all five Eastern starters successfully made at least one three-pointer for the first time since at least the 2008-09 season.

 

SEVEN PLAYERS MADE A THREE AT DAVIDSON

In the matchup against Davidson on Dec. 28, seven different Eagles found success in making at least one three-pointer for the first time since Nov. 12, 2019, against Goshen. This also marks the first instance where EMU had seven players with at least one three-pointer against a Division I opponent since Dec. 20, 2010, versus Valparaiso.

 

ONLY SCHOOL WITH 28+ POINTS (x4)

Due to senior Da’Sean Nelson‘s 28 points against Northern Illinois on Jan. 4, junior Christian Henry‘s 28-point effort against Detroit Mercy on Nov. 30, senior Jalen Terry‘s 28 points against IU Indy on Nov. 14, and senior Jalin Billingsley‘s 32 points against Siena Heights on Nov. 8, Eastern Michigan stands out as the only team in the nation to have four distinct players reach 28 points this season. EMU is also the unique team with four players who have scored at least 27 points.

 

Players Scoring 27+ Points:

T1. Eastern Michigan4

T2. 12 Institutions               3

 

Overall, 338 unique athletes have attained a minimum of 27 points in a single game nationwide.

 

VICTORY IN NARROW CONTESTS – NATIONAL FRONT-RUNNER

Following a victory by four points against Northern Illinois on Jan. 4, Eastern’s record improved to 6-0 in contests decided by four points or fewer. Eastern’s six victories by four points or lesser margins is the greatest in the country. This pattern has persisted from the 2023-24 season, during which the Eagles recorded an 8-3 mark in contests decided by four points or lesser.

 

Victories by Four Points or Fewer:

1. Eastern Michigan 6

T2. Nicholls     5

T2. Northeastern          5

T2. Princeton  5

T2. UC-Riverside          5

 

FOUR EAGLES WITH 11.5+ POINTS AVERAGE

For the first occasion since 1990-91, Eastern boasts four players scoring an average of 11.5 points.

 

Player                 PPG 2024-25

Da’Sean Nelson           15.7

Jalen Terry                         15.2    

Christian Henry            13.2

Jalin Billingsley              11.8

 

Player                 PPG 1990-91

Marcus Kennedy          20.0    

Carl Thomas  14.1

Lorenzo Neely                11.6    

Kory Hallas                      11.5

 

Eastern is the sole team in the MAC featuring four players who average at least 11.5 points per game.

 

DOUBLE-FIGURE ASSISTS

Eastern Michigan has recorded 12 consecutive games with a minimum of 10 assists for the first time since achieving a 13-game streak in the 2017-18 season.

 

JALEN TERRY, A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING

Senior Jalen Terry is averaging 15.2 points per game, 5.2 rebounds per game, and 3.3 assists per game.

 

Terry is among 34 athletes nationwide averaging at least 15.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists.

 

Including his 1.5 steals per game, Terry is one of a mere 12 athletes nationwide to average at least 15.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.5 steals.

 

JALEN TERRY LEADING MAC IN MINUTES

Senior Jalen Terry heads the MAC in playing time, averaging 37.0 minutes per game.

 

National Minutes Leaders:

1. Bennett Stiritz (Drake)        38.0

2. Luke Barrett (St. Mary’s)    37.2

3. Kino Lilly, Jr. (Brown)            37.1

4. Brooks Barnhizer (NW)       37.0

5. Gibson Jimerson (SLU)       37.0

6. Jalen Terry (EMU)  37.0

 

With former Eagle Tyson Acuff ranking fourth nationally in minutes per game at 37.9 for 2023-24, EMU is the first institution since Stony Brook (2021-23) to have distinct players place in the top six for minutes nationally in different seasons.

 

JALEN TERRY REBOUNDING AT 6-FEET TALL

Although standing at 6-feet-0, senior Jalen Terry is averaging 5.2 rebounds per game, ranking 19th in the MAC. Terry is positioned eighth in defensive rebounds per game in the MAC with 4.7.

 

JT 25+ POINTS, 6+ THREE-POINTERS

Senior Jalen Terry achieved consecutive games with a minimum of 25 points and six successful three-pointers against IU Indy on Nov. 14, and against Cleveland State on Nov. 16. He is one of five MAC players to reach that milestone and the first to do so since Jordan Dartis from Ohio University in 2019.

 

MAC Players With 25 Points AND 6 Three-Pointers in CONSECUTIVE Games (Since 2002-03):

MOH    Michael Bramos                          4             Dec. 3-13, 2008

EMU     Jalen Terry                      2             Nov. 14-16, 2024

OU        Jordan Dartis                  2             Nov. 24-30, 2019

CMU    Marcus Keene                                2 (x2)   Dec. 3-6, 2016; Jan. 17-21, 2017

BSU      Skip Mills                          2             March 4-6, 2006

 

Terry is among only five Eagles since 2002-03 who have achieved multiple games with at least 25 points and six successful three-pointers within a season. Should he succeed again, he would be the initial player during this span to have three such games in a single season.

 

EMU Players With 25 Points AND 6 Three-Pointers TOTAL Games in One Season (Since 2002-03):

                Jalen Terry                      2             2024-25

                Tyson Acuff                      2             2022-23

                Emoni Bates                   2             2022-23

                Elijah Minnie                   2             2018-19

                Willie Mangum                             2             2016-17

 

Additionally, Terry was the first Eagle since Carlos Medlock, during Feb. 11-15, 2006, to hit six three-pointers in successive games.

 

UNDER THE CENTURY MARK

In 376 matchups at the George Gervin GameAbove Center since its opening in 1998-99, only one squad has surpassed 100 points against the Eagles; that being 2022-23 Florida Atlantic, who registered 101 points at EMU on Dec. 4, 2022, subsequently reaching the 2023 Final Four.

 

Horizon League’s preseason favorite Purdue Fort Wayne narrowly missed the mark by one point, thus falling short of becoming the second opponent to surpass 100 points at the George Gervin GameAbove Center as Eastern lost, 99-76, on Dec. 15.

 

Top Point Totals by Opponents at the George Gervin GameAbove Center

Date    School                               Points

12/4/2022        Florida Atlantic                             101      

12/15/2024     Purdue Fort Wayne                     99

11/30/2024     Detroit Mercy 98         

11/12/2023     Illinois State                    98         

 

THR33-POINT STR3AK, 626-CONSECUTIVE GAM3S

Eastern, which made five three-pointers against Northern Illinois on Jan. 4, has now achieved at least one three-pointer in 626-straight games. EMU’s last instance of failing to score from beyond the arc was on Jan. 24, 2004, when Miami restricted the Eagles to 0-of-7 from long distance.

 

The Eagles have successfully converted at least five three-pointers in 14-consecutive games, tracing back to the final game of the 2023-24 season. This 14-game streak represents EMU’s longest since a 15-game run spanning the 2020-21 to 2021-22 seasons.

 

2024-25 PRESEASON ALL-MAC TEAMS

First Team

Payton Sparks, Senior, Center, Ball State

Anthony Pritchard, Senior, Guard, Central Michigan

VonCameron Davis, R-Senior, Forward, Kent State

AJ Clayton, Senior, Forward, Ohio

Javan Simmons, Sophomore, Forward, Toledo

 

Second Team

Isaiah Gray, Senior, Guard, Akron

Jalen Sullinger, Senior, Guard, Kent State

Shereef Mitchell, Graduate Student, Guard, Ohio

AJ Brown, R-Sophomore, Guard, Ohio

Isaiah Adams, Fifth Year, Guard, Toledo

 

PRESEASON RANKED NINTH

After finishing 10th in the 2023-24 season, EMU was selected ninth in the MAC preseason coaches’ survey.

 

2024-25 MAC Men’s Basketball Preseason Coaches’ Survey

 

(First Place Votes)

 

1.Ohio (11) – 121 

2. Akron (1) – 106

3. Kent State – 99

4. Toledo – 95

5. Bowling Green – 73

6. Miami – 72

7. Ball State – 67

8. Central Michigan – 55 

9. Eastern Michigan – 36

10. Western Michigan – 33 

11. Northern Illinois – 24 

12. Buffalo – 11

 

Tournament Winner: Ohio (8), Kent State (3), Toledo (1)

 

The top six spots were dominated by the six Ohio institutions, while the bottom six consist of the remaining MAC schools.

 

MICHIGAN MATCH-UPS

The Eagles will face three in-state rivals in non-conference play, competing against Siena Heights (Nov. 8), Oakland (Nov. 21), and Detroit Mercy (Nov. 30).

 

NEW RIVAL, WHO’S THAT?

This season, the Eagles have introduced competition against three opponents they have never faced before; they will go up against Texas State on Nov. 4 (L, 44-64), Houston Christian on Nov. 25 (W, 74-73), and Wright State on Dec. 21.

 

WHO’S RETURNING??

EMU welcomes back four athletes from its 2023-24 lineup including seniors Jalin Billingsley, Yusuf Jihad, and Micah Schnyders, along with sophomore Arne Osojnik.

 

WHO’S DEPARTED??

EMU has parted ways with 10 players from its 2023-24 initial roster including Tyson Acuff (Rutgers), Orlando Lovejoy (Detroit Mercy), Legend Geeter (Detroit Mercy), Conner Serven (Virginia Tech), Cyril Martynov (Eastern Kentucky), Julius Ellerbe (Coppin State), John McGriff (transfer portal – no destination), Javantae Randle (Central State), Prakash Ketterhagen (Lourdes), and Andrew Wells (graduation). Additionally, the Eagles have also lost Director of Operations LaMonta Stone (Assistant Coach – Detroit Mercy) and Graduate Assistant Nick Madray (graduation –> Utah Jazz).

 

WHAT’S MISSING??

EMU has lost 1,332 of its 2,047 points (65.07%) from the 2023-24 season, primarily the leading scorer Tyson Acuff, who averaged 21.7 ppg (8th in the nation) with shooting splits of 43/29/81, and has transferred to Rutgers.

 

NEW FACES

EMU has infused its 2024-25 roster with 11 newcomers including seniors Jalen Terry (DePaul), Da’Sean Nelson (DePaul), John Shanu II (UTRGV), and Cooper Smith (Michigan), juniors Christian Henry (Panola College), Julian Lewis (Miami), and Trey Pettigrew (Salt Lake CC), and freshmen Mario Brunetto (Classical Gymnasium), Mbaye N’Diaye (SEED Academy), Godslove Nwabude (Zion Prep), and Dillon Tingler (Huntington Prep).

 

DEPAUL DUO HEADING TO YPSILANTI

Jalen Terry and Da’Sean Nelson both transferred to Ypsilanti from DePaul and are anticipated to play significant roles for the Eagles in the 2024-25 season. Terry averaged 8.5 ppg while Nelson scored 9.7 ppg for the Blue Demons in 2023-24.

 

LOCAL TALENT

Eastern Michigan includes just four players (Yusuf Jihad, Farmington Hills; Jalen Terry, Flint; Cooper Smith, Mio; and Julian Lewis, Ypsilanti) from the Mitten State on its 2024-25 roster, marking EMU’s lowest number since 2020-21 (four).

 

INTERNATIONAL ADDITIONS

The international representation among student-athletes has doubled in the Eagles’ 15-player roster this season, with the addition of three true freshmen from Senegal (Mbaye N’Diaye), Nigeria (Godslove Nwabude), and Italy (Mario Brunetto). This trio joins sophomore Arne Osojnik who has represented Slovenia twice at the U18 national team level in the Euro Championships. For a complete breakdown of the EMU roster, please refer to page 11.

 

Most international true freshmen in the nation:

1. Buffalo – 6

2. Florida Atlantic – 5

t3. Eastern Michigan – 3

              Manhattan – 3

              Oregon State – 3

              San Francisco – 3

              Seattle – 3

              UT-Martin – 3

              Weber State – 3

 

Most African true freshmen in the nation:

t1. Eastern Michigan – 2

              Seton Hall – 2

 

Osojnik stands out as one of five players from Slovenia in the country.

 

Slovenian MBB Players at NCAA Division I:

Arne Osojnik – Eastern Michigan

Klemen Vuga – UAPB

Urban Klavzar – Florida

Jan Vide – LMU (Calif.)

Sasa Ciani – UIC

 

Brunetto represents one of 17 Italian players while N’Diaye is among 32 Senegalese players and Nwabude is one of 38 Nigerian players.

 

DOUBLEHEADER EVENT

The Eagles are slated to participate in three double-header events alongside the EMU women’s basketball squad in 2023-24, with four of the five occurring in Ypsilanti. Both men’s and women’s teams are set to play on Jan. 11 (vs. Akron), Feb. 15 (men vs. Toledo, women vs. Ball State), and Feb. 22 (Northern Illinois).

 

The men’s squad recorded a perfect 5-0 at home during doubleheader matches in 2023-24.

 

EMONI BATES IN THE NBA + G-LEAGUE

Former Eagle Emoni Bates was honored as a G-League All-Star with the Cleveland Charge in 2023-24, averaging 24.8 ppg. Bates also played in 15 games with the Cavaliers during the 2023-24 season. He underwent a surgical procedure in early October to fix a torn meniscus and is anticipated to make a return to the court sometime during the 2024-25 season.

 

EASTERN HAS NOT FACED WRIGHT STATE?

In spite of being just 174 miles apart, Eastern Michigan and Wright State had never squared off in men’s basketball until Eastern’s 86-82 victory on Dec. 21.

 

Out of 44 Division I institutions located within 300 miles (as the crow flies) of Ypsilanti, Eastern has contested with all but four of them, engaging 37 out of the 44 multiple times.

 

Schools Within 300 Miles That Eastern Had Yet To Compete Against:

                Institution                          Distance         

                Wright State                    174      

                Northwestern                 211      

                West Virginia                  264      

                Morehead State                           279

 

NEXT MATCHES

Eastern Michigan will host Akron in both men’s and women’s basketball on Saturday, Jan. 11. The women’s matchup is slated for 1 p.m. while the men’s game is scheduled for a 3:30 p.m. start.

 

STAY UPDATED WITH US

For the latest insights on the Eagles, check out EMUEagles.com. Fans can also connect with the team on social media platforms, including Twitter (@EMU_MBB) and Instagram (@EMUMBB).