YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — Seeking a 2-0 start in Mid-American Conference play for the first time since 1999-2000, the Eastern Michigan University men’s basketball team travels to Toledo for a game at Savage Arena Tuesday, Jan. 7, at 7 p.m.
 
ON AIR
Eastern Michigan and Toledo will air on ESPN+ from Savage Arena. Tom Helmer and Greg Steiner will have the call live on WEMU (89.1 FM) and the Varsity Network App. Live stats will also be available on EMUEagles.com.
 
OPENING TIPS
»Led by a dominating 32-point, nine-rebound performance from senior Da’Sean Nelson, Eastern Michigan edged Northern Illinois, 75-71, in the MAC opener, Jan. 4.
»In the NIU game, Jan. 4, junior Christian Henry added 13 points and nine assists. His nine assists are the most by an Eagle since Paul Jackson had 10, Jan. 26, 2019, against Western Michigan.
»Toledo native and senior Da’Sean Nelson, who is averaging a team-high 15.7 points per game, has nine-straight games scoring at least 10 points.
»Eastern Michigan, which has four different players to score 28 points in separate games this season, is the only school in the nation to have four different players score even 27 points in separate games this season. A total of 12 other schools have three players to each reach 27 points as 359 different players have a 27-point performance this season and 287 different players have a 28-point performance.
»EMU’s 6-0 mark in games decided by four points or fewer is the best in the nation.
»Eastern Michigan has four players averaging at least 11.5-plus points each for the first time since the 1990-91 season.
»After topping Northern Illinois, 75-71, Jan. 4, Eastern is seeking a 2-0 start in MAC play for the first time since 1999-2000.
»Eastern Michigan’s Stan Heath is in his fourth year at the helm of the Eagles, holding a 37-68 record at EMU and a 247-275 record over 17 years as a head coach.

2-0 IN THE MAC?
After topping Northern Illinois, 75-71, Jan. 4, Eastern is seeking a 2-0 start in MAC play for the first time since 1999-2000. The Eagles are 1-0 in conference play for the first time since the 2021-22 season. The 85-79 road win over Western Michigan, Jan. 4, 2022, also marks the last time EMU won its first MAC away contest of the season.
 
DA’SEAN NELSON IN TOLEDO
Senior Da’Sean Nelson is set to return to is hometown for Tuesday, Jan. 7’s game against the Rockets. Nelson, who was not recruited by Toledo out of Robert S. Rogers High School in the Glass City, played some summer ball in Savage Arena, but never played with Rogers on the Rockets’ home floor. Nelson is expected to have more than 60 friends and family in attendance for Tuesday’s game.
 
ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY VS. TOLEDO
Eastern and Toledo are meeting for the 116th time as Toledo leads the all-time series, 63-52, as the Rockets have won the last seven meetings, including a narrow 91-87 win in Ypsilanti, Feb. 6, 2024, in the teams’ most recent meeting, despite EMU holding an 81-74 lead with 3:35 left to play. Eastern’s 87 points were its highest mark in the series since winning 91-85, Feb. 20, 2016. The 87 points also marked the second-most scored by EMU in a loss against Toledo as the top mark is 88 in a 95-88 overtime loss to the Rockets, March 3, 1981.
 
The Eagles have dropped four-straight in Toledo, including a 70-63 loss, Feb. 11, 2023, the teams’ most recent meeting at UT.
 
DA’SEAN NELSON CAREER-HIGH 32 POINTS
Senior Da’Sean Nelson netted a career-high 32 points to go with nine rebounds in the win over Northern Illinois, Jan. 4. Nelson, who scored 16 points in each half, also set a career high with 12 made field goals.
 
DA’SEAN NELSON 10+ POINTS IN 9-STRAIGHT
After scoring 32 points against Northern Illinois, Jan. 4, senior Da’Sean Nelson has nine-straight games with at least 10 points for the first time in his career.
 
With 18 regular-season games remaining, Nelson would need the Eagles to qualify for the MAC Tournament to have the opportunity to top Tyson Acuff‘s 27-game double-digit scoring streak from the 2023-24 season.
 
DA’SEAN NELSON MAC POTW (x3)???
Senior Da’Sean Nelson, who was named MAC Player of the Week Dec. 2 and Dec. 23, will have a good shot to earn his third conference weekly honor of the season after an impressive 32-point, nine-rebound showing against Northern Illinois, Jan. 4.
 
Nelson is the first Eagle since the 2019-20 season to earn two MAC Player of the Week honors in the same season as Boubacar Toure and Ty Groce each earned MAC West Division Player of the Week twice.
 
If he were to earn the recognition for the third time, Nelson would be the first player in the MAC to accomplish that feat since former Akron Zip and current Indiana Pacer Enrique Freeman earned the honor eight times in 2023-24.
 
CHRISTIAN HENRY NINE ASSISTS
Junior Da’Sean Nelson dished out a career-high nine assists against Northern Illinois, Jan. 4, the top mark by an Eagle since Paul Jackson had 10, Jan. 26, 2019, against Western Michigan.
 
FIVE STARTERS MADE A THREE AT DAVIDSON
Against Davidson, Dec. 28, all five Eastern starters made at least one three-pointer for the first time since at least the 2008-09 season.
 
SEVEN PLAYERS MADE A THREE AT DAVIDSON
Against Davidson, Dec. 28, the Eagles had seven different players make at least one three-pointer for the first time since Nov. 12, 2019, against Goshen. It marks the first time EMU has had seven players with one made three-pointer against a Division I team since Dec. 20, 2010, against Valparaiso.
 
ONLY SCHOOL WITH 28+ POINTS (x4)
With senior Da’Sean Nelson‘s 28 points against Northern Illinois, Jan. 4, junior Christian Henry‘s 28-point showing against Detroit Mercy, Nov. 30, senior Jalen Terry‘s 28 points against IU Indy, Nov. 14, and senior Jalin Billingsley‘s 32 points against Siena Heights, Nov. 8, Eastern Michigan is the only team in the nation with four different players reaching 28 points this season. EMU is also the only team with four reaching 27 points.
 
Different Players Scoring 27+ Points:
T1. Eastern Michigan              4
T2. 12 Schools               3
 
In total, 338 different players have scored at least 27 points in a single game nationally.
 
SUCCESS IN CLOSE GAMES – NATIONAL LEADER
After a four-point win against Northern Illinois, Jan. 4, Eastern moved to 6-0 in games decided by four points or less. Eastern’s six wins by four or fewer is the most in the nation. The trend has continued from the 2023-24 season when the Eagles were 8-3 in games decided by four points or less.
 
Wins by Four Points or Less:
1. Eastern Michigan 6
T2. Nicholls     5
T2. Northeastern          5
T2. Princeton  5
T2. UC-Riverside          5
 
FOUR EAGLES AVERAGING 11.5+ POINTS
Eastern has four players averaging 11.5 points for the first time since 1990-91.
 
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 only team in the MAC with four players averaging at least 11.5 points per game.
 
DOUBLE-DIGIT ASSISTS
Eastern Michigan has 12 consecutive games with at least 10 assists for the first time since a 13-game streak during the 2017-18 season.
 
JALEN TERRY, A 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 one of 34 players nationally to average at least 15.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists.
 
Adding in his 1.5 steals per game, Terry is one of just 12 players nationally to average at least 15.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.5 steals.
 
JALEN TERRY MAC MINUTES LEADER
Senior Jalen Terry leads the MAC in minutes, 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 in the nation in minutes per game at 37.9 in 2023-24, EMU is the first school since Stony Brook (2021-23) to have different players rank inside the top six in minutes nationally in different seasons.
 
JALEN TERRY REBOUNDING AT 6-FEET TALL
Despite standing at 6-feet-0, senior Jalen Terry is averaging 5.2 rebounds per game, which ranks 19th in the MAC. Terry ranks eighth in the MAC in defensive rebounds per game at 4.7.
 
JT 25+ POINTS, 6+ THREE-POINTERS
Senior Jalen Terry posted back-to-back games with at least 25 points and six made three-pointers at IU Indy, Nov. 14, and at Cleveland State, Nov. 16. He is one of five MAC players to accomplish that feat and the first to do so since Jordan Dartis for 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 one of just five Eagles since 2002-03 to record multiple games with at least 25 points and six made three-pointers in a season. If he can accomplish the feat again, he would be the first in that time frame to record three such games in one 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
 
Terry was also the first Eagle since Carlos Medlock, Feb. 11-15, 2006, to knock down six three-pointers in back-to-back games.
 
BELOW THE CENTURY MARK
In 376 games at the George Gervin GameAbove Center since opening in 1998-99, only one team has reached 100 points against the Eagles as 2022-23 Florida Atlantic, which reached the 2023 Final Four, scored 101 at EMU, Dec. 4, 2022.
 
Horizon League preseason favorite Purdue Fort Wayne fell one point shy becoming the second Eagle foe to reach 100 points at the George Gervin GameAbove Center as Eastern fell, 99-76, Dec. 15.
 
Top Point Totals by Foes 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-STRAIGHT GAM3S
Eastern, which hit five threes against Northern Illinois, Jan. 4, has now hit at least one triple in 626-straight games. EMU last failed to score from downtown Jan. 24, 2004, when Miami held the Eagles to 0-of-7 from behind the arc.
 
The Eagles have converted at least five three-pointers in 14-consecutive games, dating back to the final game of the 2023-24 season. The 14-game streak is EMU’s longest since a 15-game streak extending from the 2020-21 to the 2021-22 season.
 
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 PICKED NINTH
After finishing 10th in 2023-24, EMU was picked ninth in the MAC preseason coaches’ poll.
 
2024-25 MAC Men’s Basketball Preseason Coaches’ Poll
 
(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 Champion: Ohio (8), Kent State (3), Toledo (1)
 
The six Ohio schools made up the top six while the bottom six is filled with the rest of the MAC schools.
 
MICHIGAN MATCH-UPS
The Eagles play three in-state opponents in non-conference action with contests against Siena Heights (Nov. 8), Oakland (Nov. 21), and Detroit Mercy (Nov. 30).
 
NEW FOE, WHO DIS?
The Eagles added competition against three first-time opponents this season; they face off against Texas State, Nov. 4 (L, 44-64), Houston Christian, Nov. 25 (W, 74-73), and Wright State, Dec. 21.
 
WHO’S BACK??
EMU returns four players from its 2023-24 roster including seniors Jalin Billingsley, Yusuf Jihad, and Micah Schnyders, as well as sophomore Arne Osojnik.
 
WHO’S GONE??
EMU lost 10 players from its 2023-24 game one 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). The Eagles also lost Director of Operations LaMonta Stone (Assistant Coach – Detroit Mercy) and Graduate Assistant Nick Madray (graduation –> Utah Jazz).
 
WHAT’S GONE??
EMU lost 1,332 of its 2,047 points (65.07%) from the 2023-24 season, most notably leading scorer Tyson Acuff, who averaged 21.7 ppg (8th in the nation) on 43/29/81 shooting splits and transferred to Rutgers.
 
FRESH FACES
EMU added 11 newcomers to its 2024-25 roster 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 TO YPSILANTI
Jalen Terry and Da’Sean Nelson both came to Ypsilanti from DePaul and are expected to have big roles for the Eagles in 2024-25. Terry averaged 8.5 ppg and Nelson scored 9.7 ppg for the Blue Demons in 2023-24.
 
STAYING HOME
Eastern Michigan has 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, EMU’s fewest since 2020-21 (four).
 
INTERNATIONAL INFLUX
International student-athlete representation doubled on the Eagles 15-player roster this season, as they added three true freshmen from Senegal (Mbaye N’Diaye), Nigeria (Godslove Nwabude), and Italy (Mario Brunetto), respectively. The trio joins sophomore Arne Osojnik who represented Slovenia twice as a member of the U18 national team at the Euro Championships. A complete breakdown of the EMU roster can be found on 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 is 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 is one of 17 Italians players while N’Diaye is one of 32 Senegalese players and Nwabude is one of 38 Nigerian players.
 
DOUBLEHEADER DAY
The Eagles are scheduled to play three double-headers with the EMU women’s basketball team in 2023-24 with four of the five doubleheaders taking place in Ypsilanti. Both the EMU men’s and women’s teams will play Jan. 11 (vs. Akron), Feb. 15 (men vs. Toledo, women vs. Ball State), and Feb. 22 (Northern Illinois).
 
The men’s team was 5-0 at home in doubleheader games in 2023-24.
 
EMONI BATES NBA + G-LEAGUE
Former Eagle Emoni Bates was named a G-League All-Star with the Cleveland Charge in 2023-24, averaging 24.8 ppg. Bates also appeared in 15 games with the Cavaliers during the 2023-24 season. He underwent surgery in early October to repair a torn meniscus and is expected to return to action at some point during the 2024-25 season.
 
EASTERN HADN’T PLAYED WRIGHT STATE?
Despite being separated by 174 miles, Eastern Michigan and Wright State have never competed against each other in men’s basketball, prior to Eastern’s 86-82 win, Dec. 21.
 
Of the 44 Division I schools within 300 miles (straight line on map) of Ypsilanti, Eastern had played all but four of them, meeting 37 of the 44 multiple times.
 
Schools Within 300 Miles Eastern Had Not Played:
                School                               Distance         
                Wright State                    174      
                Northwestern                 211      
                West Virginia                  264      
                Morehead State                            279
 
NEXT UP
Eastern Michigan hosts Akron in both men’s and women’s basketball Saturday, Jan. 11. The women’s game is set for 1 p.m. while the men’s game is listed as a 3:30 p.m. start.
 
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