After a solid home win against Bowling Green EMU men's team has a pair of road trips against two teams struggling right now. EMU is at 10-15 and 3-9 in conference.

First up is Buffalo which EMU beat at home 75-65. Buffalo is currently 3-22 overall and 1-11 in conference. The starting lineup looks like:

Jonnius Smith 6'9 Sr.
Isaiah Adsms 6'6 Sr.
Sy Chatman 6'9 Sr.
Shawn Fulcher 6'0 So.
Ryan Sabel 6'2 Fr.

Soph Zaakiv Williamson 6'7 seems the first option of the bench.

Ball State is currently 12-13 overall and 4-8 in conference. They beat EMU 76-62 when EMU hosted them. A starting lineup for them looks like this:

Basheer Jihad 6'9 Jr.
Davion Bailey 6'4 Jr.
Jalin Anderson 6'3 Jr.
Trent Middleton Jr. 6'3 Fr.
Mason Jones 6'7 Fr.

Lots of bit players off the bench.

(02-18-2024 10:08 AM)emu79 Wrote:  After a solid home win against Bowling Green EMU men's team has a pair of road trips against two teams struggling right now. EMU is at 10-15 and 3-9 in conference.

First up is Buffalo which EMU beat at home 75-65. Buffalo is currently 3-22 overall and 1-11 in conference. The starting lineup looks like:

Jonnius Smith 6'9 Sr.
Isaiah Adsms 6'6 Sr.
Sy Chatman 6'9 Sr.
Shawn Fulcher 6'0 So.
Ryan Sabel 6'2 Fr.

Soph Zaakiv Williamson 6'7 seems the first option of the bench.

Ball State is currently 12-13 overall and 4-8 in conference. They beat EMU 76-62 when EMU hosted them. A starting lineup for them looks like this:

Basheer Jihad 6'9 Jr.
Davion Bailey 6'4 Jr.
Jalin Anderson 6'3 Jr.
Trent Middleton Jr. 6'3 Fr.
Mason Jones 6'7 Fr.

Lots of bit players off the bench.

If we beat Buffalo and that’s a BIG If on the road, perhaps I will tune into the BSU game. Although we can’t look past Buffalo!!

EMU is a 2.5 point underdog.

With reasonably improved shooting of the team and some defensive benefits coming from the use of the zone, I feel this is a should win for EMU. Buffalo only has 3 wins on the season. Still some/many of their MAC losses are not by that much of a deficit, which indicates to me that Buffalo might be improving as the year goes on. Plus it is a road game. So I am with Luckey that this is not a game that EMU should overlook.

Whether or not Lovejoy plays will have a big impact on the prospects.

(02-20-2024 02:19 PM)RamyEMU Wrote:  EMU is a 2.5 point underdog.

With reasonably improved shooting of the team and some defensive benefits coming from the use of the zone, I feel this is a should win for EMU. Buffalo only has 3 wins on the season. Still some/many of their MAC losses are not by that much of a deficit, which indicates to me that Buffalo might be improving as the year goes on. Plus it is a road game. So I am with Luckey that this is not a game that EMU should overlook.

Whether or not Lovejoy plays will have a big impact on the prospects.

Buffalo scares me far more than BGSU. Their frontline has far more leaping ability than ours, even though they lack pure basketball skills. I don't want to zone against them as we would lose personal block-out accountability on the defensive glass and potentially get killed with offensive put backs. The Bulls don't shoot well, but from five feet on in, anybody can score the ball.

Just my opinion, we will see what Stan decides to do.

BTW, am enjoying the Bulls ESPN+:stream. The announcers are good and easy on the ears.

Dear Friends,
If Eastern doesn't wake up soon, this will be a loss to a team record wise, that Eastern should beat.

Dear Friends,
With about nine minutes to go in the game, Buffalo 54 Eastern 45.

A new low even for this program.

Dear Friends,
I know Eastern does not have the money, but Heath has to go! Agree with emu79, a new low.

(02-20-2024 08:50 PM)emu79 Wrote:  A new low even for this program.

EMU loses The Battle for the Bottom in Buffalo.

I agree with Ken’s agreement with ‘79, this feels like a new low for the program.

Ironically, as Jerry pointed out, EMU does not match up well with a team with a quick and athletic front court. Looking at the box score, Buffalo’s forwards scored a ton. So although this loss is not actually shocking, it did come against a now 4 win team and came at a time when EMU needed to make a run during a seemingly manageable part of their schedule. It is deflating on so many levels.

I still think EMU can pull off 2 of the next 3 games. It is likely completely meaningless, but will still be rooting for it to happen.

I will note that while I have really enjoyed watching the play of TyCuff on so many levels, I never want to see him take 31 shots (out of 66 for the team).

Sad. I had such high hopes for Heath.

(02-20-2024 11:06 PM)RamyEMU Wrote:  I agree with Ken’s agreement with ‘79, this feels like a new low for the program.

Ironically, as Jerry pointed out, EMU does not match up well with a team with a quick and athletic front court. Looking at the box score, Buffalo’s forwards scored a ton. So although this loss is not actually shocking, it did come against a now 4 win team and came at a time when EMU needed to make a run during a seemingly manageable part of their schedule. It is deflating on so many levels.

I still think EMU can pull off 2 of the next 3 games. It is likely completely meaningless, but will still be rooting for it to happen.

I will note that while I have really enjoyed watching the play of TyCuff on so many levels, I never want to see him take 31 shots (out of 66 for the team).

How many did Emoni take last year out of the total number of shots just as a comparison?

(02-21-2024 09:36 AM)emu79 Wrote:  

(02-20-2024 11:06 PM)RamyEMU Wrote:  I agree with Ken’s agreement with ‘79, this feels like a new low for the program.

Ironically, as Jerry pointed out, EMU does not match up well with a team with a quick and athletic front court. Looking at the box score, Buffalo’s forwards scored a ton. So although this loss is not actually shocking, it did come against a now 4 win team and came at a time when EMU needed to make a run during a seemingly manageable part of their schedule. It is deflating on so many levels.

I still think EMU can pull off 2 of the next 3 games. It is likely completely meaningless, but will still be rooting for it to happen.

I will note that while I have really enjoyed watching the play of TyCuff on so many levels, I never want to see him take 31 shots (out of 66 for the team).

How many did Emoni take last year out of the total number of shots just as a comparison?

In 2022/23 Emoni Bates took 477 of the teams 1827 total shots, or 26%.

In 2023/24 TyCuff has taken 466 of the teams 1527 shots, or 30%. Given how much we have had to depend on TyCuff this year, this rate is totally reasonable, imo.

In the Buffalo game last night, TyCuff shot 31 of the teams 66 shots which is 46%. This seems entirely too much, imo.

Anyway, my guess is the reality of this comparison is in contradiction to your “perceived beliefs” about Emoni Bates.

(02-21-2024 09:36 AM)emu79 Wrote:  

(02-20-2024 11:06 PM)RamyEMU Wrote:  I agree with Ken’s agreement with ‘79, this feels like a new low for the program.

Ironically, as Jerry pointed out, EMU does not match up well with a team with a quick and athletic front court. Looking at the box score, Buffalo’s forwards scored a ton. So although this loss is not actually shocking, it did come against a now 4 win team and came at a time when EMU needed to make a run during a seemingly manageable part of their schedule. It is deflating on so many levels.

I still think EMU can pull off 2 of the next 3 games. It is likely completely meaningless, but will still be rooting for it to happen.

I will note that while I have really enjoyed watching the play of TyCuff on so many levels, I never want to see him take 31 shots (out of 66 for the team).

How many did Emoni take last year out of the total number of shots just as a comparison?

I wondered that as well. According to the stats I pulled from the EMU athletics site:

2022-2023 Emoni played 30 of 31 games
Emoni: 477 fga out of 1826 fga which is 26.12%
Emoni 3pt: 230 3pta out of 608 3pta which is 37.82%


2023-2024 Acuff having played 25 of 26 games
Acuff: 468 fga out of 1527 fga which is 30.64%
Acuff 3pt: 156 3pta out of 489 3pta which is 31.9%

Seems as though Acuff is taking a larger percentage of the teams fg's than Emoni but not when it comes to 3 pointers.

(02-21-2024 10:18 AM)RamyEMU Wrote:  

(02-21-2024 09:36 AM)emu79 Wrote:  

(02-20-2024 11:06 PM)RamyEMU Wrote:  I agree with Ken’s agreement with ‘79, this feels like a new low for the program.

Ironically, as Jerry pointed out, EMU does not match up well with a team with a quick and athletic front court. Looking at the box score, Buffalo’s forwards scored a ton. So although this loss is not actually shocking, it did come against a now 4 win team and came at a time when EMU needed to make a run during a seemingly manageable part of their schedule. It is deflating on so many levels.

I still think EMU can pull off 2 of the next 3 games. It is likely completely meaningless, but will still be rooting for it to happen.

I will note that while I have really enjoyed watching the play of TyCuff on so many levels, I never want to see him take 31 shots (out of 66 for the team).

How many did Emoni take last year out of the total number of shots just as a comparison?

In 2022/23 Emoni Bates took 477 of the teams 1827 total shots, or 26%.

In 2023/24 TyCuff has taken 466 of the teams 1527 shots, or 30%. Given how much we have had to depend on TyCuff this year, this rate is totally reasonable, imo.

In the Buffalo game last night, TyCuff shot 31 of the teams 66 shots which is 46%. This seems entirely too much, imo.

Anyway, my guess is the reality of this comparison is in contradiction to your “perceived beliefs” about Emoni Bates.

I asked for a comparison not your usual editorial. If I want that I will request such. Does Emoni have you on his payroll under eternal apologist? I know of one man on earth who was perfect and his name was not Emoni Bates.

At some point, Stan needs to ask himself does he really want to be terminated by his Alma mater and simply just resign his duties. We now have a basketball losing tradition due to inept ADs hiring bad coaches. This is confirmed by knowing not one EMU basketball coach has gone on to any significant coaching position once Braun left. The football program is really the only popular EMU sport worthy of support. I will be at the spring game thanking Coach Creighton for being our football leader at EMU!!!!

(02-21-2024 11:31 AM)Luckeyone Wrote:  At some point, Stan needs to ask himself does he really want to be terminated by his Alma mater and simply just resign his duties. We now have a basketball losing tradition due to inept ADs hiring bad coaches. This is confirmed by knowing not one EMU basketball coach has gone on to any significant coaching position once Braun left. The football program is really the only popular EMU sport worthy of support. I will be at the spring game thanking Coach Creighton for being our football leader at EMU!!!!

Both mens and women's hoops are dismal. Why did we bring Castro back for a sixth year? I was all for Heath being hired but agree it's time to cut our losses. We are not recruiting enough players to be competitive in the MAC or not coaching them correctly or both.

(02-21-2024 10:38 AM)emu79 Wrote:  

(02-21-2024 10:18 AM)RamyEMU Wrote:  

(02-21-2024 09:36 AM)emu79 Wrote:  

(02-20-2024 11:06 PM)RamyEMU Wrote:  I agree with Ken’s agreement with ‘79, this feels like a new low for the program.

Ironically, as Jerry pointed out, EMU does not match up well with a team with a quick and athletic front court. Looking at the box score, Buffalo’s forwards scored a ton. So although this loss is not actually shocking, it did come against a now 4 win team and came at a time when EMU needed to make a run during a seemingly manageable part of their schedule. It is deflating on so many levels.

I still think EMU can pull off 2 of the next 3 games. It is likely completely meaningless, but will still be rooting for it to happen.

I will note that while I have really enjoyed watching the play of TyCuff on so many levels, I never want to see him take 31 shots (out of 66 for the team).

How many did Emoni take last year out of the total number of shots just as a comparison?

In 2022/23 Emoni Bates took 477 of the teams 1827 total shots, or 26%.

In 2023/24 TyCuff has taken 466 of the teams 1527 shots, or 30%. Given how much we have had to depend on TyCuff this year, this rate is totally reasonable, imo.

In the Buffalo game last night, TyCuff shot 31 of the teams 66 shots which is 46%. This seems entirely too much, imo.

Anyway, my guess is the reality of this comparison is in contradiction to your “perceived beliefs” about Emoni Bates.

I asked for a comparison not your usual editorial. If I want that I will request such. Does Emoni have you on his payroll under eternal apologist? I know of one man on earth who was perfect and his name was not Emoni Bates.

I am curious, who is the one man who was perfect?

I was just wondering, what happened to Randle? He seems like he would have been matched well against Buffalo given his skill sets. Same could be said of Ellerbe (who is missing as well). Wondering if we had those two guys, the game could have turned out differently, and EMU could have been still on a hopeful run to get back in the MAC tourney picture.

It would have been a much different motivational picture going into the Ball St game. Still hoping they can snag a road victory here, especially with two reasonable home games following that. (It would be meaningless, as EMU is so far back. Just would be nice to have a solid stretch).