Christmas for EMU men's fans came a week late with a thrilling road contest against Bowling Green and an OT win at home against Kent St where the team came from behind not once but several times.

This week we face Tony the Tiger Barbee who was hired at CMU the same year as Stan Heath at EMU. I thought this was going to be an easy win for us at home but CMU is 6-8 and 1-1 in conference after a road victory against a very solid Ball St team that prior to the CMU loss was 7-0 at home. A starting lineup for CMU look may look like this:

Anthony Pritchard 6'2 Jr.
Brian Taylor 6'6 Forever
Markus Harding 6'10 Jr.
Derrick Butler 6'2 Jr.
Cayden Vasko 6'6 Fr.

It looks like Paul McMillan IV 6'2 So. is the first option off the bench

Miami (O) is also 6-8 but 0-2 in conference. A starting lineup may look like this:

Bryson Bultman 6'5 Gr.
Darweshi Hunter 6'5 Gr.
Evan Isparo 6'0 Fr.
Makhi Cooper 6'1 Fr.
Jaquel Morris 6'8 So.

Off the bench is A. Mirambeaux 6'8 Sr. and Ryan Mabrey 6'5 So.

After a slow start coming back from his ankle injury, Orlando Lovejoy has elevated his play over the last 5 games:

15.6 ppg (54% from the field), 4.6 rpg, and 2.8 apg, on top of playing lights out defense. He’s turning into the player we were hoping for. EMU’s best backcourt since the 90s?

(01-08-2024 08:51 AM)EagleSam Wrote:  After a slow start coming back from his ankle injury, Orlando Lovejoy has elevated his play over the last 5 games:

15.6 ppg (54% from the field), 4.6 rpg, and 2.8 apg, on top of playing lights out defense. He’s turning into the player we were hoping for. EMU’s best backcourt since the 90s?

I'd still take Lee and Bond over Acuff and Lovejoy! Bonds length was special! We also had Jackson and Mangum off the bench! That explains the 23 wins that season! The 90's was in a league of its own! Boykins, Tolbert, Dial, Neely were all time greats!

(01-08-2024 06:40 PM)EMUGLORYDAYSthe90s Wrote:  

(01-08-2024 08:51 AM)EagleSam Wrote:  After a slow start coming back from his ankle injury, Orlando Lovejoy has elevated his play over the last 5 games:

15.6 ppg (54% from the field), 4.6 rpg, and 2.8 apg, on top of playing lights out defense. He’s turning into the player we were hoping for. EMU’s best backcourt since the 90s?

I'd still take Lee and Bond over Acuff and Lovejoy! Bonds length was special! We also had Jackson and Mangum off the bench! That explains the 23 wins that season! The 90's was in a league of its own! Boykins, Tolbert, Dial, Neely were all time greats!

Glory, the nineties teams were unreal. EMU/MAC will never return to that. And I also agree, we have regardless had some solid guards at EMU since then- particularly Lee and bond.

But I think Sam might be bringing up a good point that TyCuff/Lovejoy (this year) is the best combo since Boykins/Dial. TyCuff’s play has been just unreal this season until the last game- and he still had 11 points and 7 assists. While Ray Lee could look unstoppable on many nights, he never had a season where he did not have multiple games that were worse then what TyCuff did against Kent St. Bond was incredible in so many ways, and certainly a way better defender than either TyCuff or Lovejoy, but never had their scoring abilities. Let’s see how the season pans out, but if it continues at this pace, I would definitely agree with crowning this backcourt as the best since the 90s.

One further point, Lovejoy initially entered the transfer portal last year before deciding to return. I fully expect him to hit the portal after this season, and likely transfer up. TyCuff transferred once already which will dissuade him from doing the same, UNLESS he can manage to graduate this year. So this might be a “one year only” thing. (And neither played anywhere near this level last year).

(01-08-2024 06:40 PM)EMUGLORYDAYSthe90s Wrote:  

(01-08-2024 08:51 AM)EagleSam Wrote:  After a slow start coming back from his ankle injury, Orlando Lovejoy has elevated his play over the last 5 games:

15.6 ppg (54% from the field), 4.6 rpg, and 2.8 apg, on top of playing lights out defense. He’s turning into the player we were hoping for. EMU’s best backcourt since the 90s?

I'd still take Lee and Bond over Acuff and Lovejoy! Bonds length was special! We also had Jackson and Mangum off the bench! That explains the 23 wins that season! The 90's was in a league of its own! Boykins, Tolbert, Dial, Neely were all time greats!

Tim Bond was an ATHLETE! He was the best defender at EMU in recent history.

That said, he did not chase guards like Lovejoy does now. He played the back wing on the Murphy 2-3 zone and NEVER brought the ball up court like Orlando does now. He did not handle or shoot the ball well, instead he could dunk over most guys in the MAC. He was splendid but his skill sets were not suited for the backcourt.

Ray Lee is another issue. I remember going ga-ga about Emoni's performance at Toledo last year and then I re-watched what Ray did to CMU in 2017. Not even close. Could have, would have, should have. He or Murph certainly squandered a HUGE amount of talent.

EMU is a 5 pt favorite. Hmmm...

(01-08-2024 09:37 PM)TheWoodenNickle Wrote:  EMU is a 5 pt favorite. Hmmm...

I am not sure if that is a good bet or not. I do expect EMU to win at home against CMU. However, all of their games except 3 or 4 (all losses) have been very narrow margins. I prefer taking EMU when they are underdogs.

(01-09-2024 10:12 AM)RamyEMU Wrote:  

(01-08-2024 09:37 PM)TheWoodenNickle Wrote:  EMU is a 5 pt favorite. Hmmm...

I am not sure if that is a good bet or not. I do expect EMU to win at home against CMU. However, all of their games except 3 or 4 (all losses) have been very narrow margins. I prefer taking EMU when they are underdogs.

EMU absolutely should be 10-6, and 3-1 in the MAC after these next two games! Acuff should be the best player on the court! Only Akron on paper is significantly better then us this season! MAC basketball is way down versus the past few seasons!

Central is on fire from three, but only lead by 2. Those shots will stop falling.

CMU is beating us on the boards but giving the ball back on turnovers.

Hmmm, ugly game…

In my 28 years of EMU basketball I never ever seen a team shoot this good. Over 60% from the floor and close to 70% from beyond the arc. What happened to our defense?

Ouch.

I've seen worse but it's been awhile.

Back in the day, when EMU played basketball at a level that was highly respected in the Midwest, our fans used to start each game on their feet, clapping, yelling and cheering the team to play smothering defense that lasted until the opposing team scored. Often times, the raucous cheering would last several minutes while the EMU players fed off the crowd energy.This support gave the EMU team energy on dreary games played on Tuesdays where the crowd demanded a great start to every home game. Clearly a home court advantage!


Fast forward 25 years, season after season of enormous losses and uninspiring play, today I got the sense that EMU has no upward trajectory. It’s a collection of good players but missing key pieces to make it a consistently good team led by a coach who is just happy to be here but no drive to get the team to the top. This season undoubtedly will be another season where losses pile up while the fan base ponders what direction does EMU basketball go in the future???


Just a very embarrassing effort by coaches and players today!

(01-09-2024 09:30 PM)Luckeyone Wrote:  Back in the day, when EMU played basketball at a level that was highly respected in the Midwest, our fans used to start each game on their feet, clapping, yelling and cheering the team to play smothering defense that lasted until the opposing team scored. Often times, the raucous cheering would last several minutes while the EMU players fed off the crowd energy.This support gave the EMU team energy on dreary games played on Tuesdays where the crowd demanded a great start to every home game. Clearly a home court advantage!


Fast forward 25 years, season after season of enormous losses and uninspiring play, today I got the sense that EMU has no upward trajectory. It’s a collection of good players but missing key pieces to make it a consistently good team led by a coach who is just happy to be here but no drive to get the team to the top. This season undoubtedly will be another season where losses pile up while the fan base ponders what direction does EMU basketball go in the future???


Just a very embarrassing effort by coaches and players today!

Preach preach preach! Phenomenal post! Bowen field house was standing room only packed to the rafters! Boykins should be hired tomorrow! He truly understands the GLORY DAYS! Even if we go 16-15, 17-14! Tod K lost his entire team from last season, and they're 3-0 in the MAC! W Mich looks like a different team quick!

(01-09-2024 09:30 PM)Luckeyone Wrote:  Back in the day, when EMU played basketball at a level that was highly respected in the Midwest, our fans used to start each game on their feet, clapping, yelling and cheering the team to play smothering defense that lasted until the opposing team scored. Often times, the raucous cheering would last several minutes while the EMU players fed off the crowd energy.This support gave the EMU team energy on dreary games played on Tuesdays where the crowd demanded a great start to every home game. Clearly a home court advantage!


Fast forward 25 years, season after season of enormous losses and uninspiring play, today I got the sense that EMU has no upward trajectory. It’s a collection of good players but missing key pieces to make it a consistently good team led by a coach who is just happy to be here but no drive to get the team to the top. This season undoubtedly will be another season where losses pile up while the fan base ponders what direction does EMU basketball go in the future???


Just a very embarrassing effort by coaches and players today!

Lucky you make valid points on the total state and direction of the program. I think it is clear that Stan was not our best hire.

This loss, however, does not disturb me as much as you. I thought the players hustled and worked, unlike last year's edition. If you were to tell me before the game that CMU was going shoot 61% from the field, 65% beyond the arc and that Acuff was only going to score 13 points, this result could have been predicted.

This game was beyond disappointing for sure. The announcers said, “the team has to throw this game away… just move on.” Hope this one does not rattle the players, because was an otherwise fine start to the MAC season.

What really disappoints me is that WMU is now 3-0. Been a very surprising MAC season so far.

(01-09-2024 09:48 PM)EMUGLORYDAYSthe90s Wrote:  

(01-09-2024 09:30 PM)Luckeyone Wrote:  Back in the day, when EMU played basketball at a level that was highly respected in the Midwest, our fans used to start each game on their feet, clapping, yelling and cheering the team to play smothering defense that lasted until the opposing team scored. Often times, the raucous cheering would last several minutes while the EMU players fed off the crowd energy.This support gave the EMU team energy on dreary games played on Tuesdays where the crowd demanded a great start to every home game. Clearly a home court advantage!


Fast forward 25 years, season after season of enormous losses and uninspiring play, today I got the sense that EMU has no upward trajectory. It’s a collection of good players but missing key pieces to make it a consistently good team led by a coach who is just happy to be here but no drive to get the team to the top. This season undoubtedly will be another season where losses pile up while the fan base ponders what direction does EMU basketball go in the future???


Just a very embarrassing effort by coaches and players today!

Preach preach preach! Phenomenal post! Bowen field house was standing room only packed to the rafters! Boykins should be hired tomorrow! He truly understands the GLORY DAYS! Even if we go 16-15, 17-14! Tod K lost his entire team from last season, and they're 3-0 in the MAC! W Mich looks like a different team quick!

Oh those Bowen days! Those crowds were fueled by students, not a bunch of retirees who have bad knees! I counted 11 students in the student section. Thank goodness for the pep band who brought the only energy I saw all night.

CMU had a historical 3 point shooting night. Not probable they will shoot that well again. But going back to the Oakland U game teams have found that if they can limit Acuff in some way it greatly increases their chance of winning. See Kent St and CMU. Lovejoy fills part of that gap but maybe not enough.