2014–15 Eastern Michigan Eagles men's basketball team

The 2014–15 Eastern Michigan Eagles men's basketball team represented Eastern Michigan University during the 2014–15 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Eagles, led by fourth year head coach Rob Murphy, played their home games at the Eastern Michigan University Convocation Center, as members of the West Division of the Mid-American Conference. They finished the season 21–14, 8–10 in MAC play to finish in a tie for fourth place in the West Division. They advanced to the quarterfinals of the MAC tournament where they lost to Toledo. They were invited to the College Basketball Invitational where they lost in the first round to Louisiana–Monroe.

2014–15 Eastern Michigan Eagles men's basketball
CBI, First round
ConferenceMid-American Conference
DivisionWest Division
Record21–14 (8–10 MAC)
Head coach
Assistant coaches
  • Mike Brown
  • Kevin Mondro
  • Benny White
Home arenaConvocation Center
Seasons
2014–15 Mid-American Conference men's basketball standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT
East
Buffalo 12 6   .667 23 10   .697
Kent State 12 6   .667 23 12   .657
Bowling Green 11 7   .611 21 12   .636
Akron 9 9   .500 21 14   .600
Miami 8 10   .444 13 19   .406
Ohio 5 13   .278 10 20   .333
West
Central Michigan 12 6   .667 23 9   .719
Toledo 11 7   .611 20 13   .606
Western Michigan 10 8   .556 20 14   .588
Eastern Michigan 8 10   .444 21 14   .600
Northern Illinois 8 10   .444 14 16   .467
Ball State 2 16   .111 7 23   .233
2015 MAC tournament winner

Roster additions

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  • SF Brandon Nazione from Des Moines Area Community College to EMU where he was a Division II Second-Team All-American.[1]
  • Jerome Hunter from Alabama A&M
  • Anali Okoloji from George Mason.
  • PF Jordan Nobles (Canton HS)
  • PG Ethan Alvano (Corona HS)
  • SG Tim Bond (Baltimore City College HS)
  • PF Tristan Wilson (Skyline HS).
  • Matt Cline joined the EMU basketball staff as the Director of Men's Basketball Operations in 2014.[2]

Two players transferred away from EMU after the 2013/14 season, Jalen Ross will be going to Hartford & Darrell Combs to IUPUI. Former EMU standout and NBA player Carl Thomas was hired by Jackson College as Head Coach of the men's basketball team.[3]

Preseason accolades

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Senior forward Karrington Ward was named the 15th-best defensive player in the country according to BleacherReport.com.[4]

Roster

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# Player Position Height Weight Year Hometown
0 Raven Lee G 6–3 180 R–SO Detroit, MI
1 Mike Talley G 6–0 176 R–SR Detroit, MI
3 Anali Okoloji F 6–8 232 R–SR Brooklyn, NY
4 Brandon Nazione F 6–8 215 JR Howell, MI
5 Jodan Price G/F 6–7 180 R–SO Indianapolis, IN
10 Tim Bond G 6–6 170 FR Baltimore, MD
12 Olalekan Ajayi F/C 6–11 245 JR Winston-Salem, NC
13 Trent Perry G 6–4 175 R–FR Franklin, TN
14 Karrington Ward F 6–7 186 SR Lockport, IL
15 Jordan Nobles F 6–9 190 FR Canton, MI
20 Ali Farhat G 6–0 160 SO Dearborn, MI
21 Jerome Hunter F 6–9 250 GR Buffalo, NY
22 Jordan Martin G 6–3 195 R–JR Detroit, MI
25 Ethan Alvano G 6–1 170 FR Corona, CA
30 Mike Samuels C 6–11 285 R–JR Bushkill, Pennsylvania

[5]

Schedule

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Date
time, TV
Opponent Result Record Site (attendance)
city, state
Regular season
11/14/2014*
1:00 pm
St. Francis (IL)
EMU Showcase
W 64–52  1–0
Convocation Center (2,859)
Ypsilanti, MI
11/17/2014*
7:00 pm
Oakland W 89–77  2–0
Convocation Center (863)
Ypsilanti, MI
11/21/2014*
7:00 pm
Youngstown State
EMU Showcase
W 71–62  3–0
Convocation Center (680)
Ypsilanti, MI
11/22/2014*
7:00 pm
UNC Greensboro
EMU Showcase
W 70–62  4–0
Convocation Center (624)
Ypsilanti, MI
11/23/2014*
2:30 pm
Longwood
EMU Showcase
W 79–48  5–0
Convocation Center (395)
Ypsilanti, MI
11/26/2014*
12:00 pm
Rochester (MI) W 68–35  6–0
Convocation Center (192)
Ypsilanti, MI
12/01/2014*
7:00 pm
Marygrove W 83–52  7–0
Convocation Center (272)
Ypsilanti, MI
12/06/2014*
2:00 pm, FSOH
at Dayton L 64–73  7–1
UD Arena (12,243)
Dayton, OH
12/09/2014*
9:00 pm, ESPNU
at Michigan W 45–42  8–1
Crisler Center (11,926)
Ann Arbor, MI
12/17/2014*
9:00 pm, BTN
at No. 25 Michigan State L 46–66  8–2
Breslin Center (14,797)
East Lansing, MI
12/20/2014*
3:00 pm
at Missouri State W 77–65  9–2
JQH Arena (5,013)
Springfield, MO
12/23/2014*
6:00 pm
Coppin State W 87–64  10–2
Convocation Center (827)
Ypsilanti, MI
12/28/2014*
1:00 pm
Concordia (MI) W 100–42  11–2
Convocation Center (564)
Ypsilanti, MI
01/07/2015
7:00 pm
Ball State L 59–60 OT 11–3 (0–1)
Convocation Center (1,036)
Ypsilanti, MI
01/10/2015
5:30 pm
at Miami (OH) L 81–82 OT 11–4 (0–2)
Millett Hall (987)
Oxford, OH
01/14/2015
7:00 pm
at Kent State L 59–65  11–5 (0–3)
MAC Center (2,892)
Kent, OH
01/17/2015
12:00 pm, ESPN3
Northern Illinois W 54–46  12–5 (1–3)
Convocation Center (786)
Ypsilanti, MI
01/21/2015
7:00 pm, ESPN3
at Bowling Green L 58–74  12–6 (1–4)
Stroh Center (2,314)
Bowling Green, OH
01/24/2015
4:30 pm, ESPN3
at Central Michigan
Michigan MAC Trophy
L 51–65  12–7 (1–5)
McGuirk Arena (4,041)
Mount Pleasant, MI
01/27/2015
7:00 pm
Ohio W 76–40  13–7 (2–5)
Convocation Center (837)
Ypsilanti, MI
01/31/2015
12:00 pm
Western Michigan
Michigan MAC Trophy
W 69–63  14–7 (3–5)
Convocation Center (1,018)
Ypsilanti, MI
02/04/2015
7:00 pm, ESPN3
at Toledo L 60–84  14–8 (3–6)
Savage Arena (4,532)
Toledo, OH
02/07/2015
2:00 pm
at Ohio L 73–76  14–9 (3–7)
Convocation Center (9,586)
Athens, OH
02/10/2015
7:00 pm
Miami (OH) W 83–69  15–9 (4–7)
Convocation Center (460)
Ypsilanti, MI
02/14/2015
2:30 pm
Akron W 78–75  16–9 (5–7)
Convocation Center (1,101)
Ypsilanti, MI
02/18/2015
7:00 pm
Buffalo L 63–78  16–10 (5–8)
Convocation Center (739)
Ypsilanti, MI
02/21/2015
8:00 pm, ESPN3
at Northern Illinois W 73–65  17–10 (6–8)
Convocation Center (2,302)
DeKalb, IL
02/24/2015
7:00 pm
Central Michigan
Michigan MAC Trophy
L 56–72  17–11 (6–9)
Convocation Center (731)
Ypsilanti, MI
02/28/2015
4:30 pm
at Western Michigan
Michigan MAC Trophy
L 72–80  17–12 (6–10)
University Arena (3,188)
Kalamazoo, MI
03/03/2015
7:00 pm, ESPN3
at Ball State W 67–60  18–12 (7–10)
John E. Worthen Arena (2,295)
Muncie, IN
03/06/2015
7:00 pm
Toledo W 85–59  19–12 (8–10)
Convocation Center (1,494)
Ypsilanti, MI
MAC tournament
03/09/2015
7:30 pm
Miami (OH)
First round
W 62–61 OT 20–12
Convocation Center (827)
Ypsilanti, MI
03/11/2015
6:30 pm, ESPN3
vs. Bowling Green
Second round
W 73–67  21–12
Quicken Loans Arena (2,411)
Cleveland, OH
03/12/2015
6:30 pm, ESPN3
vs. Toledo
Quarterfinals
L 67–78  21–13
Quicken Loans Arena (4,502)
Cleveland, OH
College Basketball Invitational
03/18/2015*
8:00 pm
at Louisiana–Monroe
First round
L 67–71  21–14
Fant–Ewing Coliseum (3,003)
Monroe, LA
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
All times are in Eastern Time.

MAC Leaders

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[6]

INDIVIDUAL PLAYER GAME HIGHS

  • Free throw percentage
    • Mike Talley- 1.000 (9-9)(at Ball State (3/3/15)
    • Raven Lee- 1.000(8-8) vs Bowling Green (3/11/15)
  • Steals
    • Raven Lee- 6 vs Coppin State (12/23/14)
    • Mike Talley- 6 at Ball State (3/3/15)
  • Blocked Shots
    • Karrington Ward 6 vs Coppin State (12/23/14)
  • Turnovers
    • Raven Lee- 8 vs Akron (02/14/15)

Team Highs

  • Margin
    • 58 (100-42) vs Concordia (12/28/14)
  • Rebounds
    • 59 vs Marygrove (12/01/14)
  • Steals
    • 17 vs Longwood (11/23/14)
  • Blocked Shots
    • 10 vs Coppin State (12/23/14)
    • 10 vs Ball State (1/07/15)

Opponent Lows

  • Points
    • 35 vs Rochester (11/26/14)
  • Field Goals Made
    • 11 vs Rochester (11/26/14)
    • 13 vs Ohio (01/27/15)
  • Field Goal Attempts
    • 39 at Northern Illinois (02/21/15)
  • Field Goal Percentage
    • .224 vs Rochester (11/26/14)
    • .228 vs Ohio (01/27/15)
  • Free Throws Made
    • 1 vs Saint Francis (11/14/14)
  • Free Throws Attempted
    • 2 vs Saint Francis (11/14/14)
  • Fouls
    • 9 vs Ohio (01/27/15)

MAC Statistic Leaders

  • Field Goal Pct Defense- .401
  • Steals- 8.9

MAC Player of the Week[7]

  • Nov. 24, 2014 Raven Lee
  • Feb. 16, 2015 Karrington Ward
  • Mar. 07, 2015 Mike Talley

Academic All MAC

  • Olalekan Ajayi
  • Trent Perry

3rd Team All-MAC

  • 2015 Raven Lee

MAC Honorable Mention

  • 2015 Karrington Ward

References

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  1. ^ "Des Moines Area Community College".
  2. ^ "Matt Cline Named Director of Men's Basketball Operations".
  3. ^ "Jackson College Athletics". Archived from the original on August 10, 2014. Retrieved August 9, 2014.
  4. ^ "Ward Named 15th-Best Defender in the NCAA by Bleacher Report".
  5. ^ "The Official Website of Eastern Michigan Athletics 2017-18 Men's Basketball Roster".
  6. ^ "2014-15 MAC Men's Basketball - Game Highs & Lows". mac-sports.com. Retrieved November 21, 2015.
  7. ^ "The Mid-American Conference - Men's Basketball Players of the Week". www.mac-sports.com. Retrieved January 16, 2016.