# 2017–18 Eastern Michigan Eagles men's basketball team

The 2017–18 Eastern Michigan Eagles men's basketball team represented Eastern Michigan University during the 2017–18 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Eagles, led by seventh-year head coach Rob Murphy, played their home games at the Convocation Center in Ypsilanti, Michigan as members of the West Division of the Mid-American Conference. They finished the season 22–13, 11–7 in MAC play to finish in second place in the West Division. They defeated Akron in the quarterfinals of the MAC tournament before losing in the semifinals to Toledo. They were invited to the CollegeInsider.com Tournament where they defeated Niagara in the first round before losing in the second round to Sam Houston State.

## Previous season

They finished the 2016–17 regular season 15–16, 7–11 in MAC play to finish in a tie for eighth place. Due to tiebreaking rules, they received the No. 8 seed in the MAC tournament. They beat Northern Illinois in the opening round of the MAC Tournament but ultimately lost to the No. 1 seed Akron Zips in the quarterfinals.

## Offseason
### Departures

| Name | Number | Pos. | Height | Weight | Year | Hometown | Notes |
| Ray Lee | 0 | G | 6'3" | 190 | RS Senior | Detroit, MI | Graduated |
| Willie Mangum IV | 10 | G | 6'1" | 220 | Senior | Richmond, VA | Graduated |
| Blake Brown | 20 | F | 6'7" | 175 | RS Sophomore | Novi, MI | Transferred to Rochester College |
| Quaran Jones | 21 | F | 6'7" | 225 | RS Senior | Fargo, ND | Graduated |
| Lamar Wofford-Humphrey | 23 | F | 6'9" | 225 | RS Junior | Chicago, IL | Transferred to Omaha |
| Ty Toney | 32 | G | 6'3" | 220 | RS Senior | Atlanta, GA | Graduated |
| Nick Madray | 35 | F | 6'9" | 220 | RS Senior | Mississauga, Ontario | Graduate transfer to Wagner |
| Baylee Steele | 40 | C | 6'11" | 235 | Sophomore | Norwalk, IA | Transferred to Utah Valley |

### Incoming transfers

| Name | Number | Pos. | Height | Weight | Year | Hometown | Previous School |
| Malik Ellison | 0 | G | 5'8" | 160 | Freshman | Flint, MI | Beecher |
| Bud Jones | 20 | F | 6'8" | 250 | Freshman | Anderson, SC | TL Hanna |
| Kevin McAdoo | 21 | G | 6'2" | 162 | Freshman | West Bloomfield, MI | West Bloomfield |
| Tariq Silver | 22 | G | 6'5" | 185 | Freshman | Clarksville, TN | Northwest |
| Jorden Peterson | 23 | G | 6'4" | 175 | Freshman | Detroit, MI | CMA |
| Jalen King | 30 | F | 6'9" | 204 | Freshman | Pasco, WA | Kings Academy |
| Ty Groce | 31 | F | 6'7" | 195 | RS Freshman | Ypsilanti, MI | Lincoln |
| Isaiah Green | 32 | F | 6'7" | 200 | Junior | Southfield, MI | Lansing Community College |
| Derek Ballard Jr. | 33 | F | 6'8" | 220 | Freshman | Southfield, MI | Southfield-Lathrup |

## Preseason

In the MAC preseason poll, the Eagles were picked to finish in fourth place in the MAC West Division.

## Accolades

MAC West Division Preseason All-MAC Team
* James Thompson IV
Hoosier Tipoff Classic All-Tournament Team
* Elijah Minnie
MAC West Division Player of the Week
* James Thompson IV (Dec. 18)

## Schedule and results

| Date time, TV | Rank$^#$ | Opponent$^#$ | Result | Record | High points | High rebounds | High assists | Site (attendance) city, state |
| Non-conference regular season |||||||||
| November 10, 2017* 10:30 am, ESPN3 | | Spring Arbor Education Day | W 92–60 | 1–0 | 22 – Minnie | 14 – Thompson IV | 5 – Tied | Convocation Center (4,767) Ypsilanti, MI |
| November 12, 2017* 2:00 pm, ESPN3 | | UM–Dearborn | W 97–73 | 2–0 | 27 – Minnie | 13 – Thompson IV | 6 – Bond | Convocation Center (774) Ypsilanti, MI |
| November 16, 2017* 7:00 pm, ESPN3 | | Arkansas State Hoosier Tip-Off Classic | W 76–59 | 3–0 | 23 – Thompson IV | 11 – Thompson IV | 7 – Jackson | Convocation Center (741) Ypsilanti, MI |
| November 18, 2017* 2:00 AM, ESPN3 | | Howard Hoosier Tip-Off Classic | W 76–66 | 4–0 | 21 – Minnie | 14 – Thompson IV | 6 – Jackson | Convocation Center (819) Ypsilanti, MI |
| November 24, 2017* 4:30 pm, BTN | | at Indiana Hoosier Tip-Off Classic | L 67–87 | 4–1 | 20 – Minnie | 8 – Thompson IV | 5 – Jackson | Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall (12,024) Bloomington, IN |
| November 26, 2017* 4:00 pm, ESPN3 | | at South Florida Hoosier Tip-Off Classic | W 65–47 | 5–1 | 15 – Jackson | 11 – Thompson IV | 3 – Tied | USF Sun Dome (2,050) Tampa, FL |
| November 29, 2017* 7:00 pm, ESPN3 | | at North Florida | L 81—84 $^{OT}$ | 5—2 | 29 – Thompson IV | 15 – Thompson IV | 4 – Bond | UNF Arena (1,589) Jacksonville, FL |
| December 6, 2017* 7:00 pm, ESPN3 | | Oakland | W 95–89 | 6–2 | 24 – 3 tied | 12 – Tied | 6 – Jackson | Convocation Center (1,666) Ypsilanti, MI |
| December 09, 2017* 2:00 pm, ESPN3 | | Central State | W 80–65 | 7–2 | 19 – Tied | 18 – Thompson IV | 5 – Jackson | Convocation Center (987) Ypsilanti, MI |
| December 16, 2017* 4:00 pm | | at Long Beach State | W 85–80 | 8–2 | 23 – Minnie | 11 – Thompson IV | 7 – Jackson | Walter Pyramid (2,391) Long Beach, CA |
| December 22, 2017* 7:00 pm, ESPN3 | | at Oakland | L 81–86 | 8–3 | 25 – Jackson | 9 – Thompson IV | 6 – Jackson | Athletics Center O'rena (3,661) Auburn Hills, MI |
| December 27, 2017* 7:00 pm, ESPN2 | | at Syracuse | L 47–62 | 8–4 | 13 – Minnie | 9 – Thompson IV | 3 – Tied | Carrier Dome (21,925) Syracuse, NY |
| December 29, 2017* 2:00 pm, ESPN3 | | Rochester | W 67–48 | 9–4 | 12 – Tied | 8 – Thompson IV | 5 – Jackson | Convocation Center (1,124) Ypsilanti, MI |
| MAC regular season |||||||||
| January 2, 2018 7:00 pm, ESPN3 | | Ball State | L 62–72 | 9–5 (0–1) | 25 – Minnie | 8 – Thompson IV | 4 – Jackson | Worthen Arena (3,025) Muncie, IN |
| January 6, 2018 12:00 pm, ESPN3 | | Bowling Green | L 71–75 $^{OT}$ | 9–6 (0–2) | 21 – Jackson | 14 – Thompson IV | 5 – Jackson | Convocation Center (1,253) Ypsilanti, MI |
| January 9, 2018 7:00 pm, ESPN3 | | Central Michigan Michigan MAC Trophy | W 79–74 | 10–6 (1–2) | 25 – Minnie | 12 – Thompson IV | 6 – Jackson | Convocation Center (1,623) Ypsilanti, MI |
| January 13, 2018 3:30 pm, ESPN3 | | at Northern Illinois | L 66–72 | 10–7 (1–3) | 19 – Jackson | 12 – Thompson IV | 3 – Jackson | Convocation Center (1,144) DeKalb, IL |
| January 16, 2018 7:00 pm, ESPN3 | | Akron | W 63–49 | 11–7 (2–3) | 22 – Minnie | 8 – Thompson IV | 4 – Jackson | Convocation Center (1,254) Ypsilanti, MI |
| January 20, 2018 2:00 pm, ESPN3 | | Ohio | L 66–72 | 11–8 (2–4) | 21 – Thompson IV | 14 – Thompson IV | 3 – Jackson | Convocation Center (1,513) Ypsilanti, MI |
| January 23, 2018 7:00 pm, ESPN3 | | at Buffalo | L 69–83 | 11–9 (2–5) | 20 – Jackson | 16 – Thompson IV | 4 – Jackson | Alumni Arean (2,966) Amherst, NY |
| January 27, 2018 3:30 pm, ESPN3 | | at Miami (OH) | W 58–48 | 12–9 (3–5) | 15 – Jackson | 11 – Thompson IV | 5 – Bond | Millett Hall (1,528) Oxford, OH |
| January 30, 2018 7:00 pm, ESPN3 | | Western Michigan Michigan MAC Trophy | L 57–71 | 12–10 (3–6) | 24 – Thompson IV | 18 – Thompson IV | 4 – Tied | Convocation Center (2,422) Ypsilanti, MI |
| February 3, 2018 12:00 pm, ESPN3 | | Ball State | W 58–41 | 13–10 (4–6) | 22 – Minnie | 14 – Thompson IV | 3 – Tied | Convocation Center (1,517) Ypsilanti, MI |
| February 6, 2018 7:00 pm, ESPN3 | | at Kent State | W 71–67 | 14–10 (5–6) | 17 – Jackson | 8 – Tied | 8 – Jackson | MAC Center (2,373) Kent, OH |
| February 10, 2018 4:00 pm, ESPN3 | | at Bowling Green | L 63–70 $^{OT}$ | 14–11 (5–7) | 17 – Minnie | 11 – Thompson IV | 5 – Jackson | Stroh Center (1,918) Bowling Green, OH |
| February 13, 2018 7:00 pm, ESPN3 | | Miami (OH) | W 58–57 | 15–11 (6–7) | 24 – Minnie | 14 – Thompson IV | 4 – Bond | Convocation Center (1,331) Ypsilanti, MI |
| February 17, 2018 4:30 pm, ESPN3 | | at Central Michigan Michigan MAC Trophy | W 72–67 | 16–11 (7–7) | 22 – Thompson IV | 14 – Thompson IV | 5 – Bond | McGuirk Arena (2,795) Mount Pleasant, MI |
| February 20, 2018 7:00 pm, ESPN3 | | Toledo | W 85–79 | 17–11 (8–7) | 23 – Tied | 7 – Thompson IV | 10 – Jackson | Convocation Center (984) Ypsilanti, MI |
| February 24, 2018 12:00 pm, ESPN3 | | Northern Illinois | W 82–53 | 18–11 (9–7) | 26 – Minnie | 8 – Thompson IV | 5 – Tied | Convocation Center (1,821) Ypsilanti, MI |
| February 27, 2018 7:00 pm, ESPN3 | | at Western Michigan Michigan MAC Trophy | W 74–58 | 19–11 (10–7) | 18 – Minnie | 9 – Minnie | 8 – Jackson | University Arean (2,610) Kalamazoo, MI |
| March 2, 2018 7:00 pm, ESPN3 | | at Toledo | W 71–69 | 20–11 (11–7) | 25 – Minnie | 8 – Tied | 6 – Bond | Savage Arena (4,291) Toledo,OH |
| MAC Tournament |||||||||
| March 8, 2018 9:00 pm, ESPN3 | (3) | (11) Akron Quarterfinals | W 67–58 | 21–11 | 21 – Minnie | 14 – Minnie | 5 – Jackson | Quicken Loans Arena (2,605) Cleveland, OH |
| March 9, 2018 9:00 pm, ESPN3 | (3) | (2) Toledo Semifinals | L 63–64 | 21–12 | 26 – Jackson | 8 – Bond | 5 – Jackson | Quicken Loans Arena (4,625) Cleveland, OH |
| CIT |||||||||
| March 14, 2018* 7:00 pm | | Niagara First round | W 83–65 | 22–12 | 29 – Minnie | 16 – Thompson IV | 8 – Bond | Convocation Center (1,138) Ypsilanti, MI |
| March 19, 2018* 7:30 pm | | at Sam Houston State Second round | L 62–69 | 22–13 | 23 – McAdoo | 14 – Thompson IV | 7 – Jackson | Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum (322) Huntsville, TX |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. All times are in Eastern Time Source. |||||||||

## Game notes
### Spring Arbor

* Education Day
* Game in memory of Mike Radomski
* First game in NCAA Division I 2017–18 basketball season

### UofM Dearborn

* James Thompson IV moved into 2nd place on Eastern Michigan's all-time list for double-doubles with 41.

### Arkansas State

* James Thompson IV eclipsed the career 1,000-point mark
* James Thompson IV moves into 8th place on Eastern Michigan's all-time list for rebounds

### Oakland

* First time since 1985 that Eastern had three players score 20-or-more points in a single game against a Division I opponent (Jackson, Minnie, Thompson IV)

### Central State

* Family Day