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YPSILANTI, Mich. – Coming off an emphatic first home win, the IU Indianapolis men’s basketball team will head back on the road on Friday night (Nov. 14) when the Jaguars head to Eastern Michigan (1-1) for a non-conference tilt. Friday’s game will be broadcast on ESPN+ and can be heard locally on 1430 Indy’s Sports Ticket as Jimmy Cook (pxp) is on the call.
Friday’s game caps a home-and-home series as the two schools met in Indianapolis last season.
This year’s Jaguars (1-3) are coming off a 121-77 victory over IU Columbus in front of 5,568 fans inside Corteva Coliseum. Fifth-year senior Matt Compas led four Jaguars in double-digits with 19 points on 8-of-9 shooting and sophomore Micah Davis scored a career-high 17 points, including three threes. Aiden Miller came off the bench with a career high 13 points, five rebounds, five assists and five steals, and Finley Woodward added 12 points and eight rebounds.
The Jaguars collected a school record 25 steals, forcing 36 IU Columbus turnovers. After leading by just 10 at intermission, the Jaguars scored 73 second half points in racing to a 44-point win. The team’s 38 assists fell just one shy of tying a program record as well.
QUOTABLE
“I think (the win) is going to give some guys confidence. Winning solves a lot of issues. It’s been a locker room that’s kind of been somber a little bit, but I think winning solves a lot of those issues. I think the energy will be better and we’ve got a pivotal game on Friday,” head coach Ben Howlett said following the IU Columbus win.
SCOUTING EASTERN MICHIGAN
EMU is 1-1 to start the season with a win over Georgia State and a road loss at Pitt. The Eagles have held opponents to just 39.8 percent shooting for the season while outrebounding opponents by 6.5 rebounds per game. Carlos Hart is averaging 16.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game while Mohammad Habhab checks in at 15.0 points and 11.5 rebounds per game while also leading the team in assists (6) and blocked shots (3).
INSIDE THE SERIES
IU Indy is just 1-4 all-time against EMU with the lone win having been an 83-71 victory in Indianapolis on Nov. 19, 2016. The lone meeting in Ypsilanti was as 67-64 defeat to EMU back in 2000. EMU won last year’s game inside the Jungle, 74-71.
UP NEXT
The Jaguars will travel to Charleston, S.C., to take on Charleston Southern on Tuesday night (Nov. 18) on ESPN+.
