EASTERN MICHIGAN EAGLES
LAST TWO WEEKS: W vs. WMU, 86-80; L @ AKR, 70-63; L vs. BSU, 88-80; W vs. MIA, 74-57
OVERALL RECORD: 13-8, 5-3 MAC
Considering who Eastern Michigan played over the last two weeks, it was a pretty average four-game stretch that was largely expected. Their two wins are against teams with a combined 15-26 record overall in Western Michigan and Miami-OH, while their two losses are to the two MAC division leaders in Akron and Ball State, a combined 32-10 record.
Still, EMU holds a solid mark at 13-7, tied for 2nd place in the West Division behind aforementioned Ball State. And it’s appearing more and more like as sophomore James Thompson IV goes, so do the Eagles. In their last two wins, Thompson had 26 points in each game. In the two defeats, he had a combined 12 points. In the team’s eight losses this season, he’s average just 8.4 PPG. When the Eagles win, that average more than doubles to 17.3. Simply put, opponents put more focus on him when he’s right, leaving open shots for other guys like Willie Mangum IV and Ray Lee.
Thompson and the balanced Eagles offense look to maneuver through a tricky stretch of games over the next couple weeks:
- Tuesday, January 31 – vs. Kent State (11-10, 3-5 MAC) | 7 p.m. ET on ESPN3
- Saturday, February 4 – @ No. Illinois (13-8, 5-3 MAC) | 4:30 p.m. ET on ESPN3
- Tuesday, February 7 – @ Toledo (11-10, 4-4 MAC) | 7 p.m. ET
- Friday, February 10 – vs. Akron (18-3, 8-0 MAC) | 7 p.m. ET on ESPNU or WatchESPN
