Central Michigan University Athletics
CMU Men Eye Revenge in Trip to EMU
2/8/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
CENTRAL MICHIGAN (13-10, 6-4 MAC) vs. EASTERN MICHIGAN (11-12, 3-7 MAC)
Tuesday, February 9 • 7:00 p.m. • Convocation Center
Game Notes: Central Michigan | Eastern Michigan
Watch: ESPN3
Listen: Central Michigan IMG Sports Network
Live Stats: EMUEagles.com
Twitter: @CMUMensBball
Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. - Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
The last time the Central Michigan men's basketball team took the court against Eastern Michigan, the Eagles scorched CMU in handing the Chippewas a 99-80 loss on Jan. 6 at McGuirk Arena.
The teams are scheduled to meet on Tuesday at EMU's Convocation Center (7 p.m.).
A lot has changed since that first meeting. The Chippewas are 13-10 overall, 6-4 MAC and share the top spot in the West Division with Ball State. Eastern Michigan, 11-12, 3-7, has lost seven of its last nine.
The Chippewas are coming off a 92-87 loss at Akron, which ended their win streak at four. In those four victories, CMU had played stingy defense, limiting those opponents to 56.5 points per game.
"I don't think there was much difference in that four-game winning streak and the game against Akron," CMU coach Keno Davis said. "Akron made 16 threes on us. We tried to take away their inside game and they beat us from the outside.
"I think those games against teams that can beat you both ways are tough to play, and I guess that's why they're (Akron) a great team. When we play those teams we know that we have to be better than we've been."
If the outcome with the Eagles is to be different this time around, the Chippewas will most certainly have to concern themselves with EMU guard Raven Lee and 6-foot-10 freshman center James Thompson.
Lee scored 32 points and Thompson had 19 points and 14 rebounds in the Eagles' first meeting with CMU. Thompson ranks eighth in the MAC at 15.7 points per game and is first (11.0) in rebounding and field goal percentage (.682).
Lee also averages 15.7 points per game, but hasn't appeared in enough of the Eagles' games to qualify for the league scoring championship.
Lee scored 46 points a week ago in a 94-69 victory over Miami (Ohio). The 46 points tied him for the highest-point output by a player in an NCAA Division I game this season. He was 9-of-11 from 3-point range and he came within a point of tying EMU's single-game record.
"You understand guys like Lee are explosive scorers," Davis said. "With Thompson inside, he's a difference maker both offensively and defensively.
"They're definitely at the top of your scouting report of guys that you have to focus on. I don't think you can completely take away from their other players as well. They can beat you and they have done that in the past. I think the teams are a little more defined now than they were in the last week of December or the first week of January. You have a better understanding of what these teams are trying to do to beat you."
While the Chippewas go to EMU with a measure of revenge on their minds, they can't lose sight of the ultimate goal, Davis said. Ball State - tied with the Chippewas for the top spot in the West -- visits McGuirk on Saturday (4:30 p.m.).
"I think the motivation is to see where you can finish in your conference," Davis said. "In a tie for the lead of our division with eight games remaining, we know how important each and every game is.
"They (Eastern) obviously had a great shooting night against us, but it's something that's helped us become a better team because of that game. We knew that we had a lot of games remaining and I think we've made the most of them."
And, Davis said, the Chippewas continue to focus on the big picture and their long-term goals.
"I think it's always your goal to win the conference tournament and the better seed that you have obviously gives you a better chance," he said. "We know that all of these games are important, yet it isn't going to define our season. We have to focus on how hard we can play and continue to get better. That's been our goal since day one and it will continue to be until we aren't playing anymore."
