MBB EMU Preview

BG's last ditch effort to close the gap and make it to Cleveland now moves to Ypsilanti for a road game against the Eagles.

The first game was tough for BG.  Marcus Johnson got 2 fouls in the first two minutes.  BG shot terrible for the game.  EMU made 10-20 from 3FG.  BG did well on turnovers, rebounding and free throws and against all odds, the lead was down to 1 with 1:25 left, EMU ball.  The Eagles scored the last 6 and won by 7.

Coach Simon called it disappointing. BG was 10 of 25 inside the restricted area.  That's a wow.  And an additional 2 of 5 in the non-restricted paint area. Coach mentioned that BG missed transition corner 3s that "have to go down."

BG will need to turn that around against an EMU team that has modestly exceeded expectations.

Picked 11th in the MAC, they are #7 right now.  They have won 3 straight in the MAC, beating UT and MU in YPSI and then rallying from 7 down in the last 1:21 to beat NIU in DeKalb.   They are 5-2 in MAC play at home and are going well right now.

Oregon and DePaul transfer Jalen Terry was MAC player of the week.  In this last four games, he has scored 25, 38, 24 and 28.  In the 38 vs. Toledo, he made 15 out of 17 shots. He also had 9 rebounds against Miami and he hit the 3FG that put NIU down in the last one.  He's playing as well as any player in the MAC right now.

He had 13, 8 rebounds and 5 assists in the first game vs. BG.

Overall, EMU is #8 in the MAC in offense and #9 in defense. They are #5 in shooting but #11 in turnovers...turnovers kept the first game close. They are #10 in fouling...FTs also kept the first one close.

BG is bound to shoot better than they did in the first one and BG is shorthanded, as you have no doubt heard by now.  Can they raise the emotion to the level they did to beat UT?