Eastern Michigan basketball: Eagles look to soar through MAC
By Doug Winkey
Eastern Michigan basketball is ready to soar up the MAC standings in 2017-2018. Here is a look at some of the firepower the Eagles will bring to the table.
Last year was a disappointment for Eastern Michigan basketball. The Eagles went just 7-11 in the MAC and 16-17 overall. Then the team graduated several of their top scorers from 2016-2017. Those two things don’t project well, but there is reason to believe that the boys from Ypsilanti will challenge the rest of the Mid-American Conference this season.
Central to EMU’s efforts is James Thompson IV. The 6’10”, 210-pound junior from Baton Rouge is one of the MAC’s best players entering the year. Thompson was third on the team in scoring at 14.8 points per contest on 57% shooting and led the squad with 11.2 rebounds. He finished second in the conference in rebounding average and shooting accuracy. His double-double ability is nearly unmatched among his conference peers. Look for him to challenge for All-Conference accolades as he leads the team to potential victories.
Thompson’s production will go even further if gets help from a key supporter or two. Swing man Tim Bond is the second-leading returning scorer after putting up 9.1 points last year. Bond was one of the most well-rounded Eagles with 3.7 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.1 steals as well. The only thing Bond seemingly couldn’t do was shoot from deep; improving on his 32% mark from beyond the arc will make the 6’7″ Eagle a dangerous second fiddle to Thompson. Stretch forward Jordan Nobles (4.6 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 37% 3pt) is also an option to produce if he gets more opportunities.
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The MAC looks like it will have a down year. Programs like Akron and Kent State lost a lot of star power to graduation and attrition. EMU is in a prime spot to challenge the rest of the conference on the backs of Thompson and company.