The 2017–18 Eastern Michigan Eagles men's basketball team represented Eastern Michigan University during the 2017–18 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Eagles, led by seventh-year head coach Rob Murphy, played their home games at the Convocation Center in Ypsilanti, Michigan as members of the West Division of the Mid-American Conference. They finished the season 22–13, 11–7 in MAC play to finish in second place in the West Division. They defeated Akron in the quarterfinals of the MAC tournament before losing in the semifinals to Toledo. They were invited to the CollegeInsider.com Tournament where they defeated Niagara in the first round before losing in the second round to Sam Houston State.
Previous season They finished the 2016–17 regular season 15–16, 7–11 in MAC play to finish in a tie for eighth place. Due to tiebreaking rules, they received the No. 8 seed in the MAC tournament. They beat Northern Illinois in the opening round of the MAC Tournament but ultimately lost to the No. 1 seed Akron Zips in the quarterfinals.
Offseason
Departures Name Number Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown Notes Ray Lee 0 G 6'3" 190 RS Senior Detroit, MI Graduated Willie Mangum IV 10 G 6'1" 220 Senior Richmond, VA Graduated Blake Brown 20 F 6'7" 175 RS Sophomore Novi, MI Transferred to Rochester College Quaran Jones 21 F 6'7" 225 RS Senior Fargo, ND Graduated Lamar Wofford-Humphrey 23 F 6'9" 225 RS Junior Chicago, IL Transferred to Omaha Ty Toney 32 G 6'3" 220 RS Senior Atlanta, GA Graduated Nick Madray 35 F 6'9" 220 RS Senior Mississauga, Ontario Graduate transfer to Wagner Baylee Steele 40 C 6'11" 235 Sophomore Norwalk, IA Transferred to Utah Valley
Incoming transfers Name Number Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown Previous School Malik Ellison 0 G 5'8" 160 Freshman Flint, MI Beecher Bud Jones 20 F 6'8" 250 Freshman Anderson, SC TL Hanna Kevin McAdoo 21 G 6'2" 162 Freshman West Bloomfield, MI West Bloomfield Tariq Silver 22 G 6'5" 185 Freshman Clarksville, TN Northwest Jorden Peterson 23 G 6'4" 175 Freshman Detroit, MI CMA Jalen King 30 F 6'9" 204 Freshman Pasco, WA Kings Academy Ty Groce 31 F 6'7" 195 RS Freshman Ypsilanti, MI Lincoln Isaiah Green 32 F 6'7" 200 Junior Southfield, MI Lansing Community College Derek Ballard Jr. 33 F 6'8" 220 Freshman Southfield, MI Southfield-Lathrup
Preseason In the MAC preseason poll, the Eagles were picked to finish in fourth place in the MAC West Division.
Roster
Accolades MAC West Division Preseason All-MAC Team James Thompson IV
Hoosier Tipoff Classic All-Tournament Team Elijah Minnie
MAC West Division Player of the Week James Thompson IV (Dec. 18)
Schedule and results
!colspan=9 style=| Non-conference regular season
!colspan=9 style=| MAC regular season
!colspan=9 style=| MAC Tournament
!colspan=9 style=| CIT
Game notes Spring Arbor Education Day Game in memory of Mike Radomski First game in NCAA Division I 2017–18 basketball season
UofM Dearborn James Thompson IV moved into 2nd place on Eastern Michigan's all-time list for double-doubles with 41.
Arkansas State James Thompson IV eclipsed the career 1,000-point mark James Thompson IV moves into 8th place on Eastern Michigan's all-time list for rebounds
Oakland First time since 1985 that Eastern had three players score 20-or-more points in a single game against a Division I opponent (Jackson, Minnie, Thompson IV)
Central State Family Day
See also 2016–17 Eastern Michigan Eagles women's basketball team
References