The Eastern Michigan Eagles men's basketball team represents Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti, Michigan. The team currently competes in the Mid-American Conference (MAC). They have appeared in four NCAA Division I tournaments and have a 3–4 record, tied for third best among Michigan colleges. They reached the Sweet Sixteen in the 1991 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament and defeated the Duke Blue Devils in the first round of the 1996 tournament.
EMU has competed in the MAC since joining in 1972, and previously competed in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (1920–1926). The team last played in the NCAA tournament in 1998.
History
Ben Braun era Ben Braun served as head coach of the EMU men's basketball team from 1985 to 1996, before leaving to take over the head coaching duties at the University of California-Berkeley. In his 10 ½ seasons as EMU head coach, he led Eastern to its most successful decade as an NCAA Division I school, finishing as the winningest head coach in EMU history with a 185–132 record. During his tenure he was named Mid-American Conference Coach of the Year three times (1987–88, 1990–91, 1995–96). Those three seasons saw the Eagles win Mid-American Conference and MAC tournament championships and NCAA post-season tournament appearances, including a "Sweet 16" appearance in 1990–91. He also coached the 1994–95 team to EMU's first-ever National Invitation Tournament (NIT).
Milton Barnes era Following the departure of Ben Braun to California, Eastern Michigan hired Milton Barnes, he would spend four season as a head coach, earning 63 victories in those years.
Jim Boone era In 2001, EMU hired Jim Boone to lead its basketball program. Boone compiled a 48–96 record in 5 seasons at the helm.
Charles Ramsey era Ypsilanti native and EMU graduate Charles Ramsey was hired following the 2005 season. In his first game as head coach, Ramsey pulled off an upset over a Ben Braun coached California team, however that would be the highlight of his stint as head coach in Ypsilanti. After a 68–118 record in six years at the helm, EMU would fire Ramsey after the 2010–11 basketball season.
Rob Murphy era Rob Murphy, a Detroit native was hired in the spring of 2011 to take over for Charles Ramsey. Prior to EMU, Murphy spent seven years as an assistant coach at Syracuse under Jim Boeheim. In his first season, Murphy would lead the Eagles to a 14–18 record. However, with its 9–7 record in conference play, the Eagles took 1st place in the MAC-West. In 2021, he left the team to join the Motor City Cruise of the NBA G League as president and general manager.
Postseason
NCAA Tournament Division I results
The Eagles have appeared in four NCAA Division I Tournaments. Their combined record is 3–4.
1988 #15 Round of 64 #2 Pittsburgh L 90–109 1991 #12 Round of 64Round of 32Sweet Sixteen #5 Mississippi State#13 Penn State#1 North Carolina W 76–56 W 71–68 OT L 93–67 1996 #9 Round of 64Round of 32 #8 Duke#1 Connecticut W 75–60 L 95–81 1998 #13 Round of 64 #4 Michigan State L 83–71
Coach Ben Braun led Eastern Michigan to their first three NCAA Division I tournament appearances during his 11-year tenure. One of the great highlights in team history came after EMU's first round victory over Duke in 1996, when the Blue Devils' Head Coach Mike Krzyzewski stated, "Eastern Michigan is very well coached, much deeper than we are and, today, much quicker than we were."
NIT results The Eagles have appeared in one National Invitation Tournament (NIT). Their record is 0–1.
1995 First round Bradley L 86–85 2OT
CBI results The Eagles have appeared in the College Basketball Invitational (CBI) one time. Their record is 0–1.
2015 First round Louisiana–Monroe L 71–67
CIT results The Eagles have appeared in the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT) two times. Their combined record is 2–2.
2014 First roundSecond Round Norfolk StateColumbia W 58–54 L 69–56 2018 First roundSecond Round NiagaraSam Houston State W 83–65L 69-62
NCAA Division II Tournament results The Eagles have appeared in the NCAA Division II tournament one time. Their record is 3–2.
1972 Regional semifinalsRegional FinalsElite EightFinal FourNational Third Place game Kentucky WesleyanEvansvilleAssumptionRoanokeTennessee State W 61–59 W 93–88 W 93–88 L 99-73L 107-82
EMU reached the Final Four of the 1972 NCAA College Division National Championship, led by All-American George Gervin, an NBA Hall of Famer selected as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History.
NAIA District 23 playoff 1963First roundNorthern MichiganL 99-811967First roundHillsdaleL 74-721968First roundSecond roundAquinasMichigan LutheranW 104–88W 82–801969First roundSecond roundMichigan LutheranMichigan LutheranW 90–70W 99–871970First roundSecond roundAquinasFerris StateW 106–67W 111–691971First roundSecond roundLake Superior StateFerris StateW 96–66W 96–86
NAIA National Division I Tournament 1968First round Second round
Elite EightStephen F. Austin Hanover
WestminsterW 82–80 W 94–81
L 92-841969First round Second roundGeorgetown (KY) Eastern New MexicoW 87–85 L 77-691970First round Second roundEast Central State GuilfordW 108–85 L 89-851971First round Second round
Elite Eight
National semifinals
National ChampionshipOhio Dominican Whittier
Eau Claire State
Fairmont State
Kentucky StateW 119–81 W 71–70
W 87–80
W 89–78
L 102-82
Mid-American Conference tournament Results 1980First roundBowling GreenL 54-491981First roundToledoL 95-881982First roundWestern MichiganL 44-421983First roundOhioL 74-601984First round Second roundBowling Green Kent StateW 64–58 L 67-581985First roundKent StateL 84-741987First round Second roundMiami Central MichiganW 87–64 L 80-761988Semifinals FinalsWestern Michigan OhioW 95–88 W 94–801989First round Second roundMiami Ball StateW 70–69 L 77-761990First round Second roundBowling Green Ball StateW 62–60 L 69-581991Second round Semifinals
FinalsKent State Bowling Green
ToledoW 66–47 W 72–66
W 67–661992First roundMiamiL 67-661993First roundWestern MichiganL 65-571994First roundMiamiL 90-601995Second round Semifinals
FinalsToledo Ohio
Ball StateW 69–61 W 78–72
L 77-701996Second round Semifinals
FinalsKent State Ball State
ToledoW 84–72 W 87–71
W 77–631997Second round Semifinals
FinalsBall State Bowling Green
MiamiW 85–75 W 73–64
L 96-761998Quarterfinals Semifinals
FinalsToledo Ball State
MiamiW 98–79 W 93–92
W 92–772000First roundMiamiL 64-512001First roundToledoL 67-432002First roundToledoL 89-532003First roundMarshallL 83-752004First roundMarshallL 78-592005First roundAkronL 78–662006First roundWestern MichiganL 60-552007First round QuarterfinalsBall State ToledoW 51–48 L 62-542008First round QuarterfinalsBall State Western MichiganW 59–55 L 70-612009First roundCentral MichiganL 62-492010First round QuarterfinalsNorthern Illinois AkronW 65–59 L 97-892011First roundAkronL 67-532012First roundNorthern IllinoisL 55-522013First round Second round
QuarterfinalsNorthern Illinois Miami
Western MichiganW 45–44 W 58–47
L 70-552014First round Second round
Quarterfinals
SemifinalsCentral Michigan Northern Illinois
Buffalo
ToledoW 72–60 W 53–48
W 69–64
L 59-442015First round Second round
QuarterfinalsMiami Bowling Green
ToledoW 62–61 W 73–67
L 78-672016First round QuarterfinalsToledo AkronW 69-60 L 65-632017First round QuarterfinalsNorthern Illinois AkronW 72-69 L 79-622018QuarterfinalsAkronL 67-582019First roundBall StateL 61-432020First roundKent StateL 86-76
Championships Michigan MAC Trophy 2021-22 Jersey Mike's Jamaica Classic Champions 2019-20 EMU Showcase Champions 2014-15 EMU "Ice Man" Classic Champions 2012-13 Reese Trophy Winners 2007-08 Carrier Classic Champions 1996-97 Hawai'i-Hilo Classic Champions 1996-97 Hatter Classic Champions 1989-90 Toledo Blade Classic Champions 1985-86 Motor City Classic Champions 1979-80 Ashland Tournament Champions 1971-72 Pasadena Holiday Tournament Champions 1970-71 Wayne State Centennial Classic Champions 1967-68 Marshall Classic Champions 1966-67 Flint Christmas Tournament Champions 1958-59 1959-60 IIAC All-Sports Trophy Winners 1953-54 Central Michigan Tournament/Midwest College Invitational Champions 1946-47 Michigan Collegiate Conference Champions 1929-30 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Championships 1920-21 Michigan Normal Championships 1907-08The Aurora: Senior Class Annual (XV ed.). 1908. 1912-13 1914-15 1916-17
All-time win–loss record Source: