GAME NOTES: A couple of teams playing below .500 at the moment clash at Rose Arena in Mount Pleasant this afternoon, as the Central Michigan Chippewas host the Eastern Michigan Eagles in the Mid-American Conference opener for both programs. Since opening 2007-08 with five straight losses, the Chippewas have found some consistency in their play and have won five of seven contests. The team's most recent contest took place a week ago Saturday when it completely dominated Tiffin in a 100-34 decision, snapping a two-game slide. As for the Eagles, they've been moving in the opposite direction lately, falling in four consecutive games and six of the last seven overall. The team has played quite a number of close contests, just as it did in a 72-68 loss to Chicago State on Wednesday night. The setback followed an overtime loss to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi during the Island Invitational just after Christmas. After splitting the two meetings a season ago, Central Michigan now hold a 91-81 advantage in the all-time series between its in-state foe.

Jesse Bunkley tallied 16 points off the bench for the Eagles as he converted 4- of-9 shots behind the three-point line in the loss to Chicago State. Justin Dobbins accounted for another 15 points, but the center could have done considerably more damage and quite possibly given EMU the edge it needed if not for his woeful 7-of-16 shooting at the free-throw line. Jarred Axon accounted for 10 points in 15 minutes of action. Bunkley, a starter in nine of the 11 games in which he has played, is tied with Carlos Medlock for the team scoring lead at 13.0 ppg. Medlock, who has made a mere 35.9 percent of his field goal attempts, is the top man in terms of assists (57) and steals (13) for a team that is producing 66.4 ppg but allowing 70.0 ppg entering play this weekend.

Central Michigan scored the first points of the game against Tiffin and never looked back, leading by as many as 68 points in the lopsided affair at home. The visitors were forced into 25 turnovers and made a mere 12 field goals on 46 tries, compared to a sizzling 61.2 percent shooting from the floor for the Chippewas. Five players scored in double figures for the home team, beginning with Marcus Van with 16 points, followed by Chase Simon and Jordan Bitzer with 13 apiece. Giordan Watson chipped in 12 points and handed out seven assists and Jeremy Allen tallied 11 points. Watson not only leads the program with his 16.5 ppg, he is also first with 48 assists, accounting for more than a third of the unit's dishes thus far. Except for Reynold Walters who has just seven assists, against six turnovers, Watson is the only player on the roster with a positive assist-to-turnover ratio. Nate Minnoy accounts for 11.8 ppg and is second with 5.3 rpg for a squad that padded its stats with the 66-point win over Tiffin.

The recent blowout win may have given CMU a little bit of confidence, which might be just enough to carry the team against a slumping Eastern Michigan squad today.