YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- Oh, how sweet it is, and still is even 30 years later. During the 1990-91 season, the Eastern Michigan University men's basketball program made history with a trip to the "Sweet 16" of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Tournament for the first time in program history.
Commanded by legendary Head Coach Ben Braun, the Green and White finished with an impressive 26-7 overall record and a 13-3 Mid-American Conference mark. Eastern capped off the legendary season with a regular-season championship and the MAC Tournament title.
Three decades later, the 1990-91 team is still considered one of the best in program history and their stats support that notion. The 26-win season still stands as an Eastern record, and is tied for seventh in the conference record books. The Green White led the MAC in four statistical categories during the 1990-91 season: field goal percentage (51.4; 920-of-1790); free throw percentage (72.7; 561-of-772); assists per game (18.2); steals per game (8.0). Eastern Michigan also ranked second in the league with 77.9 points per game.
The roster consisted of 13 student-athletes with nine upperclassmen (juniors and seniors). Six were from Michigan, while two were from Illinois, the others were from Georgia, Massachusetts, Ohio, Ontario, and Pennsylvania, respectively.
| No. | Name | Position | Height | Weight | Year | Hometown-High School |
| 10 | Kahlil Fleder | G | 5-10 | 170 | Fr. | Detroit, Mich.-Pershing |
| 15 | Lorenzo Neely | G | 6-0 | 165 | Sr. | Detroit, Mich.-Northern |
| 23 | Charles Thomas | F/G | 6-3 | 175 | Sr. | Lansing, Mich.-Everett |
| 31 | Carl Thomas | F | 6-4 | 180 | Sr. | Lansing, Mich.-Everett |
| 32 | Kory Hallas | F | 6-8 | 220 | Jr. | Almonte, Ontario-Almonte |
| 35 | Joe Frasor | G | 5-11 | 165 | Jr. | Blue Island, Ill.-Eisenhower |
| 41 | Roger Lewis | F | 6-5 | 200 | Sr. | New Bedford, Mass.-Main Central |
| 44 | Von Nickleberry | G | 6-2 | 180 | So. | Saginaw, Mich.-Arthur Hill |
| 45 | Fenorris Pearson | F | 6-7 | 225 | R-So. | Kalamazoo, Mich.-Central |
| 51 | Mike Boykin | F/C | 6-8 | 240 | Jr. | Atlanta, Ga.-Southside |
| 52 | Pete Pangas | C | 6-8 | 220 | R-Jr. | Akron, Ohio-Copley |
| 54 | Marcus Kennedy | C/F | 6-7 | 235 | Sr. | Highland Park, Mich.-Troy |
Coaching Staff
Head Coach: Ben Braun (Wisconsin, 1975), sixth season
Assistant Coach: Gary Waters (Ferris State, 1975)
Assistant Coach: Brian Miller (Bowling Green, 1986)
Graduate Assistant: Craig Rasmuson (Ashland, 1990)
Graduate Assistant: Charles Ramsey (Eastern Michigan, 1991)
Eastern's starting lineup was unstoppable as all five averaged in double-figures, three of whom were named to All-MAC Teams. Those five were guard Lorenzo Neely, guard Charles Thomas, forward Kory Hallas, forward Carl Thomas, and center Marcus Kennedy.
Neely, a dynamic playmaker for the Green White, averaged 11.6 points per game during the 1990-91 campaign and led the team in assists (4.4 apg). The Detroit, Mich. native earned First Team All-MAC honors and still ranks second in the EMU record book with 521 career assists. Neely also ranks 11th with 1,528 career points and is one of two EMU players (James Thompson IV) to earn all-conference honors in each of their four seasons. After graduating, Neely participated in training camps with the Detroit Pistons and Portland Trail Blazers before getting into coaching.
Charles Thomas, one of EMU's sharpshooters, averaged 10.3 points per game his final season and ranked second on the team with 55 three-pointers. The Lansing, Mich. native finished his career at Eastern with 710 points and 241 assists, while shooting .361 percent (116-of-321) from beyond the arc. After graduation, Thomas played professional ball with the Detroit Pistons (1991-92) before playing overseas.
Hallas, the only junior in EMU's starting lineup during the 1990-91 season, averaged 11.5 points per game as a forward. The Almonte, Ontario native finished second on the squad averaging 5.5 rebounds per game. The 6-foot-8 forward finished his EMU career with 1,464 points, which ranks 13th in program history, and played in 122 games in the Green and White.
Carl Thomas, another sharpshooter and Charles Thomas' twin, paced the Hurons with 89 three-pointers and averaged 14.1 points per game. His 89 triples held the EMU season record for 26 years before Willie Mangum IV drained 93 in 2016-17. The Second Team All-MAC selection led the conference averaging 2.7 threes per game during the 1990-91 season. The Lansing, Mich. native finished with 1,179 career points, which ranks 24th in the EMU record books. The former forward was known for his three-point shot and is fifth in both career 3's made (185) and 3-point percentage (41.8, 185-of-443) in program history. After graduation, Thomas went on to play professional basketball in the National Basketball Association (NBA) where he began his career with the Sacramento Kings (1991-92).
Kennedy, the MAC Player of the Year, averaged a conference-best 20.0 points per game and ranked sixth in the NCAA with a 68.2 field-goal percentage (240-of-352). His season field-goal percentage is still atop the EMU season record books. The First Team All-MAC Selection led the conference in seven statistical categories and was voted the MAC Tournament MVP. The Highland Park, Mich. native scored 659 points during the 1990-91 season, which ranks fifth in the EMU record book. Kennedy was drafted in the second round of the 1991 NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers after graduation.
To celebrate this team's success, the Eastern Michigan University Athletic Media Relations Office, along with the EMU Men's Basketball Head Coach Rob Murphy, are excited to announce a month-long series of content and social-media material that will pay tribute to the 1990-91 squad and its members.
In addition to various social media campaigns, each game from the time EMU clinched the MAC regular-season title at Kent State will be summarized in this running article. Check back every Tuesday for up-to-date information.
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30 Years, Still Sweet: Men's Basketball NCAA Sweet 16 Run Look Back - EMU Eagles
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