GAME NOTES: The Eastern Michigan Eagles got their season started off on the right foot with a win, and they'll try for another as they host the Oakland Golden Grizzlies in a non-conference clash at the Convocation Center.

Oakland took on Iowa State Friday night, and was downed by the Cyclones, 93-82. The Golden Grizzlies, of the Horizon League, will try to improve on a 13-20 overall record from last season.

Eastern Michigan was able to top St. Francis (Illinois), 64-52, on Friday's opening night of college basketball. The Eagles, of the Mid-American Conference, will take on Oakland just before the start of the annual EMU Showcase.

These two in-state rivals have met a total of 14 times on the hardwood, with Eastern Michigan holding a 9-5 all-time series lead.

Despite going against a much tougher opponent, Oakland held its own against Iowa State in the 11-point loss. The Grizzlies trailed by just seven at halftime, and couldn't make up any ground in the second half. The team lost leading scorer Travis Bader (20.6 ppg) to graduation in the offseason, but senior forward Corey Petros is a First-Team All-Horizon League preseason selection after averaging 13.3 ppg and a league-leading 8.2 rpg in 2013. Duke Mondy will be missed by the Grizzlies after his departure, but point guard Kahlil Felder (9.5 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 6.4 apg) returns from his Horizon League Freshman of the Year season for another shot.

Petros showed why he's the leader of the Grizzlies this season in the team's first game against Iowa State, after the senior racked up 25 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Felder played a strong game as well, notching 23 points and 10 assists for the double-double, although the sophomore guard did turn the ball over six times in the loss. Tommie McCune chipped in with 14 points and six boards. It's clear the Grizzlies aren't going to be a pushover team without Mondy and Bader in the lineup.

Eastern Michigan was solid last season, finishing conference play with a winning record, but it didn't get the team anywhere in the postseason. Nine players on this year's EMU roster are either junior college transfers or four- year college transfers, including big men Mike Samuels (6-foot-11, 285 pounds), Jerome Hunter (6-foot-9, 250 pounds) and Olalekan Ajayi (6-foot-11, 245 pounds). The Eagles strategically added these players to combine with last year's standout scorer Karrington Ward (12.5 ppg, 6.4 rpg). Guard Raven Lee comes back for another season (10.6 ppg, 1.6 apg), as does senior Mike Talley (10.2 ppg, 3.6 apg).

Ward led all Eagles scorers in the team's season-opening win with 16 points, adding eight rebounds and two assists to his stat line. Lee scored 11 points, and Anali Okoloji added 10 more. The team shot 42.9 percent from the floor, but went just 3-of-19 from 3-point range and made only 56.5 percent of its free-throw tries. Those numbers will have to improve going forward if the Eagles want to contend in the MAC West Division.

Eastern Michigan has the roster to make some noise in the Mid-American Conference, but the team needs to pull it all together before it can start to do some real damage in the non-conference schedule. Oakland will once again be an offensive-driven squad, and going against Eastern Michigan's tough defense will be a decent test. On the road, the Grizzlies don't exactly have the edge.