The Emory University men’s basketball team has started their 2024-25 season in dominant form. Through the halfway point of the regular season, the team has attained a 13-1 record, going undefeated in conference play and sporting an impressive 5-1 record against ranked opponents. Compared to last year’s underwhelming 15-10 final record, the team has undergone a drastic change in a one-year span.
The roster is made up of mostly the same players as last year, with the main rotation consisting of returners. Jason Zimmerman, who has led the Eagles for the past 16 years, remains the head coach, and the team continues to rely on their fast paced, floor-stretching offense. Even with all of these consistencies, there are several major differences from last year that have contributed to the team’s success.
Junior guard Jair Knight noted the improved veteran presence on the Eagles’ roster as an explanation for their dominance, noting the team’s perseverance and rejection of complacency
“Everybody's congratulating us on all these accomplishments and how well we're doing this year, but we see it as one big timeline of last season to this season,” Knight said. “Now is just our opportunity to capitalize on what we did wrong and really make sure that we're going after guys.”
Knight has been the most prominent scorer for the Eagles this season, averaging 19.6 points per game while contributing solid perimeter defense. He is currently ranked third in points per game in the University Athletic Association (UAA) conference.
Last season, the Eagles’ roster consisted of young talent, with all regular starters being second or third year players. Now with an older team, the roster is seeing more consistent production across the board. Eight of the nine players who have played over 100 minutes this season were in the rotation last season, leading to a continuity that is evident on both sides of the court. This synergy was on display immediately as the season began. The Eagles won their first 10 games and achieved a No. 1 ranking in NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball for the first time in program history in December 2024.
One of the biggest growths from last season is three-point shooting. The Emory offense has always been focused on getting up shots beyond the arc, but this season in particular, the team exhibits a stark emphasis on winning the long-distance battle. In their 14 games played, the Eagles have connected on 10.1 threes a game while only giving up 5.8 to their opponents — a significant decrease from the 8.6 threes per game they gave up last season.
A combination of defending three pointers well and leading the division with 7.5 blocks per game has been the Eagles’ recipe for defensive consistency and dominant performances. Coach Zimmerman agrees that winning the three-point discrepancy is a critical aspect to their game.
“One of the strengths in modern basketball is the amount of threes that have been shot,” Zimmerman said. “Our goal is to score more points than they do and if we can do that by shooting more threes, we do it.”
The Eagles also put a big focus on moving the ball and playing unselfishly. From the first offensive play, the Eagles like to play with pace, space the court and create mismatches for their prominent scorers, and they avoid keeping the ball in one player's hand for too long. This strategy is evident in the team statistics, as the Eagles are currently 14th nationally and third in the UAA in assists per game with 18.3. The team also is eighth in Division III in their stable 1.65 assist-to-turnover ratio.
Whether the notable amount of assists is due to better chemistry between players or a greater coaching emphasis, this collaboration has served as a pivotal aspect of the team’s progression.
“We’ve had three different guys in three different league games lead us in scoring, and there’s not one guy on the team that gives a rip about it,” Zimmerman said. “If we can win the game, it doesn’t matter who does the scoring.”
Despite the Eagles’ success, the team still needs to fill a few holes. Knight said that the team needs to stay more disciplined defensively.
“When we get in foul trouble and they’re in the bonus, that changes the way we play defense,” Knight said. “We need to work on learning how to play defense and stay aggressive without fouling so that we’re not giving teams too many free throws and getting guys out of the game for the first half sitting with two fouls.”
Senior forward Logan Shanahan stressed in-game adjustments and not getting down early as key aspects of the game that need improvement.
“When one of our guys doesn’t have a good game or things start going wrong, we need to just keep it together and need other guys to step up,” Shanahan said.
Shanahan scored 27 points on 58% shooting from the field in the Eagles’ last game against Brandeis University (Mass.) He later said that the team has greatly improved in terms of adjusting, and that players have begun to step up when others are having off games.
The confident Eagles team have had a near picture perfect season so far. Along with their 13-1 record, both Knight and his junior backcourt companion Ben Pearce have reached the 1,000 point milestone. Knight did so recently in thrilling fashion, throwing down an emphatic slam against Brandeis. Zimmerman also recently won his 300th game as the Eagles’ head coach, the only coach in Emory men’s basketball history to reach that total.
The team has earned convincing wins against ranked opponents, including a gutsy win against No. 6 New York University and a 15-point victory against No. 24 John Carroll University (Ohio). Of their 13 wins, five of them have been by a 20 or more point margin. The Eagles were optimistic about success last year, and heading into the second half of this season, this optimism has morphed into an unwavering confidence.
“Knowing that there’s a chance that we could win every game, that gives us confidence to not be surprised on our performances this season.” Knight said. “It’s no longer like, ‘We can beat these guys.’ It’s more like, “If we play how we’re supposed to play, there’s no reason we shouldn’t win.’”
The Eagles will continue their journey towards the 2024 NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball Championship at home against two UAA rivals, the University of Chicago on Jan. 24 and No. 11 Washington University of St. Louis (Mo.) on Jan. 26.
