EMU Hits the Road to Kent State

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EASTERN LOOKS TO CONTINUE ITS WINNING WAYS AT KENT STATE: Following a brief two-game home stand, the Eastern Michigan University women’s basketball team hits the road Saturday, Jan. 20, for a Mid-American Conference cross-divisional contest with Kent State University. The Eagles, the defending MAC West champions, enter the game with a record of 9-7 (4-1 MAC), while the Golden Flashes are 9-9 (4-1 MAC).

THE SERIES WITH KENT STATE: Saturday afternoon’s contest marks the 48th meeting between the Golden Flashes and Eagles, who first met during the 1980-81 season. KSU leads the series 33-14, including winning 23 of the last 27 meetings between the two schools. Eastern Michigan took last year’s lone regular season meeting, Jan. 25, 2006, as the Green and White used a strong second half to capture a 65-55 victory at the Convocation Center in Ypsilanti. In the postseason the squads squared off again, this time in the semifinals of the MAC Tournament at Quicken Loans Arena, March 10, 2006. In that game EMU looked to be well on its way to an appearance in the championship game, as the Eagles took a 37-21 lead into the lockerroom at the half. However, the momentum would shift in favor of Kent State. The Golden Flashes dominated the second half, outscoring EMU, 49-19, during the period to cruise to the 70-56 decision.

LOOKING TO "STOP THE MADNESS" AT THE M.A.C. CENTER: Historically, Kent State’s Memorial Athletic and Convocation Center has been a building that has caused EMU coaches to have nightmares, as the Green and White have posted an all-time record of 2-19 in the venerable building. Despite all the success of the Eagles during the Suzy Merchant era, a victory in Kent, Ohio has been elusive for the crew from Ypsilanti. The Golden Flashes have won the last 11 consecutive meetings on their home floor. The last time Eastern Michigan defeated Kent State at the M.A.C. Center the year was 1990, the television show Seinfeld premiered, George H.W. Bush was in the White House and EMU freshmen Emily Hanley, Alyssa Pittman, Kelly Watts were just two years old. On the sidelines for that game was EMU mentor Cheryl Getz, who coached the then-Hurons to the 73-54 triumph, Jan. 6, 1990, over first-year head coach Bob Lindsay.

LUCKY NUMBER 13 VERSUS THE CHIPPEWAS: EMU won its 13th consecutive game against Central Michigan University, a 77-62 decision Wednesday, Jan. 17, at the Convocation Center. The EMU streak over the Maroon and Gold dates back to the 2000-01 season when the Eagles captured a 78-89 decision, Jan. 3, 2001, at Rose Arena in Mount Pleasant, Mich.

NO BACK-TO-BACK LOSSES STREAK CONTINUES: Eastern Michigan has not dropped consecutive conference games since the 2003-04 season when EMU lost at Toledo (L, 55-63), Jan. 13, 2003, and at home versus Western Michigan (L, 61-66), Jan. 17, 2003.

POWER OUTAGE: The Eagles output of just 46 points versus Ball State, Jan. 13, was the team’s lowest scoring total since a 42 point showing at Indiana, Dec. 18, 2004. It was also the least amount of scoring by an EMU squad in a MAC game since the 1998-99 campaign when the Eagles managed just 42 points in a setback at Toledo, Jan. 6, 1999.

STREAK STOPPED AT 11: Ball State’s come-from-behind 55-46 decision, Jan. 13, snapped the Eagles’ 11-game Mid-American Conference winning streak that dated back to Feb. 4, 2006. Prior to the Cardinal’s victory, the Falcons of Bowling Green were the last team to upend the Eagles in league action, a 76-69 decision at Anderson Arena in Bowling Green, Ohio, Feb. 2, 2006.

OFFENSIVE EXPLOSION: During the Eagles’ three game winning streak (Jan. 2-Jan. 10), EMU dominated the opposition on both ends of the floor. Over that span, EMU won games by an average of more than 13 points (72.3 to 59.0) and out-rebounded opponents by four rebounds per game (42.0 to 37.7).

INTERESTING STATS ABOUT EMU: In its nine victories this season, EMU is averaging 76.4 points while the opposition is posting just 61.1 points. In those games, opponents are shooting 37.5 percent from the field compared to 44.7 percent for the Eagles. In defeats, the Eagles are only scoring 61.7 points, while giving up 71.0.
Another factor in the Eagles’ success has been the ability to control the glass. EMU is grabbing 43.2 rebounds to just 35.9 for the opponents in the wins, while in setbacks EMU is being out-rebounded by more than six caroms (35.7 to 41.9).

VANMETRE NAMED MAC WEST PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Senior forward Sarah VanMetre was named the Mid-American Conference West Division Women’s Basketball Player of the Week for the period ending Jan. 7, 2007. This marks the second time in her career she has won the weekly honor.

For the week, VanMetre averaged a double-double with 24.0 points and 12.0 rebounds while averaging 39.5 minutes of action. Against the Huskies, VanMetre posted a career-high 29 points with 13 rebounds while connecting on 11-of-17 shots from the field and 4-of-8 from three-point land. She followed up that performance with a team-high 19 points and 11 caroms and was 7-for-7 from the free-throw line including a pair of tosses that sealed the Eagles’ first back-to-back wins in Savage Hall since the 1986 and 1987 campaigns.

STREAK OF HOME DOMINANCE: Ball State’s 55-46 victory over Eastern Michigan, Jan. 13, ended the Eagles’ streak of 16 consecutive home Mid-American Conference wins dating back to Jan. 22, 2005. Prior to BSU, the last time the Green and White dropped a conference home game occurred Jan. 8, 2005 when Northern Illinois guard Mary Basic hit a game-winning three pointer with 7.6 seconds left in the game as the Huskies upset Eastern Michigan, 55-53.

Overall, the Eagles have won an impressive 25-of-27 MAC tilts at the Convocation Center dating back to a 61-59 victory over Bowling Green, Jan. 27, 2004. In league action EMU is 1-1 this year in the Nest, after going 8-0 in 2006, 7-1 in 2005 and 10-4 in 2004.

HOME IS WHERE THE "W" IS: The Eagles’ victory over Central Michigan (Jan. 17) moved the team’s record to 5-2 at the Convocation Center this winter. Last year, EMU posted a record of 13-2 in the "Nest" and has won 56 of the last 70 home games dating to the 2001-02 campaign. EMU out-scored its opponents by 23.5 points per game at the Convo last season. This year, the Eagles have out-scored foes by an average of 11.1 points.

FROM ROLE PLAYER TO ONE OF THE NATION’S BEST: The 2006-07 campaign has been a break-out season for senior forward Sarah VanMetre. A solid contributor during her first three-years, the Noblesville, Ind. native has taken her game to a whole new level in her final season in Ypsilanti. VanMetre is averaging 17.7 points and 9.1 rebounds in 34.3 minutes per game. She leads the league in rebounding and ranks third in scoring. Nationally she is listed 50th in scorin and 39th in rebounding according to the most recent NCAA statistics as of Jan. 14, 2007. Selected the Mid-American Conference’s 2003-04 Sixth Man of the Year as a freshman, VanMetre averaged 11.2 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. She followed it up with a sophomore season that saw her numbers drop to 7.4 points and 4.1 boards per game when she switched to the guard position. In 2005-06 VanMetre returned to her natural forward spot and saw her numbers return to her freshman year levels of 11.1 points and 6.3 caroms per contest. VanMetre has already secured a place in the EMU record books, becoming just the eighth player in the program’s history to score more than 1,000 points and grab more than 500 rebounds in a career. She is also on track to capture the EMU record for the most games played in an EMU uniform.

VANMETRE GARNERS SCHOLAR ATHLETE OF THE WEEK ACCOLADES: Senior Sarah VanMetre was named the MAC Women’s Scholar Athlete of the Week for the period ending Jan. 4. This marks the second time in her career and the fourth time in school history that a women’s basketball player has won the weekly honor.
The MAC Scholar Athlete Award is presented weekly to a MAC male and female student-athlete who has a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better and performs well during the week’s competition. The winners are selected by one of the conference’s faculty athletic representatives. VanMetre, who boasts a 3.90 GPA with a major in journalism, averaged 14 points and nine rebounds per game in the Eagles’ two-game road swing through the Carolinas, Dec. 28-30. In Eastern’s come-from-behind 64-62 decision over Furman, VanMetre totaled 19 points and 12 rebounds in 36 minutes of work. Her pace slowed versus Western Carolina, tallying just nine points and six caroms in 34 minutes.

CLIPFELL FILLING IN: With head coach Suzy Merchant on maternity leave, assistant coach Shane Clipfell has filled in admirably in her absence. Clipfell has guided the Eagles to a 6-6 (4-1 MAC) record, including picking up his first Division I victory at Wright State, Dec. 9. Clipfell is no stranger to the EMU program, having been on the Eagles’ sideline for the past eight seasons. Prior to his stint at EMU, the Colon, Mich. native accumulated a 58-35 record as the head coach at Glen Oaks Community College. His 1997 team finished with a No. 3 final ranking in the NJCAA after a 28-8 record and a fifth-place finish in the NJCAA Tournament. He was awarded the NJCAA Tournament Sportsmanship Award and was named the National District Coach of the Year. Clipfell was selected the Michigan Community College Athletic Association and Western Conference Coach of the Year in 1997.

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