Eastern Michigan Athletics
EMU Takes a Break For Finals Before Hosting Dayton
12/10/2007 2:53:48 PM | Women's Basketball
EMU will be idle for the next 12 days before it returns to the friendly confines of the Convocation Center
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EAGLES RETURN HOME FOR EDUCATION DAY VERSUS THE FLYERS: Having taken the past 12 days off for final exams, the Eastern Michigan University women’s basketball team returns to the friendly confines of the Convocation Center Friday, Dec. 21, for a noon contest with Dayton. The game will be Education Day with several local school systems attending the game as guests of the EMU Athletics Department. The Eagles are 5-4 on the young season while the Flyers are 10-2.
EMU VERSUS THE ATLANTIC 10: Eastern is 4-5 all-time versus the Philadelphia, Pa. based Atlantic 10 Conference, having only played against four of the 14 member institutions. EMU is 1-0 against St. Bonaventure, 1-0 versus Saint Louis, 2-1 versus Massachusetts and 0-4 against Dayton.
EMU VERSUS DAYTON: The Eagles and Flyers are meeting for the fifth time on the hardwood and the first since 2002 when Dayton posted a 73-68 victory, Nov. 30, 2003, in the opening game of the John Ascuaga’s Nugget Classic in Reno, Nev. In that game Ryan Coleman poured in 23 points and grabbed eight rebounds while Erika Ford and Marion Crandall both chipped in 12 points. UD center Cyndi Stull notched a team-best eight rebounds as the Flyers grabbed 43 boards to just 26 for the Eagles.
EDUCATION DAY x3: For the third time the Eastern Michigan University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics will host Education Day at the Convocation Center. The students will be treated to a pregame program of guest speakers from throughout the community.This will be the second time the day will be part of a women’s basketball game, with the men’s basketball team having played host to Brown University, Nov. 9, earlier this season. The last time the women’s basketball team hosted the matinée affair was 2005, when the Green and White posted a 67-59 win over Saint Louis, Dec. 13, 2005, in front of 1,627 at the Convocation Center.
WILLIAMS SELECTED MAC WEST DIVISION PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Redshirt junior Canea Williams was named Mid-American Conference West Division Player of the Week, the conference office announced Dec. 10. It marks the first time she has won the award in her career.Williams led the Eagles to a 1-1 week in the state of Florida with a 77-58 victory over Florida International, Dec. 8, and a 75-71 setback to Florida Atlantic, Dec. 6. On the week the redshirt junior averaged 17.0 points, 5.0 assists, 4.0 rebounds and a 50.0 percent shooting percentage in 36.0 minutes at the point guard spot. The 26 points bests her previous high of 24 versus Ohio University, Feb. 25, 2004. Against FAU, the Mansfield, Ohio native posted a career-high 26 points on 10-of-18 shooting to go along with four rebounds and four assists. She followed it up at FIU with eight points, six assists and four rebounds in 34 minutes of work.
Free Throws CLutch Versus FIU: During the Eagles’ 77-58 victory over Florida International, Dec. 8, the Green and White were a stellar 17-for-18 from the charity stripe for a 94.4 percent clip. The percentage is one of the best in the program’s history; however, it won’t make the all-time list which requires 20 attempts. The school-record for a single game is .952 (20-of-21) versus Western Michigan, Jan. 11, 1995. Freshman Cassie Schrock also had a solid afternoon, turning in a perfect 10-of-10 from the line. The performance is tied for the 11th best single-game performance in school-history and the best since Patrice McKinney made 10 free throws last season versus New Orleans, Nov. 17, 2006.
SCHROCK COMES OF AGE IN FLORIDA: Freshman Cassie Schrock posted a pair of solid games during the Eagles two-game road swing through the state of Florida, Dec. 6-8. The Wadsworth, Ohio native averaged 10.5 points 6.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists while posting a 50.0 field goal percentage (5-of-10). She was also a stellar 90.9 percent (10-of-11) from the charity stripe. In the opener versus Florida Atlantic, Schrock turned in four points, six rebounds in 23 minutes of work. In the finale versus Florida International, she collected her first career start and made it count, posting a career-high 17 points, six rebounds, five assists and two steals in 39 minutes of action.
GETTING SOME NATIONAL RECOGNITION: Sophomore guard Alyssa Pittman is second in the nation in three-point field goals made per game (3.4) according to the most recent NCAA Statistics as of Dec. 16. The Elkhart, Ind. native is also ranked 44th in points per game (18.2) and 49th in three-point field goal percentage (41.9). As a team the Eagles are ranked 22nd in three-point field goal percentage (38.4), 30th in three-pointers made (6.8) 31st in scoring defense (55.1), 50th in steals (11.2) and 54th in scoring margin (+11.3).
EMU RELIES HEAVILY ON SOPHOMORES: The Eagles are very dependant on its sophomore class. As a group, EMU’s sophomores are averaging 28.5 points per game, which accounts for 43 percent of the offense.
TRIFECTA, YOU BET YA: The three-point shot has been a key to the Eagles’ offense early on this season. As a team, EMU is leads the MAC with a shooting percentage of 38.4 (61-for-159) from beyond the arc. On the other side, the Eagles’ defense has done a good job defending the long ball as Eastern Michigan has limited its opposition to just 31.9 percent (45-for-141) shooting from three-point land, which is third best in the conference. EMU’s perimeter defense was at its best in the team’s win over Temple Baptist, Nov. 14, when it limited the Rams to just a pair of three-pointers.
THE KIDS CAN PLAY: The average 2007-08 EMU women’s basketball player stands 5-feet-9 tall and is 19.9 years old. The youngest Eagle is Cassie Schrock, who turned 18, Oct. 13, 2007. Canea Williams is the oldest Eagle having turned 22, March 24, 2007.
HITTING THE CENTURY MARK: Sophomore guard Alyssa Pittman’s three-pointer at the 19:32 mark of the first half against North Carolina State not only put the Eagles on top, 3-0, it also made her the 10th player in EMU history to collect 100 triples in her career. The Elkhart, Ind. native accomplished the feat in just 34 games.
YOUTH BEING SERVED: Heading into the 2007-08 campaign head coach AnnMarie Gilbert knew she would be leading a very young team this season. The 10 returning players have combined for just 95 starts and a total of 391 games in their careers. Eastern returned a total of 32.5 points, 15.6 rebounds and 11.3 minutes per game from the 2006-07 squad that finished 16-13. Sophomore Alyssa Pittman led all returners with 12.3 points per game, sophomore Kelly Watts led with 3.1 boards per game and junior Kendra Gallert with 28.0 minutes per game.
WILLIAMS AND PITTMAN SELECTED TO JUNKANOO JAM ALL-TOURNEY TEAM: Junior Canea Williams and sophomore Alyssa Pittman were selected to the All-Tournament team at the Fifth Annual Junkanoo Jam in the Bahamas, Nov. 23-24. The duo combined for 29 points per game in the two games. The honor marks the first time that either had been selected to an all-tournament team in their careers.
