Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eagles Close Out the Home Portion of the Schedule Wednesday
2/19/2007 4:33:20 PM | Women's Basketball
Game time set for 7 p.m. at the Convocation Center
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EAGLES CLOSE OUT THE HOME PORTION OF THE REGULAR SEASON: The Eastern Michigan University women’s basketball team closes out the home portion of the 2006-07 regular-season schedule with a Mid-American Conference West Division contest against Western Michigan University Wednesday, Feb. 21, at the Convocation Center. Prior to the game, EMU will honor its two senior student-athletes, playing their final game in front of the home fans: Annie Malatinsky and Sarah VanMetre.
THE SERIES WITH WESTERN MICHIGAN: Wednesday’s contest marks the 61st meeting between the Broncos and Eagles, who first played during the 1976-77 season. EMU leads the all-time series, 32-28, along with winning the last three consecutive meetings including a 79-58 decision earlier this year at University Arena in Kalamazoo, Mich., Jan. 10.
SENIORS LEAVE THEIR MARK: Seniors Annie Malatinsky and Sarah VanMetre have made major contributions to the Eagles’ unparalleled success the last four seasons. During their time at EMU, the team recorded three consecutive 20-win seasons, the first time in school history that feat has been achieved, and had the most wins in a four-year period with 80 victories. The Eagles have also won the school’s first two MAC West Division titles and a MAC Tournament Championship. Additionally, Eastern has advanced to the postseason in each of the last three seasons with an NCAA Tournament and a pair of WNIT appearances, both firsts for the Eagles.
WILLIAMS HEATING UP: After scoring a combined total of 11 points during the first 15 games of the season, redshirt junior Canea Williams has found her shooting stroke in the last three contests. The Mansfield, Ohio native, who has missed the past two seasons with a pair of knee injuries, turned in eight points against both Ohio, Feb. 10, and Toledo, Feb. 14, along with pouring in a team-best 20 points on 7-of-13 shooting during 21 minutes of action versus Northern Illinois, Feb. 14.
MICHIGAN MAC TITLE ON THE LINE: The Second Annual Michigan Mid-American Conference Women’s title is on the line when the Eagles host WMU Wednesday, Feb. 21. The award, sponsored by the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame, will be awarded annually to the team that wins the season series among EMU, WMU, and Central Michigan. EMU holds the advantage at this point with a 2-0 record while CMU and WMU 1-2. After EMU and WMU meet, EMU and CMU have a showdown, Feb. 28, in Mount Pleasant, Mich. Last year the Eagles won the inaugural title with a 4-0 record while WMU finished 2-2 and CMU 0-4.
THIS IS WHAT RIVALRIES ARE MADE OF: When Eastern Michigan tangles with Western Michigan Wednesday evening, not only are in-state bragging rights on the line but also family allegiances. EMU sophomore point-guard Kendra Gallert’s sisters both played for the Broncos under head coach Ron Stewart from 1998 to 2001. Brianne and Brooke Gallert rank fifth and sixth respectively in the WMU record books for assists in a career. Another Eastern-Western tie is junior guard Brittany Tyson who transferred to EMU following the completion of the 2004-05 season. Tyson, who sat out last season due to NCAA transfer rules, played two years in the Brown and Gold uniform racking up 194 points, 111 assists and 70 rebounds in 38 games for Western.
RANKING NATIONALLY: Eastern Michigan University ranks in the top 100 in several national categories as a team, as of Feb. 18. EMU is 14th in three-point field goals at 7.1 per game and 62nd nationally in assists at 15.1 per game. EMU also ranks 54th in three-point percentage (34.3%) and 82nd in scoring offense (68.6 ppg).
NOT SO CHARITABLE: The charity stripe has not been a kind place for the Eagles this season as they are being outscored 341 to 258 at the free throw line. EMU’s opponents have stepped to the line 488 times compared to the Green and White’s 409 attempts, a disparity of 79 free throws. Eastern has made more free throws than its opponent just eight times during the 2006-07 campaign holding a 5-3 record in those contests.
THE WILD AND WACKY MAC: The Eagles opened Mid-American Conference play on a near record pace recording a 6-1 record that saw the team average 68.3 points and 40.0 rebounds per game while giving up just 59.1 points and 36.3 rebounds. However, the last six games the roles have been reversed, with Eastern getting outscored 65.2 to 664.7 along with outrebounded 37.0 to 34.7. EMU’s field goal percentage has fallen from a 43.1 percent clip (179-of-415) to a 40.4 percent (146-of-361) while opponents shooting has increased from 37.8 percent to 40.4. Scoring for the Eagles’ "big three" of Sarah VanMetre, Patrice McKinney and Alyssa Pittman has also declined from a combined 48.8 ppg to 35.4 ppg.
DAY BY DAY: The Eagles are 8-4 in weekday contests this season. They are 6-3 on Wednesdays, 1-0 on Thursdays and 1-1 on Fridays. Eastern is shooting 44.2 percent from the floor and 38.6 percent from long range in games that fall on Wednesday through Friday, compared to 38.3 percent and 30.0 percent, respectively, in weekend contests. EMU is 5-7 in games that come on Saturday or Sunday.
MAC BENCH WOES: In Eastern Michigan’s 8-5 Mid-American Conference start, the Eagles have relied heavily on their starting five for production in every game and seen the production from the bench fall. EMU has gotten 79 percent of its scoring (52.8 ppg) and 68 percent of its rebounding (25.4 rpg) from its starting five in conference action. EMU’s best bench outing in conference came with 26 points and 20 boards against Toledo accounting for 14 percent of the scoring and 12 percent of the rebounding. The bench is averaging 13.8 ppg (21% of total) and 12.2 rpg (32%) in conference play. That is down six points and one rebound per game from 20.4 ppg (29%) and 13.6 rpg (34%) in non-conference action.
HOME IS WHERE THE "W" IS: The Eagles’ win over Toledo, Feb. 17, moved the team’s record to 7-4 at the Convocation Center this winter. Last year, EMU posted a record of 13-2 in the "Nest" and has won 58 of the last 72 home games dating to the 2001-02 campaign. EMU out-scored its opponents by 23.5 points per game at the Convo last season.
TAKING CARE OF THE ROCK: Eastern Michigan’s nine turnovers against Ohio University, Feb. 10, were its lowest single-game total of the season. The Eagles forced 19 Bobcat mishaps as well, but it was not enough as OU upended EMU, 70-62, at the Convocation Center.
EMU RELIES HEAVILY ON FRESHMEN: The Eagles are very dependent on their freshman class. As a group, EMU’s frosh are averaging 22.7 points per game, which accounts for 33 percent of the offense.
VanMetre Selected ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District: Senior Sarah VanMetre was selected to the 2007 ESPN The Magazine women’s basketball Academic All-District IV First Team, the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) announced Thursday, Feb. 8. As a first-team selection, VanMetre is now eligible for the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America ballot. VanMetre, a journalism major with a 3.90 GPA, is EMU’s women’s basketball’s first Academic All-District honoree since she earned second-team honors in 2005. Overall, this is the second time in the program’s 31-year history that a student-athlete has garnered the honor, and the first time an Eagle has been named to the first team. The District IV team is made up of student-athletes from Division I schools in the states of Alabama, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Tennessee. To be nominated, student-athletes must be at least a sophomore, a starter or important reserve, and must carry a cumulative grade point average of 3.20 or higher.
VANMETRE JOINS THE 700 REBOUND CLUB: Senior Sarah VanMetre’s countdown to 700 career rebounds is now complete. The 2004 Mid-American Conference Sixth Man of the Year needed just three boards versus Miami (Feb. 7) to become the fifth player in school history to grab at least 700 career caroms. The last player to accomplish that feat was Ryan Coleman who collected her 700th rebound against Miami, Feb. 11, 2006.
INTERESTING STATS ABOUT EMU: In its 13 victories this season, EMU is averaging 75.1 points while the opposition is posting just 59.1 points. In those games, opponents are shooting 37.1 percent from the field compared to 44.1 percent for the Eagles. In defeats the Eagles are only scoring 60.2 points, while giving up 70.8.
Another factor in the Eagles’ success has been the ability to control the glass. EMU is grabbing 43.2 rebounds to just 35.8 for the opponents in the wins, while in setbacks EMU is being out-rebounded by more than six caroms (34.0 to 40.2).
