Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eagles and Flyers Lift the Lid on 2009
12/30/2008 11:53:59 AM | Women's Basketball
EMU and Dayton tangle in the final non-conference test of the campaign
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EAGLES AND FLYERS LIFT THE LID ON 2009: After three consecutive home contests, the Eastern Michigan University women’s basketball team returns to the road to close out the non-conference portion of the schedule Sunday, Jan. 4, at the University of Dayton. Game time is set for 2 p.m. at UD Arena in Dayton, Ohio. Eastern Michigan enters the game with a mark of 4-7 after cruising to a 77-47 victory over Weber State University at the Convocation Center, Dec. 29. The Flyers are 10-5 on the season, but come in reeling following a 77-68 setback to Bowling Green State University in the championship game of the Flyer Classic, Dec. 29, that snapped UD’s four-game winning streak.
THE SERIES VERSUS DAYTON: The Eagles and Flyers are meeting for the sixth time on the hardwood with UD winning the five previous contests. Sunday’s venture into UD Arena also marks just the third time EMU has played on Dayton’s home court and the first since the 1991-92 campaign when the Flyers notched a 82-79 victory, Dec. 30. Last year at the Convocation Center, the Eagles gave the Flyers all they could handle in a 59-57 setback, Dec. 21, 2007. The Eagles led by as many as 11 midway through the second period, but the Flyers used to 13-0 run to take their first lead since the contest’s opening moments. EMU guard Alyssa Pittman had a shot to tie the game with :07 seconds to play but the shot was blocked, sealing the Dayton victory.
ALL-TIME VERSUS THE ATLANTIC 10: Eastern is 5-6 all-time versus the Philadelphia, Pa. based Atlantic 10 Conference, having only played against five of the 14 member institutions. EMU is 1-0 against St. Bonaventure, 1-0 versus Saint Louis, 1-0 against Duquesne, 2-1 versus Massachusetts and 0-5 against Dayton.
LOOKING TO START FRESH IN JANUARY: Sunday’s game versus Dayton marks the Eagles’ first game during the 2009 calendar year. Eastern Michigan is 13-19 all-time in the team’s first game in the month of January, including winning four of the last five contests dating back to the 2003-04 campaign.
BALL STATE ON THE HORIZON: Wednesday’s contest marks the 57th meeting between the Cardinals and Eagles, who first played during the 1979-80 season. EMU leads the series, 31-25, but Ball State has won the last four meetings by an average of seven points a game (59.0 to 66.0). In both meetings last season, the Eagles found themselves in a large hole before nearly rallying to defeat the Cardinals in the waning moments. In the first meeting in Muncie, Ind., Jan. 15, 2007, Eastern Michigan overcame a 17-point first half deficit to take a four-point edge, however Ball State used a late push to claim the hard-fought 71-64 victory at Worthen Arena. Then in the season finale back in Ypsilanti, the Eagles mounted a furious second-half comeback, but were unable to overcome a 19-point first half deficit, falling to the Cardinals, 64-53, Feb. 23, 2007, at the Convocation Center.
HOME IS WHERE THE "W" IS: Since its opening in the fall of 1998, the Convocation Center has proved to be a great home court advantage for the EMU women’s basketball team. The Green and White have boasted a 92-40 record since opening with a 75-64 setback to Saint Peter’s College, Nov. 15, 1998. EMU’s first victory in the new facility came a few weeks later when the Eagles upended Bowling Green State University, 55-42, Jan. 6, 1999. Kodak/WBCA Honorable Mention All-American Ryan Coleman (2002-03 until 2005-06) holds the standard for most points scored in the facility with 728 of her 1,793 career points falling inside the Convo. Fellow All-American Stephanie Smiley (1998-99 until 2001-02) holds the rebounding record with 354 of her 784 boards occurring in the 204,316 square foot building.
VARIETY IS THE SPICE OF LIFE: A total of 15 players have seen court time in EMU’s games this season. Nine of those 15 players are averaging 10 minutes or more. Sophomore Cassie Schrock leads the way with 37.2 minutes per outing.
THE ROAD WARRIORS ARE COMING BACK: The Eagles have been a good road team under head coach AnnMarie Gilbert. In one year under Gilbert, EMU is 9-8 in road contests. This trend continues in the MAC, as the Eagles are 6-2 in conference road games.
FROM DOWNTOWN, YES: The Eagles are averaging 20.7 three-point attempts per contest this season and are on pace to shoot 601 times from long range. The school-record for attempted three-pointers is 630 during the 1999-00 season. That season EMU was 220-of-630 from beyond the arc.
NEMO WANTS TO HEAR FROM YOU: In an effort to provide the most complete coverage of EMU Athletics, radio play-by-play man Brian Nemerovski will be taking your e-mails during this season’s broadcasts. You can e-mail Nemo at emueaglesradio@gmail.com
SCHROCK ACCEPTING CHARITY: Sophomore Cassie Schrock is shooting 77.2 percent from the charity stripe this season. Schrock went to the line just twice in the season opener at North Dakota (Nov. 14), but has found her way to the line ever since and is making the most of her freebies. Schrock is 64-for-83, which includes a 7-for-8 performance against Madonna (Nov. 22) and a 10-for-14 effort versus No. 11/8 Notre Dame (Dec. 2).
PIPING HOT TURNOVERS: After forcing 565 turnovers (19.5 per game) last season, Eastern Michigan is at it again this year, causing 225 turnovers (20.5 per game) in its 11 outings. The majority of those turnovers have come via EMU steals, with the Eagles registering 125 thefts (11.4 per game) after ranking third in the Mid-American Conference in that category last season.
TRIFECTA, YOU BET YA: The three-point shot has been a key to the Eagles’ offense this season. As a team, EMU is ranked ninth in the MAC with a shooting percentage of 29.8 (68-for-228) 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 31.2 percent (58-for-186) shooting from three-point land. EMU’s perimeter defense was at its best versus James Madison, Nov. 27, when it limited the Dukes to just four three-pointers.
INTERESTING STATS ABOUT EMU: In its four victories this season, EMU is averaging 76.2 points while the opposition is posting just 50.0 points. In those games, opponents are shooting 31.1 percent from the field compared to 39.8 percent for the Eagles. In defeats, the Eagles are only scoring 64.9 points, while giving up 78.4. Another factor in the Eagles’ success has been the ability to control the glass. EMU is grabbing 50.0 rebounds to just 35.5 for the opponents in the wins, while in setbacks EMU is being out-rebounded by nearly seven caroms (36.0 to 43.3).
CONTRIBUTIONS OFF THE BENCH: Eastern Michigan’s bench is averaging 23.1 points and 19.9 rebounds per game. The Eagle reserves have outscored eight of their 11 opponents this season, including Madonna by a 34-3 count, Nov. 22. EMU is 3-5 this season when its reserves outscore the opposition, and conversely 1-2 when it does not.
SCHROCK NEVER RESTS: Sophomore Cassie Schrock continued to shine for the Eagles in a 76-75 double overtime setback to the University of Detroit Mercy Saturday, Dec. 20, at the Convocation Center. Schrock led the Eagles with 22 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists for her fourth double-double in the season’s first 10 contests. Her 50 minutes of continuous play was a new career-best for the sophomore standout from Wasdsworth, Ohio. Last year she tallied on the floor for 47 minutes in a 79-77 double-overtime win over Duquesne, Dec. 29, 2007. Jessica Henry was the last EMU player to be on the court that long, as Henry played all 50 minutes as the Green and White came up just short versus Kent State, 96-94, in the semifinals of the Mid-American Conference Tournament at Public Hall in Cleveland, Ohio, March 3, 2000. On that day four Eagles recorded 40-or-more minutes of work.
DOUBLE TROUBLE: The Eagles’ 76-75 double overtime setback to the Titans of the University of Detroit Mercy marked a rarity not seen before in EMU women’s basketball history. In 50 minutes of game action, Eastern Michigan never once held a lead in the ballgame. EMU tied the score on four separate occasions (twice in the second half, one is the first overtime and once in the second overtime).
REBOUND THAT BASKETBALL: Eastern Michigan and Notre Dame combined for 104 rebounds Tuesday, Dec. 2, to set a Convocation Center record for most combined boards in a game. The previous standard was 99 caroms between EMU (60) and Wayne State (39), Nov. 19, 2005.
TURNING THE ROCK OVER: The Eagles forced the Fighting Irish of the University of Notre Dame into committing 18 miscues during the Dec. 2 contest at the Convocation Center. The 18 turnovers were a season-high for UND and marked the most since the Irish turned it over 19 times versus No. 14/13 Oklahoma in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in West Lafayette, Ind., March 25, 2008.
Now I’m Following You: EMU currently holds the longest streak in the Mid-American Conference for most consecutive non-losing league campaigns at 10. Kent State had held the standard for above .500 campaigns at 17 dating back to 1990-91, but the Golden Flashes’ streak ended last season.
MEXICO WAS WARM, BUT THE OPPONENTS WERE HOT: And it ended up with EMU losing a pair of games, falling to James Madison, 80-76, Nov. 27, and to No. 22/24 TCU, 71-55, Nov. 28. In the opener, the Eagles were down by 15 points with 3:03 remaining and pulled within three with 17 seconds remaining but were unable to complete the rally. Four EMU players hit double figures, led by Cassie Schrock with 21 points and nine rebounds. Against TCU, Eastern struggled offensively, shooting only 34 percent (22-for-64) from the field and 26 percent (7-for-27) from beyond the arc. The Lady Frogs also forced the Eagles into a season-high 23 turnovers, resulting in 27 TCU points. Tavelyn James with 17 points while Tara Johnson notched her first career double-double with 10 points and a career-high 11 boards.
RESERVATIONS FOR SIX: To say the defense stood up to the challenge would be an understatement, as Eastern Michigan held Madonna to a school-record six points in the first half of the non-conference contest, Nov. 22. The Crusaders six points were also a Convocation Center record for fewest points in a period, as the total bested the mark from last season when the Green and White held Temple Baptist (11-11-07) to just 10 points in the first frame.
STOP, THIEF!: In the victory over NAIA foe Madonna, Nov. 22, EMU racked up 24 steals, which is tied for the third-best effort in team history. Additionally, freshman Tavelyn James notched nine swipes, which is tied for the second-most steals in a single game. Last season versus NCCAA member Temple Baptist (11-11-07), the Eagles stole the rock a record 29 times.
POINTS IN THE PAINT: In the first two games of the season the Eagles struggled to put the ball in the basket from close range, as EMU averaged just 10 points in the paint. Conversely, in those contests the opposition averaged 27.0 points per game in the lane. All of that changed versus Madonna, Nov. 22, when the Eagles dropped 44 points in the paint to just 12 for the Crusaders.
BENCH PROVIDING MUCH NEEDED SUPPORT: EMU’s bench has shown that it can provide a spark. Versus North Dakota (Nov. 14) the bench poured in 25 of the team’s 71 points while against Cleveland State (Nov. 18) the reserves notched 35 of the team’s 67 points. In the 54-point victory over Madonna (Nov. 22) EMU’s bench combined for 34 points. In the overtime win over Siena (Nov. 24) the reserves were able to contribute 15 points.
LAWSON RED-HOT FROM BEYOND THE ARC: Last season, Mary Lawson totaled just three points in the season opener versus Temple Baptist (Nov. 14, 2007) before a knee injury sidelined her for the season. Lawson had made that time off count, in 11 games this season she is averaging 9.2 points per game plus shooting 33-percent (30-of-91) from three-point range. At Cleveland State (Nov. 18), the Alexandria, Va. native stroked a career-high five treys en route to 15 points.
