Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
Notre Dame
Eastern to Tangle With Nationally-Ranked Notre Dame
11/30/2009 4:15:14 PM | Women's Basketball
Eastern travels to South Bend, Ind. for the first time since Dec. 15, 1982
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EASTERN TO TANGLE WITH NATIONALLY-RANKED NOTRE DAME: The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team returns to the road Wednesday evening, Dec. 2, for a non-conference affair versus the University of Notre Dame. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Purcell Pavilion.
EMU enters the game with a 5-1 mark after dispatching a talented Missouri State University team, 93-81, at the Convocation Center, Nov. 29. Notre Dame, ranked fifth in the latest Associated Press poll and sixth in the current ESPN/USA Today coaches' poll, is 6-0 on the young season.
WAKE UP THE ECHOES: The Eagles and Fighting Irish are meeting for the fourth time on the hardwood and just the second time in South Bend, Ind. Last season, Notre Dame cruised to an 83-63 victory at the Convocation Center in Ypsilanti, Mich. In the only meeting at the Joyce Center, UND rolled to a 75-58 win in South Bend, Ind., Dec. 15, 1982.
TOP-25 OPPOSITION AND THE EAGLES: For the first time this season, Eastern Michigan will square off with a ranked team. In the program's 34 years, EMU has never knocked off a ranked opponent, posting an 0-9 record. For complete EMU results versus ranked teams, turn to page five of these notes.
EMU VERSUS THE BIG EAST: Eastern is 6-15 all-time versus the Providence, R.I. based Big East Conference, having only played eight of the 16 member institutions. EMU is 3-0 versus South Florida, 2-2 against Pittsburgh, 1-4 versus Cincinnati, 0-3 against DePaul, 0-1 versus Louisville, 0-3 against Notre Dame, 0-1 versus Providence and 0-1 against St. John's.
FROM DOWNTOWN, YES!: In the 93-81 victory over Missouri State, Nov. 29, the Eagles connected on 15 three-pointer in 28 attempts for a 53.6 percent clip. The total was one shy of the school-record for most triples set Feb. 12, 2000, with 16 against Bowling Green State University at Anderson Arena in Bowling Green, Ohio. The 28 attempts is tied for 13th most by an EMU squad, while the 53.6 three-point percentage ranks 19th best. In addition, the 15 three balls were tied for the most in the Convocation Center's history with the Cardinals of Ball State University tossing in that amount against EMU, Jan. 27, 2001.
BEST START TO A SEASON SINCE 2004-05: The Eagles' 5-1 start to the 2009-10 season is the best by an EMU squad since the 2004-05 campaign. That season, the Green and White opened the year with eight straight victories before being tripped up 56-42 at Indiana, Dec. 18. Eastern Michigan finished the year with a 23-8 record and a WNIT appearance.
CRUSING AT 90: EMU's 93-point performance against Missouri State University, Nov. 29, was the most by an EMU squad since a 92-point output against Madonna University, Nov. 22, 2008. It is also the most points scored against a Division I team since the 2006-07 season when the Green and White laid 90 points on Morehead State University, Nov. 18.
The Eagles have won 14 in a row dating back to the 2003-04 campaign when hitting the 90-point plateau.
SUPER SOPHOMORE: Sophomore guard Tavelyn James had another stellar week in helping the Eagles to a 1-1 week with a victory over a talented Missouri State University team inside the Convocation Center, Nov. 30. On the week, the sophomore sensation accounted for 29 percent of the EMU offensive total by averaging 20.0 points per game, 3.5 rebounds, 1.5 steals, 1.0 assists and a 90.0 percent clip from the charity stripe in 31.0 minutes per game.
Against the Lady Bears, James poured in 31 points had four rebounds, two assists, and a steal while going 7-of-15 from beyond the arc. The seven treys by James was one shy the school record of eight threes and was one-point short of her career-best 32 points set just a week ago at Siena. Versus Temple, James notched nine points, three rebounds and two steals. She is the only Eagle to have hit the 30-point plateau this season.
EMU CLOSING IN ON 100 WINS INSIDE THE CONVOCATION CENTER: Eastern Michigan has racked up a solid home-court advantage inside the friendly confines of the Convocation Center since the doors opened during the 1998-99 campaign. The Green and White have won 68.3 percent of the contests played in the building, racking up a 97-45 all-time mark.
ROAD TRIP TALE OF THE TAPE: During the Eagles' eight-day trip to Siena University, Niagara University and Temple University, Nov. 18-25, the Green and White logged 1,884 miles. The three consecutive road games marked the first-time since the 2006-07 season EMU played three consecutive non-tournament games as the visiting team.
That year Eastern Michigan posted a 2-3 record during a five-game road swing to the exotic locations of Dayton, Ohio (Wright State University), Amherst, Mass. (University of Massachusetts), Normal, Ill. (Illinois State University), Greensboro, S.C. (Furman University) and Cullowhee, NC. (Western Carolina University).
SURPASSING 2008-09 ALREADY: Just four road games into this year's campaign and the Eagles have already tripled their road win-total from the 2008-09 season. EMU's lone victory away from the Convocation Center last season came in the team's 13th road game, a 56-45 decision over Miami University at Millett Hall in Oxford, Ohio, Feb. 14, 2009.
