Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
Northern Illinois
Eastern Looks to Remain Hot on Pinkzone Day at the Convocation Center
2/16/2009 3:18:18 PM | Women's Basketball
Game time set for 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 21
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EAGLES LOOK TO REMAIN HOT VERSUS THE HUSKIES: With back-to-back victories under its belt, the Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team returns to the friendly confines of the Convocation Center Saturday, Feb. 21, versus Northern Illinois University. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m., followed by the EMU men's basketball team hosting Georgia State University 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first game. The Eagles (6-17, 2-9 MAC) come in riding high, following a 56-45 victory over Miami University, Feb. 14, for the team's first road victory of the campaign. Meanwhile, the Huskies (13-11, 8-3 MAC) are looking first their third consecutive win after a pair of victories over Miami (W, 80-66) and the University of Buffalo (W, 70-63).
PINKZONE SET FOR SATURDAY: Join the Eagles Saturday as they celebrate the WBCA Pink Zone™, formerly known as “Think Pink”, an initiative to raise breast cancer awareness in women's basketball, on campuses and in communities. Promotional group tickets will be available for purchase at $3 per ticket with $1 of every ticket donated back to the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund™. Collection boxes will be set up throughout the Convocation Center for individuals who wish to make additional donations.
ALL-TIME VERSUS NORTHERN ILLINOIS: Saturday's contest versus Northern Illinois University marks the 31st meeting between the Huskies and Eagles, who first met during the 1981-82 season. Eastern leads the overall series, 21-9, and has won 16 of the last 19 games over the Cardinal and Black. Earlier this season, the Huskies edged the Eagles 69-62 in overtime at the NIU Convocation Center in DeKalb, Ill., Jan. 17.
TALE OF TWO TEAMS: With confidence brimming, the previous two times the Eagles have stepped on to the court, the outcome has been extremely positive. Eastern posted a pair of 11-point victories over Buffalo (W, 69-58 - Feb. 11) and Miami (W, 56-45 - Feb. 14). In those two games, EMU averaged 62.5 points per game while a stingy defense has limited opponents to 51.5 points. EMU also forced 52 turnovers, while distributing the ball better by upping its average to 13.3 assists per game. In EMU's first nine Mid-American Conference contest, the Green and White averaged just 56.9 points while giving up 71.1.
THE SERIES VERSUS BALL STATE: Tuesday's, Feb. 24, contest marks the 58th meeting between the Cardinals and Eagles, who first played during the 1979-80 season. EMU leads the series, 31-26, but Ball State has won the last five meetings by an average of seven points a game (58.2 to 65.2). Earlier this season, the Eagles dropped a 62-55 decision to the Cardinals, Jan. 7, at Worthen Arena in Muncie, Ind. Eastern had to weather a scoring drought of nearly nine minutes during the first half, before using a 16-7 run to open the second half to retake a 37-36 lead via a Sydney Huntley-Rogers three-pointer with 16:27 to go in the ballgame. The teams would exchange scores but once again Ball State was able to build an eight-point cushion, 50-42, with 9:57 left. Eastern would continue to battle down the stretch but was unable to get any closer than five points the rest of the way as the Cardinals were 8-for-8 from the free throw line with under a minute to play.
SCHROCK EARNS FIRST CAREER PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS: Sophomore guard Cassie Schrock was named Mid-American Conference West Division Player of the Week, the conference office announced Monday, Feb. 15. It marks the first time she has won the award in her career. Schrock turned in one of the best weeks of her career and among the best in the program's history by averaging 16.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 2.5 steals in a pair of victories over the University at Buffalo (Feb. 11) and Miami University (Feb. 14). She was also near perfect from the charity stripe, making 20 attempts in 24 trips to the line on the week.
DEFENSE WAS COOKING IN OXFORD: EMU rolled to a 56-45 victory over Miami University on Valentine's Day at Millett Hall, Feb. 14. The Eagles used a 27-3 run to open the second half en route to the squad's first Mid-American Conference road victory of the campaign. The win was EMU's sixth all-time in Millett Hall and the second consecutive in the venerable building. The only other time Eastern has won back-to-back games in Oxford was between 1986 and 1987 when head coach Kathy Hart guided the then-Hurons to the consecutive victories.
LAND ENTERS RARE TERRITORY AT MIAMI: Senior Amber Land turned in the best game of her career, collecting nine points, nine rebounds and eight steals in a 56-45 victory over Miami, Feb. 14. Land's Valentine's Day performance was an EMU student-athlete's second attempt to record a near triple-double in as many games.
JUST TWO HOME GAMES LEFT: Following Saturday's game, the Eagles return to the Convocation Center just twice more in the 2008-09 regular season. Eastern hosts MAC West Division leader Ball State Wednesday, Feb. 24, before traveling to Toledo, Ohio for a rematch with the Rockets of Toledo (Feb. 28). EMU wraps up the home schedule Saturday, March 3, against Western Michigan. A visit to instate rival Central Michigan (March 7) concludes the regular season.
