Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
Toledo
EMU Treks to Toledo for a Saturday Contest
2/26/2009 3:38:33 PM | Women's Basketball
Game time set for 4:30 p.m. in Toledo, Ohio
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EAGLES LOOK TO SPOIL ROCKETS TITLE HOPES: The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team makes the short trek down US-23 Saturday afternoon, Feb. 28, for a Mid-American Conference tilt versus the University of Toledo. Tip-off is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. at the newly renovated Savage Arena.
The Eagles (7-18, 3-10 MAC) hopes of repeating as the MAC's West Division Champions have been extinguished, but now the ideas of playing the spoiler and getting a better seed in the upcoming Kraft MAC Tournament have taken root. EMU saw its three-game winning streak stopped Tuesday, Feb. 24, at the Convocation Center when current West front-runner Ball State walked away with a hard-fought 68-59 decision.
Meanwhile, the Rockets (16-0, 10-3) are riding a three-game winning streak of their own that saw them pick up a 72-68 road victory at Northern Illinois University, Feb. 24. Toledo is just one game back of Ball State, with the teams closing out the regular season together next Saturday, March 7, in the Glass City.
ALL-TIME VERSUS THE ROCKETS: Saturday's contest marks the 59th meeting between the Rockets and Eagles, who first met during the 1977-1978 season. Toledo leads the overall series, 36-22. Eastern has won six of the last seven meetings, including winning three-in-a-row at the newly renovated Savage Arena in Toledo, Ohio.
THIS WOULD BE SPECIAL: EMU will be in search of a program first Saturday afternoon at Toledo – winning four straight games in Savage Arena. Despite being the Eagles' closest conference opponent at just 49 miles the Rockets have dominated the all-time series, posting a 20-8 mark in Savage Arena. Of late though, that luck has begun to change.
EMU has won the last three meetings in the Glass City dating back to the 2005-06 campaign. The steak is only the second time in the program's history that Eastern has won three consecutive games on UT's home court. The last time it occurred was between Jan. 31, 1985 and Jan. 13, 1987.
JUST ONE HOME GAME LEFT: The Eagles return to the Convocation Center just once more in the 2008-09 regular season. Eastern travels to Toledo, Ohio for a rematch with the Rockets of Toledo, Feb. 28, before wrapping up the home schedule Tuesday, March 3, against Western Michigan. A visit to instate rival Central Michigan, March 7, concludes the regular season.
WESTERN MICHIGAN ON THE HORIZON: Tuesday's contest marks the 65th meeting between the Broncos and Eagles, who first played during the 1976-77 season. EMU leads the all-time series, 34-30, and has won five of the last seven meetings. The Broncos got the better of the Eagles earlier this season, Jan. 21, posting a 76-67 victory at University Arena in Kalamazoo. That night, freshman Tavelyn James had a career-best 27 points and sophomore Sydney Huntley-Rogers chipped in 20.
JAMES IN SOME RAREFIED COMPANY: Freshman Tavelyn James has joined a select group of the most prolific freshman scorers in program history. In 25 games, the Detroit native has racked up 350 points. The mark ranks fourth best in the EMU laurels, trailing only Ryan Coleman (417), Holly Mitchell (393) and Laurie Byrd (355). The MAC record for most points by a freshman is Western Michigan's Kristin Koetsier with 559 points in 1999-2000.
JAMES AGAIN AMONG THE NATION'S ELITE: Freshman Tavelyn James in making a name for herself not only in the MAC but nationwide. The Detroit, Mich. native is ranked sixth among the nation's leaders in freshman scoring average at 13.7 points per game. Long Island's Ashley Palmer tops all freshmen at 17.2 ppg, followed by Missouri State's Casey Garrison (15.9 ppg), Eastern Kentucky's Kayla Drake (15.6 ppg), Fairleigh Dickinson's Mariyah Laury (14.8 ppg) and Washington State's Jazmine Perkins (14.2 ppg).
Rounding out the list are Loyola Marymount's Alex Cowling (13.7 ppg), Washington State's April Cook (13.4), UMBC's Michelle Kurowski (13.2) and Oral Roberts' Georgia Jones (13.2).
VARIETY IS THE SPICE OF LIFE: A total of 15 players have seen court time in EMU's games this season. Eight of those 15 players are averaging 10 minutes or more. Sophomore Cassie Schrock leads the way with 36.2 minutes per outing.
