Eastern Michigan Athletics
James Ends Season as Nation's Fourth Leading Freshman Scorer
4/28/2009 4:34:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Detroit native averaged 14.7 ppg during freshman campaign
YPSILANTI, Mich. – Eastern Michigan University freshman guard Tavelyn James (Detroit, Mich.-Mumford) concluded the 2008-09 season as the nation's fourth leading freshman scorer with a 14.7 points per game average according to the final statistics released by the NCAA.
James is among a select group of the most prolific freshman scorers in EMU history. In 29 games, the Detroit native racked up 426 points. The total is the best in the EMU freshmen laurels, surpassing Ryan Coleman (417) and Holly Mitchell (393). The Mid-American Conference record for most points by a freshman is Western Michigan's Kristin Koetsier with 559 points in 1999-2000.
Long Island's Ashley Palmer toped all freshmen at 17.1 ppg, followed by Eastern Kentucky's Kayla Drake (16.0 ppg), and Missouri State's Casey Garrison (15.9 ppg). Rounding out the top five scorers were James (14.7) and Fairleigh Dickinson's Mariyah Laury (14.5).
Named to the MAC's All-Freshman team, James ranked ninth in the MAC in scoring and finished as the team's leading scorer. Her 426 points made James the first freshman to lead Eastern Michigan in scoring since the 1997-98 campaign. James also averaged 2.9 rebounds, 1.7 steals and 1.7 assists in 30.8 minutes per game. She led the Eagles in points (426), field goals made (155) and field goals attempted (391). Additionally, she ranked second on the team in steals (50) and third in assists (48).
The 2008-09 campaign was a rebuilding year for the EMU women's basketball team, as the Eagles finished with an 8-21 overall record and a 4-12 mark in the Mid-American Conference. Eastern finished fifth in the MAC West Division after winning four of its final eight games of the season.
Top Freshmen Scoring Average
Rank Individual School PPG
1. Ashley Palmer Long Island 17.1
2. Kayla Drake Eastern Kentucky 16.0
3. Casey Garrison Missouri State 15.9
4. Tavelyn James Eastern Michigan 14.7
5. Mariyah Laury Fairleigh Dickinson 14.5
6. April Cook Washington State 14.0
7. Jazmine Perkins Washington State 13.8
8. Michelle Kurowski UMBC 13.7
9. Alex Cowling Loyola Marymount 13.4
10. Shekinna Stricklen Tennessee 13.3
11. Justine Raterman Dayton 13.1
12. Shenise Johnson Miami (Fla.) 12.8
13. Ceira Ricketts Arkansas 12.6
14. Shontice Simmons Central Connecticut State 12.5
t-15. Miame Giden Western Michigan 12.4
t-15. Georgia Jones Oral Roberts 12.4
t-17. Mercedes Johnson Louisiana-Lafayette 12.1
t-17. Gabriell Mattox Texas State 12.1
t-17. Brandie Baker Central Michigan 12.1
20. Callan Taylor Sacred Heart 12.0
