Eastern Michigan Athletics
James Named the MAC’s Female Scholar Athlete of the Week
2/12/2010 3:05:55 PM | Women's Basketball
Third-time in 2009-10 the Detroit, Mich. native has won the weekly honor
CLEVELAND, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) – Eastern Michigan University sophomore guard Tavelyn James (Detroit, Mich.-Mumford) was named the Mid-American Conference Female Scholar Athlete of the Week for the period ending Feb. 8. This marks the third time in her career she has won the weekly honor.
The MAC Scholar Athlete of the Week honor is presented to a MAC male and female student-athlete who has a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better and performs well during the week's competition. The winners are selected by a group of the conference's faculty athletic representatives.
James, who holds a 3.37 GPA in occupational therapy, had another prolific week scoring the basketball, averaging 29.5 points per game to go along with 2.5 rebounds, 2.5 steals, 2.5 assists and a 47.4 shooting clip from the field. From beyond the arch, the Detroit native was 7-of-18 for 38.9 percent. James set the single-game standard for points with 40 in the Eagles' 78-65 victory over the University at Buffalo, Feb. 3. The Detroit native had set the record with 39 points earlier this season in the team's 108-24 victory over Rochester College, Dec. 9, 2009, at the Convocation Center.
With the prolific total, James became the first EMU women's basketball player to score 40 points in a game and just the seventh EMU student-athlete to do so. The last EMU basketball player to eclipse the 40-point plateau was men's basketball point guard Earl Boykins with 45 against Western Michigan University, Feb. 21, 1998, at Bowen Field House.
In a span of two minutes midway through the second half, James scored 10 straight Eagle points, connecting on three consecutive baskets and going 3-of-3 from the free throw line. She had 32 points with more than 11 minutes remaining in the game and finished the contest 13-of-22 from the field, including 5-of-11 from long distance and 9-of-11 from the line to give her 40 points, tying her for the 11th-highest in the nation this season.
Looking to re-group following a 79-63 setback Wednesday evening to Miami University, the Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team makes the 242 mile trek to Muncie, Ind. Saturday, Feb. 13, for a Mid-American Conference West Division tilt versus Ball State University. Game time is scheduled for 1 p.m. at John E. Worthen Arena. The game is part of the national “Think Pink” initiative with fans being encouraged to wear pink in support of breast cancer research.
The Eagles enter the game with a mark of 17-6 (7-4 MAC), two games behind the University of Toledo which sits atop the MAC West Division. Meanwhile, the Cardinals are 10-14 (4-7 MAC) after upending the University at Buffalo, 84-62, in Muncie, Feb. 10.
