Eastern Michigan Athletics
Thursday, December 29
Seattle, Wash.
1 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
vs
Saint Louis
Photo by: Steve King/KingStudios
Eagles Close Out 2011 at Seattle's Holiday Hoops Tourney
12/21/2011 1:53:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Washington Dental Service Holiday Hoops Tournament hosted by Seattle University at KeyArena in Seattle, Wash.
Complete Release.
Live Stats.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team jets to the Pacific Northwest to participate in the Washington Dental Service Holiday Hoops Tournament hosted by Seattle University at KeyArena in Seattle, Wash. The Eagles and Redhawks will be joined by Saint Louis University and St. Francis University (Pa.). The Green and White square off versus the Billikens of Saint Louis Thursday, Dec. 29, followed by a matchup with either the Red Flash or the Redhawks Friday, Dec. 30. The trip will mark the first time that EMU has played a game in the state of Washington.
CATCHING THE EAGLES IN SEATTLE: Neither WEMU or Eagle All-Access will be making the trip to Seattle, Wash. to broadcast the games of the Washington Dental Service Holiday Hoops Tournament, Dec. 29-30. Fans wanting to follow the Eagles can find live stats and links to the home team's radio broadcasts at GoSeattleU.com.
EMU VERSUS TEAMS IN THE TOURNAMENT: Eastern Michigan has never faced either Seattle or St. Francis prior to the Washington Dental Service Holiday Hoops Tournament, Dec. 29-30.
Seattle is independent from any conference, but will be joining the Western Athletic Conference for the 2012-13 campaign. EMU also has a limited history with the Northeast Conference, of which St. Francis (Pa.) is a member. The Green and White are 3-0 all-time versus the NEC with victories over Central Connecticut State, Robert Morris and St. Francis (N.Y.).
Interestingly, the tournament's third participant, Saint Louis, does have a history with the Eagles. The Eagles defeated the Billlikens, 67-59, in the team's only meeting, Dec. 13, 2005, at the EMU Convocation Center. EMU was lead by senior Ryan Coleman who tallied 20 points on 8-of-16 shooting from the field and 4-of-8 from three point range. Saint Louis was paced by Rachel Diener who notched 18 points.
EMU AND THE IN-SEASON TOURNAMENT: Since winning three consecutive in-season tournaments during the 2004-05 campaign, the Eagles have struggled with a 3-9 record in the five events since. The Eagles downed the University of Alabama, 52-43, in the opening game of the Fifth Annual Junkanoo Jam, Nov. 23, 2007, at St. George's High School in the Bahamas. The Green and White then posted an 83-67 victory over Hawai'i, Nov. 20, 2011, and a 79-68 win against Cal State Northridge, Nov. 21, 2011, at the Rainbow Wahine Classic in Honolulu, Hawai'i.
JAMES NOW SITS ATOP THE EMU RECORD BOOK IN SCORING: In the 13-point victory over Michigan, Dec. 11, senior Tavelyn James broke the EMU women's career scoring record with a 38-point effort to give her 1,935 points. James passed former EMU guard Laurie Byrd (1978-82) who scored 1,899 in her illustrious Hall of Fame career. Against the Wolverines, she was 10-of-21 from the field to go along with 13-for-14 from the free throw line. Over the first 10 minutes of the game, James scored 19 points on 6-of-9 shooting, including 4-of-6 from three-point range.
Currently ranked 13th all-time in points in MAC history, James has reached double figures in points on 88 occasions in her career. The Detroit, Mich. native has scored 20 or more in 39 of those contests. Her career average of 18.2 points per game is fourth-best in MAC annals, while she ranks in the top 20 in the conference record book in three-pointers attempted (789), field goals attempted (1,747), three-pointers made (241) and field goals made (683).
NCAA RANKINGS: The latest NCAA Statistical Rankings came out on Dec. 18 and the Eagles are 12th in the nation (out of 336 eligible teams) in steals per game at 13.6. They are 25th in turnover margin at +6.0, 37th in rebounding margin (+7.3) and 58th in scoring margin (+12.2) . Individually, Tavelyn James is second in the nation in scoring with an average of 25.1 points per game and 12th in three-point field goals per game at 3.1. Desyree Thomas is 12th in the nation with an average of 3.8 steals per game, while Paige Redditt is 48th in the nation in rebounds with an average of 9.6 per game.
CLOSING OUT THE YEAR: Thursday's game marks the Eagles' final game during the 2011 calendar year, as the team will usher in 2012, Jan. 2, against the University of Wyoming. Eastern Michigan is 18-16 all-time in the team's final game during the month of December, including winning eight of the last nine contests dating back to 2002.
COWGIRLS ON THE HORIZON: EMU returns home Monday, Jan. 2, to host the Cowgirls of the University of Wyoming to close out the non-conference portion of the schedule. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. at the Convocation Center in Ypsilanti, Mich. Eastern Michigan and Wyoming have never met on the hardwood prior to Monday's scheduled contest.
The game versus the Cowgirls marks the Eagles' first game during the 2012 calendar year. Eastern Michigan is 15-20 all-time in the team's first game in the month of January, including winning six of the last eight contests dating back to the 2003-04 campaign.
WATKINS TURNING INTO SOMEONE TO WATCH: Sophomore Natachia Watkins has been turning heads ever since being inserted into the lineup against Canisius, Nov. 27. The South Euclid, Ohio native is averaging 17.4 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.4 steals, 1.8 assists and 36.6 minutes over the past five contests.
Against Detroit, Dec. 20, she had arguably her best contest with a career-best 28 points on 10-of-21 shooting to go along with hauling down nine rebounds. She was also a personal-best 8-of-15 from the charity stripe in the overtime setback.
FOUTY TURNING INTO A DOUBLE-DOUBLE MACHINE: Sophomore forward Olivia Fouty continued her growth on the court with outstanding efforts against UMKC, Dec. 9, Michigan, Dec. 11, and Detroit, Dec. 20. In those three games she averaged a double-double with 15.7 points and 11.3 rebounds in 37.3 minutes of work. In the win over Michigan, Dec. 11, Fouty poured in a career-best 19 points in addition to her 12 rebounds. She was 8-of-11 from the field in the win over the Wolverines, who were receiving votes in the national coaches' polls. Earlier in the week, the Toledo, Ohio native posted 11 points and 12 rebounds in the overtime loss to UMKC at the Convocation Center. Then in the overtime loss at Detroit she notched her third consecutive double-double with 17 points and 10 boards.
SOMETIMES 40 MINUTES ISN'T ENOUGH: The Eagles have played in three overtime games this season which is tied for the most during a season in the program's 36-year history. During the 1979-80 campaign, Eastern went to overtime versus Northern Michigan, Pittsburgh and Western Michigan. Then in 2008-09 the Eagles had to go to the extra frame against Siena, Detroit and Northern Illinois. For EMU's complete overtime history, turn to page five of these notes.
Live Stats.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team jets to the Pacific Northwest to participate in the Washington Dental Service Holiday Hoops Tournament hosted by Seattle University at KeyArena in Seattle, Wash. The Eagles and Redhawks will be joined by Saint Louis University and St. Francis University (Pa.). The Green and White square off versus the Billikens of Saint Louis Thursday, Dec. 29, followed by a matchup with either the Red Flash or the Redhawks Friday, Dec. 30. The trip will mark the first time that EMU has played a game in the state of Washington.
CATCHING THE EAGLES IN SEATTLE: Neither WEMU or Eagle All-Access will be making the trip to Seattle, Wash. to broadcast the games of the Washington Dental Service Holiday Hoops Tournament, Dec. 29-30. Fans wanting to follow the Eagles can find live stats and links to the home team's radio broadcasts at GoSeattleU.com.
EMU VERSUS TEAMS IN THE TOURNAMENT: Eastern Michigan has never faced either Seattle or St. Francis prior to the Washington Dental Service Holiday Hoops Tournament, Dec. 29-30.
Seattle is independent from any conference, but will be joining the Western Athletic Conference for the 2012-13 campaign. EMU also has a limited history with the Northeast Conference, of which St. Francis (Pa.) is a member. The Green and White are 3-0 all-time versus the NEC with victories over Central Connecticut State, Robert Morris and St. Francis (N.Y.).
Interestingly, the tournament's third participant, Saint Louis, does have a history with the Eagles. The Eagles defeated the Billlikens, 67-59, in the team's only meeting, Dec. 13, 2005, at the EMU Convocation Center. EMU was lead by senior Ryan Coleman who tallied 20 points on 8-of-16 shooting from the field and 4-of-8 from three point range. Saint Louis was paced by Rachel Diener who notched 18 points.
EMU AND THE IN-SEASON TOURNAMENT: Since winning three consecutive in-season tournaments during the 2004-05 campaign, the Eagles have struggled with a 3-9 record in the five events since. The Eagles downed the University of Alabama, 52-43, in the opening game of the Fifth Annual Junkanoo Jam, Nov. 23, 2007, at St. George's High School in the Bahamas. The Green and White then posted an 83-67 victory over Hawai'i, Nov. 20, 2011, and a 79-68 win against Cal State Northridge, Nov. 21, 2011, at the Rainbow Wahine Classic in Honolulu, Hawai'i.
JAMES NOW SITS ATOP THE EMU RECORD BOOK IN SCORING: In the 13-point victory over Michigan, Dec. 11, senior Tavelyn James broke the EMU women's career scoring record with a 38-point effort to give her 1,935 points. James passed former EMU guard Laurie Byrd (1978-82) who scored 1,899 in her illustrious Hall of Fame career. Against the Wolverines, she was 10-of-21 from the field to go along with 13-for-14 from the free throw line. Over the first 10 minutes of the game, James scored 19 points on 6-of-9 shooting, including 4-of-6 from three-point range.
Currently ranked 13th all-time in points in MAC history, James has reached double figures in points on 88 occasions in her career. The Detroit, Mich. native has scored 20 or more in 39 of those contests. Her career average of 18.2 points per game is fourth-best in MAC annals, while she ranks in the top 20 in the conference record book in three-pointers attempted (789), field goals attempted (1,747), three-pointers made (241) and field goals made (683).
NCAA RANKINGS: The latest NCAA Statistical Rankings came out on Dec. 18 and the Eagles are 12th in the nation (out of 336 eligible teams) in steals per game at 13.6. They are 25th in turnover margin at +6.0, 37th in rebounding margin (+7.3) and 58th in scoring margin (+12.2) . Individually, Tavelyn James is second in the nation in scoring with an average of 25.1 points per game and 12th in three-point field goals per game at 3.1. Desyree Thomas is 12th in the nation with an average of 3.8 steals per game, while Paige Redditt is 48th in the nation in rebounds with an average of 9.6 per game.
CLOSING OUT THE YEAR: Thursday's game marks the Eagles' final game during the 2011 calendar year, as the team will usher in 2012, Jan. 2, against the University of Wyoming. Eastern Michigan is 18-16 all-time in the team's final game during the month of December, including winning eight of the last nine contests dating back to 2002.
COWGIRLS ON THE HORIZON: EMU returns home Monday, Jan. 2, to host the Cowgirls of the University of Wyoming to close out the non-conference portion of the schedule. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. at the Convocation Center in Ypsilanti, Mich. Eastern Michigan and Wyoming have never met on the hardwood prior to Monday's scheduled contest.
The game versus the Cowgirls marks the Eagles' first game during the 2012 calendar year. Eastern Michigan is 15-20 all-time in the team's first game in the month of January, including winning six of the last eight contests dating back to the 2003-04 campaign.
WATKINS TURNING INTO SOMEONE TO WATCH: Sophomore Natachia Watkins has been turning heads ever since being inserted into the lineup against Canisius, Nov. 27. The South Euclid, Ohio native is averaging 17.4 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.4 steals, 1.8 assists and 36.6 minutes over the past five contests.
Against Detroit, Dec. 20, she had arguably her best contest with a career-best 28 points on 10-of-21 shooting to go along with hauling down nine rebounds. She was also a personal-best 8-of-15 from the charity stripe in the overtime setback.
FOUTY TURNING INTO A DOUBLE-DOUBLE MACHINE: Sophomore forward Olivia Fouty continued her growth on the court with outstanding efforts against UMKC, Dec. 9, Michigan, Dec. 11, and Detroit, Dec. 20. In those three games she averaged a double-double with 15.7 points and 11.3 rebounds in 37.3 minutes of work. In the win over Michigan, Dec. 11, Fouty poured in a career-best 19 points in addition to her 12 rebounds. She was 8-of-11 from the field in the win over the Wolverines, who were receiving votes in the national coaches' polls. Earlier in the week, the Toledo, Ohio native posted 11 points and 12 rebounds in the overtime loss to UMKC at the Convocation Center. Then in the overtime loss at Detroit she notched her third consecutive double-double with 17 points and 10 boards.
SOMETIMES 40 MINUTES ISN'T ENOUGH: The Eagles have played in three overtime games this season which is tied for the most during a season in the program's 36-year history. During the 1979-80 campaign, Eastern went to overtime versus Northern Michigan, Pittsburgh and Western Michigan. Then in 2008-09 the Eagles had to go to the extra frame against Siena, Detroit and Northern Illinois. For EMU's complete overtime history, turn to page five of these notes.
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