Eastern Michigan Athletics
Sunday, January 22
Bowling Green, Ohio
2 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
at
Bowling Green
Photo by: Steve King/KingStudios
MAC Championship Game Re-Match Set for Sunday
1/20/2012 2:52:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Sunday, Jan. 22, 2012 » 2:07 p.m. » Stroh Center (4,374) » Bowling Green, Ohio
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MAC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME RE-MATCH SET FOR SUNDAY AT THE STROH CENTER: The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team travels to Bowling Green, Ohio, Sunday, Jan. 22, for a re-match of the 2011 Mid-American Conference Tournament Championship game against the Bowling Green State University Falcons. Game time for the cross-divisional contest is scheduled for 2:07 p.m. inside the brand-new Stroh Center.
Eastern Michigan enters the game with a mark of 12-6 (4-1 MAC) after cruising to a 73-60 victory over Central Michigan University at the Convocation Center, Jan. 19. The Falcons are 15-3 (5-0 MAC) on the season following a 61-58 road win to Miami University, Jan. 19.
» MAC TITANS AT IT AGAIN: When the Eagles and Falcons have tangled over the past nine seasons, it has almost been a guarantee that one of the teams (if not both) is on top of the MAC standings. Sunday's game extends a streak of 13 consecutive meetings featuring the league's divisional leader. The last time neither side was in first place was Jan. 27, 2004. Ironically, EMU and BGSU would next square off in the MAC Tournament title game, March 13, with the Eagles advancing to the NCAA Tournament with a 65-56 victory. BGSU has been in first place in 12 of those games with EMU holding down the divisional lead in five contests. Additionally, both teams have been first in their respective divisions four times (2006, 2008, 2010 and 2012).
THE BRIGHT LIGHTS OF TELEVISION: Sunday's contest will be shown regionally on SportsTime Ohio and Comcast Michigan (Digital Channel 901) with Mike Cairns providing the play-by-play and Jacki Windon serving as the analyst. EMU has posted a record of 2-0 this season on the small-screen and 6-2 over the past two seasons.
A SPOTLIGHT ON THE FALCONS: The Jan. 22 contest marks the 60th meeting between the Bowling Green Falcons and Eastern Michigan Eagles, who first met during the 1976-1977 season. BGSU has dominated the all-time series, 45-14, including winning the last nine meetings between the two schools. Last season, the Falcons captured a 60-55 victory at the Convocation Center in Ypsilanti, Feb. 12, 2011, and then notched a 51-46 decision in the 2011 MAC Championship Game at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, March 12, 2011.
Head Coach AnnMarie Gilbert is still working for her first win over the Falcons, having dropped all five previous meetings to Head Coach Curt Miller and company. BGSU is the only school in the league that EMU has not defeated in the past five seasons under Gilbert.
GLAD TO NO LONGER SEE THE “THE HOUSE THAT ROARS”: Sunday's contest marks the first time Eastern Michigan will step foot inside Bowling Green's brand-new Stroh Center. Head Coach AnnMarie Gilbert hopes to find the building more to her liking as Anderson Arena has certainly caused EMU coaches to have nightmares over the years. The Green and White posted an all-time record of 4-23 in the venerable building. Eastern's last victory at Bowling Green was Jan. 12, 2005, when the Eagles took home a 51-48 victory. Prior to the 2005 victory, the most recent EMU victory in Bowling Green was Feb. 12, 2000, when the Eagles recorded a 92-69 victory.
A LOOK BACK AT THE LAST MEETING WITH BOWLING GREEN: Ice-cold shooting by EMU proved to be the difference in the 2011 Mid-American Conference Tournament Championship game, as Bowling Green defeated the Eagles, 51-46, at Quicken Loans Arena, Saturday, March 12, 2011.
The Falcons improved to 28-4 after clinching their fifth tournament championship in the past seven years. Meanwhile, the Eagles fell to 22-12 after becoming the first-ever fifth seed to appear in the MAC Championship game.
Bowling Green's Lauren Prochaska poured in a game-high 20 points on 3-of-13 shooting and 13-of-15 from the free throw line en route to tournament MVP honors. EMU's Tavelyn James led the Eagles with 19 points on 8-of-23 shooting while adding seven rebounds and three assists. Senior Cassie Schrock added nine points, eight rebounds and four assists while Sydney Huntley chipped in eight points.
CROSS-DIVISIONAL PLAY RETURNS: The 2011-12 season is the seventh utilizing the current Mid-American Conference scheduling format for women's basketball. Each of the 12 schools opens league action with five divisional games, followed by six cross-divisional games and then five more divisional contests to close the regular season.
Eastern Michigan has posted a 30-23 record versus MAC East Division opponents since the 2004-05 campaign. Eastern was 5-2 last season after finishing 4-4 in 2009-10. The Green and White were 2-5 in cross-divisional games in 2008-09, 4-3 in 2007-08, 4-4 in 2006-07, 6-2 in 2005-06 and 5-3 in 2004-05.
BEST OF THE WEST: The Eagles' win over Central Michigan, Jan. 19, means that EMU has posted at least four wins in the initial West Division round robin four times in the last seven years. EMU also went 4-1 against the West to begin league action in both 2006-07 and 2009-10. In the 2005-06 campaign, the Eagles started divisional play with a perfect 5-0 record.
GETTING DEFENSIVE: Eastern Michigan has had double-digit steal totals in 15 games this season. The Green and White have also forced 13 opponents into more than 20 turnovers in a contest.
JAMES IN SOME RAREFIED COMPANY: Senior Tavelyn James has joined a select group of the most prolific senior scorers in program history. In 18 games, the Detroit native has racked up 403 points. The mark ranks ninth best in EMU senior laurels. The MAC record for most points by a senior is Western Michigan's Carrie Moore with 813 points in 2006-07.
James also holds the EMU freshman (426), sophomore (641) and junior (642) single-season scoring marks.
NCAA RANKINGS: The latest NCAA Statistical Rankings came out on Jan. 19 and the Eagles are seventh in the nation (out of 336 eligible teams) in steals per game at 13.7. They are 12th in turnover margin at +6.22, 26th in rebounding margin (+7.3) and 53rd in scoring margin (+10.6) . Individually, Tavelyn James is eighth in the nation in scoring with an average of 22.4 points per game and 59th in free throw percentage per game at 83.8. Desyree Thomas is 10th in the nation with an average of 3.6 steals per game, while Olivia Fouty is 96th in the nation in rebounds with an average of 8.5 per game.
JAMES NAMED MAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK FOR THE FIFTH TIME IN HER CAREER: Senior guard Tavelyn was named the Mid-American Conference Women's Basketball West Division Player of the Week, the conference office announced Jan. 16. It marks the fifth time she has won the award in her career.
James had another strong week in leading the Eagles to a perfect 2-0 mark. In two games, she averaged 25.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 3.0 steals in 38.5 minutes per game. James turned in a game-high 30 points on 10-of-21 shooting as EMU snapped Toledo's 17-game conference winning streak inside Savage Arena with a 70-66 victory, Jan. 11. She followed it up with a 21 point effort in the 84-59 win against Western Michigan, Jan. 14. In the game against the Broncos, she also set a career-high with six assists.
WELCOME TO THE BLOCK PARTY: Eastern Michigan's size proved a difference maker against Western Michigan in the 84-59 victory, Jan. 14. The Green and White racked up six blocks and 48 rebounds en route to the 25-point decision. Olivia Fouty rejected three Bronco shots, while Paige Redditt, Natachia Watkins and Desyree Thomas each added a block to their credit. The six teams blocks was the most by an EMU squad since a six-block performance at Green Bay, Nov. 18, 2011.
INTERESTING STATS ABOUT EMU: In its 12 victories this season, EMU is averaging 72.8 points while the opposition is posting just 53.6 points. In those games, opponents are shooting 39.5 percent from the field compared to 43.0 percent for the Eagles. In defeats, the Eagles are only scoring 62.0 points, while giving up 68.8. Another factor in the Eagles' success has been the ability to control the glass. EMU is grabbing 40.8 rebounds to just 31.3 for the opponents in the wins, while in setbacks EMU is out-rebounding by only three caroms (41.0 to 38.0).
HOME COURT ADVANTAGE: Eastern Michigan is 6-1 at the Convocation Center this season. The Eagles have won 31 of the last 40 home games dating back to the 2008-09 campaign. Eastern Michigan has racked up a solid home-court advantage inside the friendly confines of the Convocation Center since the doors opened during the 1998-99 campaign. The Green and White has won 69.8 percent of the contests played in the building, piling up a 125-54 all-time mark.
FOUTY WITH AUTHORITY: Sophomore forward Olivia Fouty continues to impress with her ability to rebound the basketball. Against Wyoming, Jan. 2, Fouty surpassed her career high with 15 rebounds in the first half en route to finishing the contest with 18 caroms. The 18 rebounds are tied for seventh most in a single game and are the most by an EMU player since Paige Redditt hauled down 18 against Loyola, Nov. 20, 2011.
Fouty has at least six caroms in 15 of her 18 games this season, and she has six double-figure rebounding performances (18 vs. Wyoming, 12 vs. UMKC, 12 vs. Michigan, 12 vs. Central Michigan, 11 vs. Western Michigan, 10 at Detroit).
PIPING HOT TURNOVERS: After forcing 769 turnovers (20.8 per game) last season, Eastern Michigan is at it again this year, causing 421 turnovers (23.4 per game) in its 18 outings. The majority of those turnovers have come via EMU steals, with the Eagles registering 246 thefts (13.7 per game) after ranking first in the Mid-American Conference in that category last season.
STRUGGLING FROM DOWNTOWN: The Eagles' three-point field goal shooting ability has been the team's Achilles heel in 2011-12, as the Eagles are shooting just 25.5 percent from the outside. EMU has made two-or-fewer shots from beyond the long line on seven occasions this season and is a combined 4-3 in those contests. The distance change to 20-feet, 8-inches for this season may have contributed to EMU's struggles. At this point during the 2009-10 campaign, EMU was averaging 6.9 long-range shots per game compared to 3.1 this season.
GET THAT SHOT OUTTA HERE: Senior forward Paige Redditt recorded a blocked shot Saturday, Jan. 14, in the victory against Western Michigan. She upped her career total to 106 and currently stands in second place on the EMU all-time list. Redditt passed Stephanie Smiley who tallied 103 rejections for Eastern from 1998-2002. The EMU career leader is Sharon Rose (1983-87) with 144.
APPROACHING 900: Senior Paige Redditt has scored 841 points in her career and ranks 29th all time. There are currently 20 players in the 900-point club for EMU women's basketball.
AGAINST IN-STATE SCHOOLS: Eastern Michigan has had great success against other collegiate programs in the state of Michigan over the past 10 seasons. Since the beginning of the 2002-03 season, the Eagles are 41-14 (74.5) against in-state rivals, including a 19-11 mark under AnnMarie Gilbert.
A LOOK INSIDE THE SPECIALTY STATS: The Eagles are averaging 39.5 points per game in the paint, 10.1 points off the bench, 25.4 points per game off turnovers, 14.6 second-chance points and 14.5 fast break points per game.
EMU VERSUS THE MAC: This is EMU's 31st season competing in the Mid-American Conference. The Eagles hold a 210-275 record against conference foes and have posted winning seasons in the MAC in 10 of the last 11 campaigns. EMU has had the most success against Northern Illinois, going 27-9, and the least versus Bowling Green, 14-44. Western Michigan has been the Green and White's most frequent opponent with 70 meetings while Buffalo holds the distinction of the fewest conference games against the Eagles with 18.
Listen to the Game.
Live Stats.
MAC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME RE-MATCH SET FOR SUNDAY AT THE STROH CENTER: The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team travels to Bowling Green, Ohio, Sunday, Jan. 22, for a re-match of the 2011 Mid-American Conference Tournament Championship game against the Bowling Green State University Falcons. Game time for the cross-divisional contest is scheduled for 2:07 p.m. inside the brand-new Stroh Center.
Eastern Michigan enters the game with a mark of 12-6 (4-1 MAC) after cruising to a 73-60 victory over Central Michigan University at the Convocation Center, Jan. 19. The Falcons are 15-3 (5-0 MAC) on the season following a 61-58 road win to Miami University, Jan. 19.
» MAC TITANS AT IT AGAIN: When the Eagles and Falcons have tangled over the past nine seasons, it has almost been a guarantee that one of the teams (if not both) is on top of the MAC standings. Sunday's game extends a streak of 13 consecutive meetings featuring the league's divisional leader. The last time neither side was in first place was Jan. 27, 2004. Ironically, EMU and BGSU would next square off in the MAC Tournament title game, March 13, with the Eagles advancing to the NCAA Tournament with a 65-56 victory. BGSU has been in first place in 12 of those games with EMU holding down the divisional lead in five contests. Additionally, both teams have been first in their respective divisions four times (2006, 2008, 2010 and 2012).
THE BRIGHT LIGHTS OF TELEVISION: Sunday's contest will be shown regionally on SportsTime Ohio and Comcast Michigan (Digital Channel 901) with Mike Cairns providing the play-by-play and Jacki Windon serving as the analyst. EMU has posted a record of 2-0 this season on the small-screen and 6-2 over the past two seasons.
A SPOTLIGHT ON THE FALCONS: The Jan. 22 contest marks the 60th meeting between the Bowling Green Falcons and Eastern Michigan Eagles, who first met during the 1976-1977 season. BGSU has dominated the all-time series, 45-14, including winning the last nine meetings between the two schools. Last season, the Falcons captured a 60-55 victory at the Convocation Center in Ypsilanti, Feb. 12, 2011, and then notched a 51-46 decision in the 2011 MAC Championship Game at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, March 12, 2011.
Head Coach AnnMarie Gilbert is still working for her first win over the Falcons, having dropped all five previous meetings to Head Coach Curt Miller and company. BGSU is the only school in the league that EMU has not defeated in the past five seasons under Gilbert.
GLAD TO NO LONGER SEE THE “THE HOUSE THAT ROARS”: Sunday's contest marks the first time Eastern Michigan will step foot inside Bowling Green's brand-new Stroh Center. Head Coach AnnMarie Gilbert hopes to find the building more to her liking as Anderson Arena has certainly caused EMU coaches to have nightmares over the years. The Green and White posted an all-time record of 4-23 in the venerable building. Eastern's last victory at Bowling Green was Jan. 12, 2005, when the Eagles took home a 51-48 victory. Prior to the 2005 victory, the most recent EMU victory in Bowling Green was Feb. 12, 2000, when the Eagles recorded a 92-69 victory.
A LOOK BACK AT THE LAST MEETING WITH BOWLING GREEN: Ice-cold shooting by EMU proved to be the difference in the 2011 Mid-American Conference Tournament Championship game, as Bowling Green defeated the Eagles, 51-46, at Quicken Loans Arena, Saturday, March 12, 2011.
The Falcons improved to 28-4 after clinching their fifth tournament championship in the past seven years. Meanwhile, the Eagles fell to 22-12 after becoming the first-ever fifth seed to appear in the MAC Championship game.
Bowling Green's Lauren Prochaska poured in a game-high 20 points on 3-of-13 shooting and 13-of-15 from the free throw line en route to tournament MVP honors. EMU's Tavelyn James led the Eagles with 19 points on 8-of-23 shooting while adding seven rebounds and three assists. Senior Cassie Schrock added nine points, eight rebounds and four assists while Sydney Huntley chipped in eight points.
CROSS-DIVISIONAL PLAY RETURNS: The 2011-12 season is the seventh utilizing the current Mid-American Conference scheduling format for women's basketball. Each of the 12 schools opens league action with five divisional games, followed by six cross-divisional games and then five more divisional contests to close the regular season.
Eastern Michigan has posted a 30-23 record versus MAC East Division opponents since the 2004-05 campaign. Eastern was 5-2 last season after finishing 4-4 in 2009-10. The Green and White were 2-5 in cross-divisional games in 2008-09, 4-3 in 2007-08, 4-4 in 2006-07, 6-2 in 2005-06 and 5-3 in 2004-05.
BEST OF THE WEST: The Eagles' win over Central Michigan, Jan. 19, means that EMU has posted at least four wins in the initial West Division round robin four times in the last seven years. EMU also went 4-1 against the West to begin league action in both 2006-07 and 2009-10. In the 2005-06 campaign, the Eagles started divisional play with a perfect 5-0 record.
GETTING DEFENSIVE: Eastern Michigan has had double-digit steal totals in 15 games this season. The Green and White have also forced 13 opponents into more than 20 turnovers in a contest.
JAMES IN SOME RAREFIED COMPANY: Senior Tavelyn James has joined a select group of the most prolific senior scorers in program history. In 18 games, the Detroit native has racked up 403 points. The mark ranks ninth best in EMU senior laurels. The MAC record for most points by a senior is Western Michigan's Carrie Moore with 813 points in 2006-07.
James also holds the EMU freshman (426), sophomore (641) and junior (642) single-season scoring marks.
NCAA RANKINGS: The latest NCAA Statistical Rankings came out on Jan. 19 and the Eagles are seventh in the nation (out of 336 eligible teams) in steals per game at 13.7. They are 12th in turnover margin at +6.22, 26th in rebounding margin (+7.3) and 53rd in scoring margin (+10.6) . Individually, Tavelyn James is eighth in the nation in scoring with an average of 22.4 points per game and 59th in free throw percentage per game at 83.8. Desyree Thomas is 10th in the nation with an average of 3.6 steals per game, while Olivia Fouty is 96th in the nation in rebounds with an average of 8.5 per game.
JAMES NAMED MAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK FOR THE FIFTH TIME IN HER CAREER: Senior guard Tavelyn was named the Mid-American Conference Women's Basketball West Division Player of the Week, the conference office announced Jan. 16. It marks the fifth time she has won the award in her career.
James had another strong week in leading the Eagles to a perfect 2-0 mark. In two games, she averaged 25.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 3.0 steals in 38.5 minutes per game. James turned in a game-high 30 points on 10-of-21 shooting as EMU snapped Toledo's 17-game conference winning streak inside Savage Arena with a 70-66 victory, Jan. 11. She followed it up with a 21 point effort in the 84-59 win against Western Michigan, Jan. 14. In the game against the Broncos, she also set a career-high with six assists.
WELCOME TO THE BLOCK PARTY: Eastern Michigan's size proved a difference maker against Western Michigan in the 84-59 victory, Jan. 14. The Green and White racked up six blocks and 48 rebounds en route to the 25-point decision. Olivia Fouty rejected three Bronco shots, while Paige Redditt, Natachia Watkins and Desyree Thomas each added a block to their credit. The six teams blocks was the most by an EMU squad since a six-block performance at Green Bay, Nov. 18, 2011.
INTERESTING STATS ABOUT EMU: In its 12 victories this season, EMU is averaging 72.8 points while the opposition is posting just 53.6 points. In those games, opponents are shooting 39.5 percent from the field compared to 43.0 percent for the Eagles. In defeats, the Eagles are only scoring 62.0 points, while giving up 68.8. Another factor in the Eagles' success has been the ability to control the glass. EMU is grabbing 40.8 rebounds to just 31.3 for the opponents in the wins, while in setbacks EMU is out-rebounding by only three caroms (41.0 to 38.0).
HOME COURT ADVANTAGE: Eastern Michigan is 6-1 at the Convocation Center this season. The Eagles have won 31 of the last 40 home games dating back to the 2008-09 campaign. Eastern Michigan has racked up a solid home-court advantage inside the friendly confines of the Convocation Center since the doors opened during the 1998-99 campaign. The Green and White has won 69.8 percent of the contests played in the building, piling up a 125-54 all-time mark.
FOUTY WITH AUTHORITY: Sophomore forward Olivia Fouty continues to impress with her ability to rebound the basketball. Against Wyoming, Jan. 2, Fouty surpassed her career high with 15 rebounds in the first half en route to finishing the contest with 18 caroms. The 18 rebounds are tied for seventh most in a single game and are the most by an EMU player since Paige Redditt hauled down 18 against Loyola, Nov. 20, 2011.
Fouty has at least six caroms in 15 of her 18 games this season, and she has six double-figure rebounding performances (18 vs. Wyoming, 12 vs. UMKC, 12 vs. Michigan, 12 vs. Central Michigan, 11 vs. Western Michigan, 10 at Detroit).
PIPING HOT TURNOVERS: After forcing 769 turnovers (20.8 per game) last season, Eastern Michigan is at it again this year, causing 421 turnovers (23.4 per game) in its 18 outings. The majority of those turnovers have come via EMU steals, with the Eagles registering 246 thefts (13.7 per game) after ranking first in the Mid-American Conference in that category last season.
STRUGGLING FROM DOWNTOWN: The Eagles' three-point field goal shooting ability has been the team's Achilles heel in 2011-12, as the Eagles are shooting just 25.5 percent from the outside. EMU has made two-or-fewer shots from beyond the long line on seven occasions this season and is a combined 4-3 in those contests. The distance change to 20-feet, 8-inches for this season may have contributed to EMU's struggles. At this point during the 2009-10 campaign, EMU was averaging 6.9 long-range shots per game compared to 3.1 this season.
GET THAT SHOT OUTTA HERE: Senior forward Paige Redditt recorded a blocked shot Saturday, Jan. 14, in the victory against Western Michigan. She upped her career total to 106 and currently stands in second place on the EMU all-time list. Redditt passed Stephanie Smiley who tallied 103 rejections for Eastern from 1998-2002. The EMU career leader is Sharon Rose (1983-87) with 144.
APPROACHING 900: Senior Paige Redditt has scored 841 points in her career and ranks 29th all time. There are currently 20 players in the 900-point club for EMU women's basketball.
AGAINST IN-STATE SCHOOLS: Eastern Michigan has had great success against other collegiate programs in the state of Michigan over the past 10 seasons. Since the beginning of the 2002-03 season, the Eagles are 41-14 (74.5) against in-state rivals, including a 19-11 mark under AnnMarie Gilbert.
A LOOK INSIDE THE SPECIALTY STATS: The Eagles are averaging 39.5 points per game in the paint, 10.1 points off the bench, 25.4 points per game off turnovers, 14.6 second-chance points and 14.5 fast break points per game.
EMU VERSUS THE MAC: This is EMU's 31st season competing in the Mid-American Conference. The Eagles hold a 210-275 record against conference foes and have posted winning seasons in the MAC in 10 of the last 11 campaigns. EMU has had the most success against Northern Illinois, going 27-9, and the least versus Bowling Green, 14-44. Western Michigan has been the Green and White's most frequent opponent with 70 meetings while Buffalo holds the distinction of the fewest conference games against the Eagles with 18.
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