Eastern Michigan Athletics
Wednesday, January 25
Buffalo, N.Y.
7 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
at
Buffalo
Photo by: Walt Middleton Photography
Women's Basketball Shuffles Off to Buffalo
1/23/2012 3:19:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012 » 7 p.m. » Alumni Arena (6,100) » Buffalo, N.Y.
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WOMEN'S BASKETBALL SHUFFLES OFF TO BUFFALO: The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team hits the road again Wednesday, Jan. 25, for a game against the University at Buffalo. Tip-off for the Mid-American Conference cross-divisional contest is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Alumni Arena.
The Eagles enter the game with a mark of 12-7 (4-2 MAC), tied with the University of Toledo for the top spot in the MAC West Division. Meanwhile, the Bulls are 6-14 (1-5 MAC) after upending Northern Illinois University, 62-46, in DeKalb, Ill., Jan. 22.
A SPOTLIGHT ON THE BULLS: The Jan. 25 contest marks the 18th meeting between the Bulls and Eagles, who first met during the 1993-1994 season. EMU leads the series, 12-5, including winning nine of the last 10 meetings between the two schools. The teams met only once during the 2010-11 regular season with UB claiming a 70-68 decision at the EMU Convocation Center.
SUPER SOPHOMORES: The sophomore trio of Olivia Fouty, Desyree Thomas and Natachia Watkins have been a large part of the team's continued success in 2011-12. The trifecta has combined for 40.5 percent of EMU's points (526), 40.4 percent of its rebounds (313) and 53.9 percent of the assists (130).
This is a dramatic change from their freshman campaign, when the three players combined for a season total of 170 points, 159 rebounds and 41 assists.
MAC's TOP TWO SCORERS TO BE SHOWCASED WEDNESDAY: Wednesday's game showcases the top two scorers in the Mid-American Conference this season in EMU's Tavelyn James and UB's Brittney Hedderson. James is the league's top offensive threat at 22.7 points per game, while Hedderson is averaging 20.7. In MAC-only contests the roles are reversed with James posting a 23.2 ppg clip compared to 25.8 ppg for Hedderson.
JAMES MOVING UP THE MAC LIST: Senior Tavelyn James, the leading scorer in EMU history, is also moving up the Mid-American Conference list. Just the 11th student-athlete in MAC history to surpass the 2,000-point mark in a career, James needs just four points to pass Toledo's Mimi Olsen (1993-97) for fifth on the MAC list. For the complete list of her accomplishments, turn to page 2 of these notes.
GETTING DEFENSIVE: Eastern Michigan has had double-digit steal totals in 15 games this season. The Green and White has also forced 14 opponents into more than 20 turnovers in a contest.
A LOOK BACK AT THE LAST MEETING WITH BUFFALO: EMU fell just short of a sixth consecutive victory, Feb. 5, at the Convocation Center, as Buffalo came away with a slim 70-68 victory in a Mid-American Conference cross-divisional game. The Eagles overcame a 16-point second half deficit to take the lead with under a minute to play, but a late UB bucket sealed the game for the visitors. Eastern had two shots in the last few seconds, but both fell short.
The Eagles dropped their first game to the Bulls in the last 10 meetings. Cassie Schrock led all scorers in the contest with 29 points including a 12-of-25 performance from the floor and 5-of-8 from the line. Schrock's 29 points was good for the second-highest total of her career eclipsed only by effort Feb. 2, when she dropped in an even 30 points in a 75-66 win at Kent State University.
Eastern Michigan shot 27-of-63 (42.9 percent) from the floor including a robust 48 points in the paint. Sydney Huntley accounted for all three of the Eagles' three pointers, as she shot 6-of-14 overall and 3-of-4 from beyond the arc for 18 points.
Kourtney Brown earned a double-double with 26 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Bulls in both categories. In addition, Brittany Henderson tallied 17 points with Nicki Hopkins adding 12. The Bulls out-rebounded EMU 45-39 for the contest.
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 30-24 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.
AKRON ON THE HORIZON: The Jan. 28 contest against the University of Akron marks the 30th meeting between the Zips and Eagles, who first met during the 1981-82 season. UA leads the series, 16-13, but EMU took the only meeting during the 2010-11 regular season with the Green and White claiming a 56-51 decision at James A. Rhodes Arena in Akron, Ohio, Jan. 22.
The game is the first part of a doubleheader with the EMU men's basketball team, which tangles with Bowling Green State University following the conclusion of the EMU-UA contest.
JAMES IN SOME RAREFIED COMPANY: Senior Tavelyn James has joined a select group of the most prolific senior scorers in program history. In 19 games, the Detroit native has racked up 432 points. The mark ranks seventh 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 Jan. 23 and the Eagles are eighth in the nation (out of 336 eligible teams) in steals per game at 13.4. They are 16th in turnover margin at +5.95, 24th in rebounding margin (+7.3) and 59th in scoring margin (+9.2) . Individually, Tavelyn James is seventh in the nation in scoring with an average of 22.7 points per game and 42nd in free throw percentage per game at 85.5. Desyree Thomas is 12th in the nation with an average of 3.5 steals per game, while Olivia Fouty is 124th in the nation in rebounds with an average of 8.2 per game.
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.
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 60.9 points, while giving up 69.0. 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 (40.7 to 37.3).
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.
CRASHING THE BOARDS: Senior Paige Redditt has established herself as a formidable rebounder. Redditt has at least seven caroms in 10 of her 18 games this season, and she already has six double-figure rebounding performances (18 at Loyola, 14 at Green Bay, 14 at Bowling Green, 13 at Michigan State, 11 vs. Western Michigan, 11 vs. Central Michigan). Eighty-four of her 155 total rebounds have come on the offensive glass, including a season-high 12 against the UWGB Phoenix.
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 19 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 442 turnovers (23.3 per game) in its 19 outings. The majority of those turnovers have come via EMU steals, with the Eagles registering 254 thefts (13.4 per game) after ranking first in the Mid-American Conference in that category last season.
Listen to the Game.
Live Stats.
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL SHUFFLES OFF TO BUFFALO: The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team hits the road again Wednesday, Jan. 25, for a game against the University at Buffalo. Tip-off for the Mid-American Conference cross-divisional contest is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Alumni Arena.
The Eagles enter the game with a mark of 12-7 (4-2 MAC), tied with the University of Toledo for the top spot in the MAC West Division. Meanwhile, the Bulls are 6-14 (1-5 MAC) after upending Northern Illinois University, 62-46, in DeKalb, Ill., Jan. 22.
A SPOTLIGHT ON THE BULLS: The Jan. 25 contest marks the 18th meeting between the Bulls and Eagles, who first met during the 1993-1994 season. EMU leads the series, 12-5, including winning nine of the last 10 meetings between the two schools. The teams met only once during the 2010-11 regular season with UB claiming a 70-68 decision at the EMU Convocation Center.
SUPER SOPHOMORES: The sophomore trio of Olivia Fouty, Desyree Thomas and Natachia Watkins have been a large part of the team's continued success in 2011-12. The trifecta has combined for 40.5 percent of EMU's points (526), 40.4 percent of its rebounds (313) and 53.9 percent of the assists (130).
This is a dramatic change from their freshman campaign, when the three players combined for a season total of 170 points, 159 rebounds and 41 assists.
MAC's TOP TWO SCORERS TO BE SHOWCASED WEDNESDAY: Wednesday's game showcases the top two scorers in the Mid-American Conference this season in EMU's Tavelyn James and UB's Brittney Hedderson. James is the league's top offensive threat at 22.7 points per game, while Hedderson is averaging 20.7. In MAC-only contests the roles are reversed with James posting a 23.2 ppg clip compared to 25.8 ppg for Hedderson.
JAMES MOVING UP THE MAC LIST: Senior Tavelyn James, the leading scorer in EMU history, is also moving up the Mid-American Conference list. Just the 11th student-athlete in MAC history to surpass the 2,000-point mark in a career, James needs just four points to pass Toledo's Mimi Olsen (1993-97) for fifth on the MAC list. For the complete list of her accomplishments, turn to page 2 of these notes.
GETTING DEFENSIVE: Eastern Michigan has had double-digit steal totals in 15 games this season. The Green and White has also forced 14 opponents into more than 20 turnovers in a contest.
A LOOK BACK AT THE LAST MEETING WITH BUFFALO: EMU fell just short of a sixth consecutive victory, Feb. 5, at the Convocation Center, as Buffalo came away with a slim 70-68 victory in a Mid-American Conference cross-divisional game. The Eagles overcame a 16-point second half deficit to take the lead with under a minute to play, but a late UB bucket sealed the game for the visitors. Eastern had two shots in the last few seconds, but both fell short.
The Eagles dropped their first game to the Bulls in the last 10 meetings. Cassie Schrock led all scorers in the contest with 29 points including a 12-of-25 performance from the floor and 5-of-8 from the line. Schrock's 29 points was good for the second-highest total of her career eclipsed only by effort Feb. 2, when she dropped in an even 30 points in a 75-66 win at Kent State University.
Eastern Michigan shot 27-of-63 (42.9 percent) from the floor including a robust 48 points in the paint. Sydney Huntley accounted for all three of the Eagles' three pointers, as she shot 6-of-14 overall and 3-of-4 from beyond the arc for 18 points.
Kourtney Brown earned a double-double with 26 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Bulls in both categories. In addition, Brittany Henderson tallied 17 points with Nicki Hopkins adding 12. The Bulls out-rebounded EMU 45-39 for the contest.
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 30-24 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.
AKRON ON THE HORIZON: The Jan. 28 contest against the University of Akron marks the 30th meeting between the Zips and Eagles, who first met during the 1981-82 season. UA leads the series, 16-13, but EMU took the only meeting during the 2010-11 regular season with the Green and White claiming a 56-51 decision at James A. Rhodes Arena in Akron, Ohio, Jan. 22.
The game is the first part of a doubleheader with the EMU men's basketball team, which tangles with Bowling Green State University following the conclusion of the EMU-UA contest.
JAMES IN SOME RAREFIED COMPANY: Senior Tavelyn James has joined a select group of the most prolific senior scorers in program history. In 19 games, the Detroit native has racked up 432 points. The mark ranks seventh 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 Jan. 23 and the Eagles are eighth in the nation (out of 336 eligible teams) in steals per game at 13.4. They are 16th in turnover margin at +5.95, 24th in rebounding margin (+7.3) and 59th in scoring margin (+9.2) . Individually, Tavelyn James is seventh in the nation in scoring with an average of 22.7 points per game and 42nd in free throw percentage per game at 85.5. Desyree Thomas is 12th in the nation with an average of 3.5 steals per game, while Olivia Fouty is 124th in the nation in rebounds with an average of 8.2 per game.
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.
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 60.9 points, while giving up 69.0. 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 (40.7 to 37.3).
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.
CRASHING THE BOARDS: Senior Paige Redditt has established herself as a formidable rebounder. Redditt has at least seven caroms in 10 of her 18 games this season, and she already has six double-figure rebounding performances (18 at Loyola, 14 at Green Bay, 14 at Bowling Green, 13 at Michigan State, 11 vs. Western Michigan, 11 vs. Central Michigan). Eighty-four of her 155 total rebounds have come on the offensive glass, including a season-high 12 against the UWGB Phoenix.
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 19 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 442 turnovers (23.3 per game) in its 19 outings. The majority of those turnovers have come via EMU steals, with the Eagles registering 254 thefts (13.4 per game) after ranking first in the Mid-American Conference in that category last season.
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