Eastern Michigan Athletics
Tuesday, February 28
Mount Pleasant, Mich.
7 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
at
Central Michigan
Photo by: Steve King/KingStudios
Eagles Eye First Regular-Season Title Tuesday Night
2/27/2012 3:01:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2012 » 7 p.m. » McGuirk Arena (5,300) » Mount Pleasant, Mich.
Complete Release.
Listen to the Game.
Live Stats.
EAGLES EYE FIRST REGULAR-SEASON TITLE: The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team closes out the 2011-12 regular season Tuesday, Feb. 28, on the road at instate rival Central Michigan University. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. at McGuirk Arena in Mount Pleasant, Mich.
The Eagles are looking to earn at least a share of the program's first Mid-American Conference regular-season team championship with a victory. EMU is currently tied with Bowling Green State University with 13-2 records in league play, and the Falcons will also be on the road that same evening at Kent State University. BGSU holds the tie-breaker over EMU in a seeding scenario due to its head-to-head victory, but the MAC honors co-championships should the teams finish with identical league records.
Having already secured at least a share of the West Division title, the Eagles can also clinch the outright division championship with a victory as they boast a mark of 21-7 (13-2 MAC). Meanwhile, the Chippewas are 15-14 (7-8 MAC) after dispatching Western Michigan University, 66-53, at University Arena in Kalamazoo, Mich., Feb. 25.
FINAL TUNE UP: With 15 Mid-American Conference games already in the books, Eastern Michigan has already secured a bye to the semifinals of the 2012 First Energy MAC Tournament, March 9, at Quickens Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. The Eagles are 13-2 in the MAC and can do no worse than the second seed in the upcoming tournament, thanks in part to a regular-season sweep of the University of Toledo. EMU could still move up to the No. 1 seed if it wins at Central Michigan and Bowling Green loses at Kent State.
However, the downside to the team's success is that the Eagles will not play another game for the next 10 days, the longest in-season break of the year.
STRIVING FOR 10 STRAIGHT: The Eagles have strung together nine consecutive victories for the first time since the 2005-06 campaign. That year the Green and White rolled off a pair of nine-game winning streaks from Dec. 30 through Jan. 28 and again from Feb. 4 to March 8. In total, the program has 15 winning streaks of five-or-more contests, but never has the streak gone past more than nine contests.
During the current steak, the Eagles are winning games by an average of more than 24 points (74.9 to 50.6) and out-rebounding opponents by almost 12 rebounds per game (45.0 to 33.6). Hot shooting has been another key as Eastern is hitting 43.9 percent of its shots from the floor while the defense is holding the opposition to just 32.5 percent.
Of further note, EMU's mark is tied with Cal Poly and Howard for the nation's 12th longest active winning streak.
A SPOTLIGHT ON THE CHIPPEWAS: The Feb. 28 contest marks the 69th meeting between the Chippewas and Eagles, who first met during the 1976-77 season. CMU leads the overall series, 37-31, but EMU has won 18 of the last 23 meetings dating back to the 2000-01 campaign.
Earlier this season, EMU downed the Chippewas, 73-60, in the Convocation Center, Jan. 19. The Eagles started the game with a flurry, racing to a 32-12 lead in the game's first 12 minutes and never trailing on the way to the win. Senior guard Tavelyn James was one of four Eagles in double-figure scoring with 23. Sophomore forward Natachia Watkins added 19 points while senior forward Paige Redditt and sophomore guard Desyree Thomas contributed 11 each. Redditt also had 11 rebounds for a double-double.
Central Michigan had three players in double figures, led by Jas'Mine Bracey with 16, Taylor Johnson 15 and Jessica Green with 12.
Eastern would shoot 41.9 percent from the floor, making 26-of-62 shots while Central made just 23-of-61 for 37.7 percent. Eastern turned the Chippewas over a whopping 25 times.
JAMES AND REDDITT NEAR RECORD FOR GAMES PLAYED: Seniors Tavelyn James and Paige Redditt have each played in 125 games during their four-year careers and will tie Cassie Schrock (2007-11) for the all-time record for the most games played in an EMU uniform Tuesday, Feb. 25, at Central Michigan. Schrock set the record just a season ago when she appeared in 126 contests.
CAPTURING THE WEST: The EMU men's and women's teams have both claimed at least a share of the 2011-12 Mid-American Conference West Division titles heading into the final week of the regular season. Since division play started in 1997-98 both men's and women's teams winning division titles has happened just four times. The 1998-99 Toledo teams, the 2001-02 and 2008-09 Ball State squads, and this year's EMU teams are the only duos to turn in that feat.
EMU GRABS FOURTH MAC WEST CROWN: With the 74-43 victory against Ball State, Feb. 25, the Eagles captured the team's fourth Mid-American Conference West Division championship. Since the league switched to the current division format for the 1997-98 campaign, EMU has claimed MAC West titles in 2004, 2006, 2008 and now 2012.
EAGLES NOW HAVE THE SECOND-MOST MAC WINS IN PROGRAM HISTORY: The 2011-12 Eagles have won 13 Mid-American Conference contests, which ranks second-best in program history. The 2005-06 club holds the EMU standard with a 15-1 record.
BATTLE FOR THE MICHIGAN MAC TROPHY: Tuesday, Feb. 28, concludes the Eagles' chase for the Michigan MAC Trophy, which is given to the Michigan MAC university that defeats the other two schools in the same sport in the same regular season. This season in the rivalry games, EMU is 3-0, CMU is 2-1 and WMU is 0-4.
The trophy, sponsored by the state of Michigan Sports Hall of Fame, is awarded annually to the Michigan MAC school that has the best record between EMU, CMU and WMU. The EMU football team won the Michigan MAC trophy last fall.
HOME COURT ADVANTAGE: Eastern Michigan was 11-1 at the Convocation Center this season, marking the sixth time since moving to the Convo the Green and White has tallied double-digit home wins. This year's team also joined the 2004-05 squad as the only ones to tally just one home blemish. That team also posted an 11-1 mark at home en route to a 23-8 overall record.
The Eagles have won 36 of the last 45 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 70.7 percent of the contests played in the building, piling up a 130-54 all-time mark.
EMU RECORDS SIXTH 20-WIN SEASON: With the team's 54-33 victory over Toledo, Feb. 21, the Eagles secured their sixth 20-win season in the past nine campaigns. Prior to the 2003-04 year, Eastern Michigan had never won more than 18 games in a single season.
DOUBLE DIGIT WINS IN MAC PLAY: The 2011-12 campaign marks the eighth time in the last nine years that EMU has posted at least 10 victories in Mid-American Conference play. Prior to the 2001-02 season, EMU had never won more than nine games in league action.
SENIORS CLOSE IT OUT: On Saturday, Feb. 25, against Ball State, the EMU women's basketball program honored a pair of seniors who have helped transform the Eagles into one of the elite teams in both the Mid-American Conference and the nation. During their tenure at EMU, the team has posted 75 victories, three 20-win seasons, a pair of WNIT appearances, a MAC West title and the biggest single-season turnaround in school history.
Paige Redditt. Having played in 125 career games for the Green and White, she has been the ultimate team player in the post. One of just two players in school history to post more than 900 points, 700 rebounds and 100 blocks in a career, Redditt ranks second all-time in blocks, seventh in rebounds and 20th in scoring. In her career, she has reached double figures in points 46 times and has posted 13 double-doubles. Earlier this season against Loyola, Redditt had a monster night on the glass, hauling down 18 caroms, which was tied for seventh most in a single-game for the Eagles. As a sophomore, she enjoyed her best offensive output by dropping 23 points at Central Michigan.
Tavelyn James. Tavelyn has earned four letters and numerous mentions in the EMU record book. An outstanding scorer her first three years, she has taken her game to a whole new level in her final season. She leads the Mid-American Conference in scoring, and nationally she is ranked second in scoring and 25th in free-throw percentage. Twice selected first-team All-MAC and a heavy favorite for this year's Player of the Year Award, she is the EMU all-time leader in career scoring, three-point field goals made, points in a game and three-pointers made in a game. Additionally, she holds the EMU freshman, sophomore, junior and senior single-season scoring marks. Just the 11th student-athlete in MAC history to surpass the 2,000-point mark in a career, she ranks third in MAC history in scoring and has been named the league Player of the Week eight times in her outstanding career. Earlier this year, she became the first student-athlete from a Mid-American Conference institution to be selected to play for Team USA in the Pan-American Games.
DEFENSE RATCHETS IT UP AGAINST TOLEDO: There was plenty at stake Feb. 21 in the Convocation Center and the Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team was up to the challenge, using a fast-paced offense and a smothering defense to record a 54-33 win over Toledo in a battle for sole possession of first place in the Mid-American Conference West Division.
Toledo's efficient offense was stymied by EMU's pressure defense and limited to 35.1 percent (13-of-37) from the field, including 7.7 percent (1-of-13) from beyond the arc, en route to its lowest scoring output since Nov. 24, 2004 when Marquette held them to 28 points. The Rockets were also guilty of a season-tying worst 28 miscues, which EMU translated into 23 points to sweep the regular-season series for the first time since 2008.
The 2010-11 MAC regular-season champs came into the division showdown pacing the league in overall field-goal percentage (42.9%), three-point field-goal percentage (36.4%) and three-point field goals made (6.8).
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 55 points to pass Ohio's Caroline Mast (1982-86) for second on the MAC list. For the complete list of her accomplishments, turn to page 10 of these notes.
Listen to the Game.
Live Stats.
EAGLES EYE FIRST REGULAR-SEASON TITLE: The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team closes out the 2011-12 regular season Tuesday, Feb. 28, on the road at instate rival Central Michigan University. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. at McGuirk Arena in Mount Pleasant, Mich.
The Eagles are looking to earn at least a share of the program's first Mid-American Conference regular-season team championship with a victory. EMU is currently tied with Bowling Green State University with 13-2 records in league play, and the Falcons will also be on the road that same evening at Kent State University. BGSU holds the tie-breaker over EMU in a seeding scenario due to its head-to-head victory, but the MAC honors co-championships should the teams finish with identical league records.
Having already secured at least a share of the West Division title, the Eagles can also clinch the outright division championship with a victory as they boast a mark of 21-7 (13-2 MAC). Meanwhile, the Chippewas are 15-14 (7-8 MAC) after dispatching Western Michigan University, 66-53, at University Arena in Kalamazoo, Mich., Feb. 25.
FINAL TUNE UP: With 15 Mid-American Conference games already in the books, Eastern Michigan has already secured a bye to the semifinals of the 2012 First Energy MAC Tournament, March 9, at Quickens Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. The Eagles are 13-2 in the MAC and can do no worse than the second seed in the upcoming tournament, thanks in part to a regular-season sweep of the University of Toledo. EMU could still move up to the No. 1 seed if it wins at Central Michigan and Bowling Green loses at Kent State.
However, the downside to the team's success is that the Eagles will not play another game for the next 10 days, the longest in-season break of the year.
STRIVING FOR 10 STRAIGHT: The Eagles have strung together nine consecutive victories for the first time since the 2005-06 campaign. That year the Green and White rolled off a pair of nine-game winning streaks from Dec. 30 through Jan. 28 and again from Feb. 4 to March 8. In total, the program has 15 winning streaks of five-or-more contests, but never has the streak gone past more than nine contests.
During the current steak, the Eagles are winning games by an average of more than 24 points (74.9 to 50.6) and out-rebounding opponents by almost 12 rebounds per game (45.0 to 33.6). Hot shooting has been another key as Eastern is hitting 43.9 percent of its shots from the floor while the defense is holding the opposition to just 32.5 percent.
Of further note, EMU's mark is tied with Cal Poly and Howard for the nation's 12th longest active winning streak.
A SPOTLIGHT ON THE CHIPPEWAS: The Feb. 28 contest marks the 69th meeting between the Chippewas and Eagles, who first met during the 1976-77 season. CMU leads the overall series, 37-31, but EMU has won 18 of the last 23 meetings dating back to the 2000-01 campaign.
Earlier this season, EMU downed the Chippewas, 73-60, in the Convocation Center, Jan. 19. The Eagles started the game with a flurry, racing to a 32-12 lead in the game's first 12 minutes and never trailing on the way to the win. Senior guard Tavelyn James was one of four Eagles in double-figure scoring with 23. Sophomore forward Natachia Watkins added 19 points while senior forward Paige Redditt and sophomore guard Desyree Thomas contributed 11 each. Redditt also had 11 rebounds for a double-double.
Central Michigan had three players in double figures, led by Jas'Mine Bracey with 16, Taylor Johnson 15 and Jessica Green with 12.
Eastern would shoot 41.9 percent from the floor, making 26-of-62 shots while Central made just 23-of-61 for 37.7 percent. Eastern turned the Chippewas over a whopping 25 times.
JAMES AND REDDITT NEAR RECORD FOR GAMES PLAYED: Seniors Tavelyn James and Paige Redditt have each played in 125 games during their four-year careers and will tie Cassie Schrock (2007-11) for the all-time record for the most games played in an EMU uniform Tuesday, Feb. 25, at Central Michigan. Schrock set the record just a season ago when she appeared in 126 contests.
CAPTURING THE WEST: The EMU men's and women's teams have both claimed at least a share of the 2011-12 Mid-American Conference West Division titles heading into the final week of the regular season. Since division play started in 1997-98 both men's and women's teams winning division titles has happened just four times. The 1998-99 Toledo teams, the 2001-02 and 2008-09 Ball State squads, and this year's EMU teams are the only duos to turn in that feat.
EMU GRABS FOURTH MAC WEST CROWN: With the 74-43 victory against Ball State, Feb. 25, the Eagles captured the team's fourth Mid-American Conference West Division championship. Since the league switched to the current division format for the 1997-98 campaign, EMU has claimed MAC West titles in 2004, 2006, 2008 and now 2012.
EAGLES NOW HAVE THE SECOND-MOST MAC WINS IN PROGRAM HISTORY: The 2011-12 Eagles have won 13 Mid-American Conference contests, which ranks second-best in program history. The 2005-06 club holds the EMU standard with a 15-1 record.
BATTLE FOR THE MICHIGAN MAC TROPHY: Tuesday, Feb. 28, concludes the Eagles' chase for the Michigan MAC Trophy, which is given to the Michigan MAC university that defeats the other two schools in the same sport in the same regular season. This season in the rivalry games, EMU is 3-0, CMU is 2-1 and WMU is 0-4.
The trophy, sponsored by the state of Michigan Sports Hall of Fame, is awarded annually to the Michigan MAC school that has the best record between EMU, CMU and WMU. The EMU football team won the Michigan MAC trophy last fall.
HOME COURT ADVANTAGE: Eastern Michigan was 11-1 at the Convocation Center this season, marking the sixth time since moving to the Convo the Green and White has tallied double-digit home wins. This year's team also joined the 2004-05 squad as the only ones to tally just one home blemish. That team also posted an 11-1 mark at home en route to a 23-8 overall record.
The Eagles have won 36 of the last 45 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 70.7 percent of the contests played in the building, piling up a 130-54 all-time mark.
EMU RECORDS SIXTH 20-WIN SEASON: With the team's 54-33 victory over Toledo, Feb. 21, the Eagles secured their sixth 20-win season in the past nine campaigns. Prior to the 2003-04 year, Eastern Michigan had never won more than 18 games in a single season.
DOUBLE DIGIT WINS IN MAC PLAY: The 2011-12 campaign marks the eighth time in the last nine years that EMU has posted at least 10 victories in Mid-American Conference play. Prior to the 2001-02 season, EMU had never won more than nine games in league action.
SENIORS CLOSE IT OUT: On Saturday, Feb. 25, against Ball State, the EMU women's basketball program honored a pair of seniors who have helped transform the Eagles into one of the elite teams in both the Mid-American Conference and the nation. During their tenure at EMU, the team has posted 75 victories, three 20-win seasons, a pair of WNIT appearances, a MAC West title and the biggest single-season turnaround in school history.
Paige Redditt. Having played in 125 career games for the Green and White, she has been the ultimate team player in the post. One of just two players in school history to post more than 900 points, 700 rebounds and 100 blocks in a career, Redditt ranks second all-time in blocks, seventh in rebounds and 20th in scoring. In her career, she has reached double figures in points 46 times and has posted 13 double-doubles. Earlier this season against Loyola, Redditt had a monster night on the glass, hauling down 18 caroms, which was tied for seventh most in a single-game for the Eagles. As a sophomore, she enjoyed her best offensive output by dropping 23 points at Central Michigan.
Tavelyn James. Tavelyn has earned four letters and numerous mentions in the EMU record book. An outstanding scorer her first three years, she has taken her game to a whole new level in her final season. She leads the Mid-American Conference in scoring, and nationally she is ranked second in scoring and 25th in free-throw percentage. Twice selected first-team All-MAC and a heavy favorite for this year's Player of the Year Award, she is the EMU all-time leader in career scoring, three-point field goals made, points in a game and three-pointers made in a game. Additionally, she holds the EMU freshman, sophomore, junior and senior single-season scoring marks. Just the 11th student-athlete in MAC history to surpass the 2,000-point mark in a career, she ranks third in MAC history in scoring and has been named the league Player of the Week eight times in her outstanding career. Earlier this year, she became the first student-athlete from a Mid-American Conference institution to be selected to play for Team USA in the Pan-American Games.
DEFENSE RATCHETS IT UP AGAINST TOLEDO: There was plenty at stake Feb. 21 in the Convocation Center and the Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team was up to the challenge, using a fast-paced offense and a smothering defense to record a 54-33 win over Toledo in a battle for sole possession of first place in the Mid-American Conference West Division.
Toledo's efficient offense was stymied by EMU's pressure defense and limited to 35.1 percent (13-of-37) from the field, including 7.7 percent (1-of-13) from beyond the arc, en route to its lowest scoring output since Nov. 24, 2004 when Marquette held them to 28 points. The Rockets were also guilty of a season-tying worst 28 miscues, which EMU translated into 23 points to sweep the regular-season series for the first time since 2008.
The 2010-11 MAC regular-season champs came into the division showdown pacing the league in overall field-goal percentage (42.9%), three-point field-goal percentage (36.4%) and three-point field goals made (6.8).
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 55 points to pass Ohio's Caroline Mast (1982-86) for second on the MAC list. For the complete list of her accomplishments, turn to page 10 of these notes.
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