EMU Hosts Madonna Before Taking a Break for Final Exams

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YPSILANTI, Mich. -- With final exams approaching, the Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team returns home Tuesday, Dec. 9, for a non-conference affair versus the Crusaders of Madonna University. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Convocation Center.
   EMU enters the game with a 5-3 record after coming up short at Oral Roberts University, 63-62, in Tulsa, Okla., Dec. 6. The Crusaders are 6-2 on the young season following an 89-87 overtime win over Lawrence Technological University, Dec. 6, and will still play Detroit, Dec. 8.
   With the EMU men's basketball team also in action that day, the game will not be broadcast on WEMU (89.1 FM). Instead, fans can catch the game on Eagle All-Access beginning at 6:50 p.m. with Greg Steiner on the call of the non-conference affair.

COME FOR A STUDY BREAK: The Eagles invite students to take a break from studying for finals to come out and support the Green and White as it takes on Madonna. Thanks to local businesses, students can enjoy free food, coffee, Insomnia Cookies, massages, and haircuts at the Convocation Center as well as vouchers for free tanning when they come to cheer on the Green and White against the Crusaders. Local businesses in attendance include: Bigby Coffee, Buffalo Wild Wings, Dominoes, DNA Salon 120, Insomnia Cookies, Jimmy John's, and TanFastic. EMU students get into all home basketball games for free with a valid student ID.

EXTENDED BREAK: EMU will not return to the friendly confines on the Convocation Center again until Dec. 30 against Detroit .

HOLD THAT THOUGHT: Due to final exams and the upcoming holidays, EMU enters a stretch in which it will only play three games over the next 24 days. The Green and White will play at Michigan, Dec. 22, before next returning to the court against Detroit, Dec. 30.

ALL-TIME AGAINST NON-DIVISION I COMPETITION: The Madonna contest marks the third regular season meeting between EMU and Madonna. The Eagles are 19-2 all-time against non-NCAA Division I foes. The Green and White opened the 2013-14 season against the Crusaders with an 101-52 victory, Nov. 8, 2013. The 49-point margin of victory tied for the ninth-largest margin of victory inside the Convocation Center, while the 101-point finish ranks as fifth-most points scored inside Eastern's home court.
   Then-freshman Cha Sweeney was an offensive sparkplug for the Eagles, going 10-for-17 from the field for a total of 25 points, an average of one point for every minute she was on the court. Olivia Fouty notched the ninth double-double of her career, posting 10 points and pulling down 11 rebounds, and also tied for a team-high three steals with Desyree Thomas, who led the squad in assists with eight. Sara Stone grabbed 12 shots off the glass for the Green and White. As a team, EMU shot 41-of-87 from the floor for a .471 clip, including 11-of-25 from beyond the arc. Eastern's bench out-scored the bench of the Crusaders, 42-23. The Green and White forced 19 turnovers that converted into 30 points.

DON'T TAKE THEM LIGHTLY: Recent history shows the Crusaders should not be taken lightly, as just a year ago Madonna upset Detroit, 86-76, at Calihan Hall, Dec. 30, 2013. The win was the first for the MU women over a NCAA Division I team in program history.
   Then-senior Carrie Kloster went 9-of-15 from the floor, including knocking down six triples while pulling down a career-high 14 rebounds, including 13 on the defensive end of the floor. As a team, the Crusaders shot 53.8 percent (28-of-52) from the floor and 41.4 percent (12-of-29) from beyond the arc. MU also forced UDM into 13 turnovers and converted those into 16 points.

JUST A BIT OFF TARGET: For the first time this season, the Eagles did not connect on a three-point try in the contest at Oral Roberts, Dec. 6. The drought marked the first time in 40 games the Eagles were unable to hit on a triple-try ending a streak that dated back to March 6, 2013, against Central Michigan.

NEEDING A HELPING HAND: The team's assist numbers are down this season by nearly three helpers a game. In the contest at Oral Roberts, EMU tallied assists on just four of the team's 23 field goals. The four dimes are the fewest by an EMU squad since they dished out just three in a victory at Western Michigan, Jan. 10, 2013.

EMU DROPS A ONE POINT AFFAIR AT ORAL ROBERTS: EMU dropped a close battle with the Golden Eagles of Oral Roberts University, 63-62, in Tulsa, Okla. Shannise Heady hit both her free throws with 1:36 to play to a deadlock the score at 60-all. ORU took the slight edge once more with a Vicky McIntyre layup and extended the lead to three with a free throw by Jordan Gilbert, but the Green and White kept fighting back and cut the deficit to one point with a short jumper by Phillis Webb with 13 seconds still showing.
   Following a time out, Jamaica Bucknor stripped the ball with 11 seconds remaining. Unfortunately, Cha Sweeney's three-point try was off target as Oral Roberts escaped with the one-point victory.

HOME COURT ADVANTAGE: The Eagles have won 53 of the last 69 home games dating back to the 2008-09 season. 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 67.4 percent of the contests played in the building, piling up a 146-70 all-time mark.

LEADERS OF THE MAC: Through the first four weeks of the season, the Eagles found themselves leading the Mid-American Conference in several statistical categories. EMU crashed the boards effectively, pulling down 47.7 rebounds per game. The Green and White swiped the ball from opponents 82 times throughout the 2014-15 season, averaging to 11.7 steals per game to lead all MAC institutions. Lastly, EMU leads in three-point field goal percentage defense (.235). Eastern is also second in the MAC in rebounding margin (+5.4), offensive rebounds (16.1), defensive rebounds (31.6) and field goal percentage defense (.327).

NEARLY A FORTNIGHT AWAY: After 13 days away from the court, the Eagles will return to action at Michigan, Dec. 22. Last season, EMU also had to wait through a 13 day break between its game at Cleveland State (Nov. 17) and Marygrove (Nov. 30).

ON THE HORIZON: Following the game against Madonna, Eastern Michigan will renew the "Battle of Washtenaw County" as the team makes the short trek Monday, Dec. 22, to the University of Michigan. Game time is scheduled for noon at the Crisler Center in Ann Arbor, Mich. The series, which was dormant for five seasons, returned in March 2011 when the two teams were pitted against each other in the opening round of the Women's Postseason WNIT. The Wolverines lead the all-time series, 13-8, but the Eagles have won three of the last five meetings.
   EMU's last win in Ann Arbor occurred during the 2004-05 season, when EMU escaped with a 69-60 decision. In that contest, Ryan Coleman scored 19 points and Nikki Knapp chipped in 14 as the team equalled the best start in the program's history.

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Players Mentioned

Jamaica Bucknor

Olivia Fouty

Shannise Heady

Sara Stone

Cha Sweeney

Desyree Thomas

Phillis Webb

Eastern Michigan Athletics