Red-Hot EMU Women's Hoops Returns Home Saturday vs. Toledo

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YPSILANTI, Mich. -- The winner of three consecutive games, the Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team looks to remain red-hot Saturday, Feb. 21, as it hosts the University of Toledo. The Mid-American Conference West Division tilt is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. inside the Convocation Center.
   EMU enters the games with a 14-10 (7-6 MAC) record having most recently knocked off Miami University, 54-51, and MAC-leader Ohio University, 73-61, on back-to-back nights. The Rockets have an identical 14-10 (7-6 MAC) record following a 73-57 home victory over Northern Illinois University, Feb. 18.
       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 for on Eagle All-Access (emueagles.com/watch) beginning at 1:50 p.m. with Greg Steiner on the call.

COMING TOGETHER AT THE RIGHT TIME: After being tested both mentally and physically with three games in a five day span (Feb. 14-18), the Eagles responded with decisive wins over Central Michigan, Miami and Ohio.
   Eastern Michigan twice rallied from double digit deficits, including a 12-point hole in Oxford and an 11-point margin in Athens. During the current streak, EMU is averaging a 40.6 percent clip (26-of-64) from three-point range while also controlling the glass (43.7 to 39.7). The other big advantage has come at the free throw line, as EMU is sinking charity shots at 85.1 percent rate (40-of-47) .
   Cha Sweeney has poured in a total of 56 points (18.7 ppg) while Jamaica Bucknor has come off the bench for 53 (17.7 ppg).

CARDIAC KIDS: Since the start of the 2009-10 campaign, EMU has posted 13 victories after trailing by 10-or-more points.
   Date   Opponent   Deficit   Time Left   Final Score
   Nov. 11, 2012   vs. Northeastern   -17 (29-43)   12:37-2nd   50-47
   March 5, 2011   vs. Miami   -15 (30-45)   1:38-1st   82-74
   Feb. 16, 2011   at Ball State   -15 (23-38)   5:15-1st   81-73
   March 8, 2014   vs. Central Michigan   -14 (16-30)   6:27 - 1st   99-84 - OT
   Jan. 16, 2010   vs. Northern Illinois   -13 (16-29)   7:51-1st   72-63
   March 21, 2011   at UNC Wilmington   -13 (34-47)   14:26-2nd   63-54
   Jan. 4, 2010   vs. North Dakota   -12 (8-20)   12:12-1st   76-65
   Feb. 17, 2015   at Miami   -12 (10-22)   8:24 - 1st   54-51
   Jan. 6, 2010   vs. Central Michigan   -11 (7-18)   12:46-1st   73-55
   Feb. 18, 2015   at Ohio   -11 (5-16)   12:09 - 1st   73-61
   Jan. 27, 2010   at Ohio   -10 (21-31)   16:44-2nd   56-53
   Jan. 9, 2010   at Western Michigan   -10 (3-13)   14:38-1st   61-52
   March, 3, 2012   vs. Toledo   -10 (39-49)   9:48-2nd   59-57

TAKE SOME, THEY'RE FREE: The Eagles shot a blazing 20-of-21 from the free throw line in the Feb. 18 victory at Ohio for a 95.2 percent success rate. The total ranks as the third-best team percentage from the charity stripe in EMU laurels. In the second half alone, the Eagles shot 19-of-19 from the free throw line.

BACK-TO-BACK ROAD TRIUMPHS: For just the second time since the 1987-88 season, EMU played on back-to-back days outside of a tournament. The Eagles knocked off Miami, 54-51, Feb. 17, before handing Ohio just its second MAC loss with a 73-61 triumph, Feb. 18.
   The last time the scheduling oddity happened was just two seasons ago when the Green and White hosted Boston University, Nov. 23, and followed it up against Harvard, Nov. 24. Prior to that the last time it occurred was when the then-Hurons squared off with Indiana State, Dec. 18, 1987, and the very next day faced Wright State, Dec. 19.

SPIDER WEBB: Sophomore Phllis Webb snagged a career-best 13 rebounds in the 54-51 victory over Miami, Feb. 17. It marked the second time in the Brooklyn Park, Minn. native's career she had reached double digits in caroms.
   Over the past five games, Webb has led the Eagles with an average of 6.6 rebounds a contest, including 17 of them occurring on the offensive glass.

SECOND HALF FUN: The second half proved to be the difference for EMU in the back-to-back road wins at Miami, Feb. 17, and Ohio, Feb. 18. EMU outscored the two opponents by a combined 20 points in the second period, including a nearly perfect 22-for-23 mark from the free throw line (95.7 percent). Following the halftime break, Cha Sweeney poured in a total of 19 points while Janay Morton and Jamaica Bucknor added 18 and 16, respectively.

MUDDY'S BUDDIES: Cha Sweeney's left shoulder has a tattoo with a Toledo Mud Hens logo and an inscription that reads "Never Forget Where You Came From." It's safe to say Sweeney has remembered just fine when taking on her hometown team. Earlier this year, Sweeney scored 23 points as EMU cruised to a 75-61 victory at Savage Arena, a little more than three miles away from her high school.
   In three career games versus EMU, Sweeney has averaged 21.3 points while connecting on seven field goals in each of the contests. The Rogers High School product also has 12 career three-pointers versus the Midnight Blue and Gold to go along with seven assists and four thefts.

THE COUNTDOWN TO 1,000: Sophomore Cha Sweeney has scored 902 points in her career and is 23rd all time for EMU. There are currently 18 players in the 1,000-point club for EMU women's basketball.

ALL-TIME AGAINST THE ROCKETS: Saturday's contest marks the 74th meeting between Toledo and Eastern Michigan, who first met during the 1977-78 season. The Rockets lead the overall series, 45-28, but the Eagles pulled off a 75-61 victory on the first meeting earlier this season in Toledo, Jan. 24.
   In that game the Eagles shot 45.9 percent from the floor, going 21-for-61, while knocking down 10 three-pointers. In a homecoming affair for Cha Sweeney and Sasha Dailey, the two were the only Eagles to reach double-figures, combining for 37 EMU points. Sweeney led the EMU offense with a season-high 23 points, while Dailey added 14 for the Green and White. Eastern forced Toledo into 19 turnovers which turned into 27 points for EMU, while turning the ball over just 14 times.

MAC TOURNAMENT OUTLOOK: With the 2015 MAC Basketball Tournament quickly approaching, it is time to gaze into the crystal ball to see where the Eagles could possibly end up to begin conference tournament play. If the regular season ended today, Eastern would be the No. 6 seed for the tournament, hosting No. 11-seeded Bowling Green for a first round contest set to take place March 9. For a complete MAC Tournament outlook, please check page 11 of these notes.

MAGIC NUMBER: The Eagles are 10-1 this season when scoring 70-or-more points in a contest. In three years under Head Coach Tory Verdi, EMU is 23-10 when reaching the 70-point plateau.

DEFENSE LEADING TO EASY OFFENSE: Over the previous 10 games, the ultra-athletic Eagles have forced 19.1 turnovers a game while snagging 11.3 steals. The 191 turnovers by the opposition led to 191 points-off-turnovers or 29.4 percent of the EMU's offense.

INTERESTING STATS ABOUT EMU: In its 14 victories this season, EMU is averaging 74.7 points while the opposition is posting just 57.1 points. In those games, opponents are shooting 34.7 percent from the field compared to 41.8 percent for the Eagles. In defeats, the Eagles are only scoring 57.1 points, while giving up 72.6. Another factor in the Eagles' success has been the ability to control the glass. EMU is grabbing 43.9 rebounds to just 39.0 for the opponents in the wins, while in setbacks the rebounding edge tracks in the opponents favor (EMU 41.8, OPP 45.6).

TOP OF THE MAC: Despite not leading any conference statistics, the Eagles rank in the top-five in eight different statistical categories, including being second in steals with 10.3 per game and offensive rebounds with 15.5 per games. EMU also ranks third in rebounding offense with 42.5 per game and turnover margin at +3.95.
   Individually, Cha Sweeney is second in steals at 2.1 swipes a contest while Janay Morton is third with 2.0 takeaways. Sweeney is also 10th in scoring with Morton following closely in 15th and Jamaica Bucknor in 19th.

STARTER STABILITY: EMU is still looking for some continuity in its starting five, as the Eagles have rolled out 14 different starting lineups. EMU has not had a player start every game this season.

ON THE HORIZON: Following the Toledo contest, EMU returns to the road to battle Ball State University Saturday, Feb. 25. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. inside Worthen Arena in Muncie, Ind.
   The contest marks the 69th meeting between the Ball State Cardinals and the Eastern Michigan Eagles, who first played during the 1979-80 season. Eastern Michigan leads the series, 37-32, but BSU has gotten the better of the Eagles four of the last five times.
   Last year, the Eagles posted a 62-60 victory at Worthen Arena, Feb. 23, 2014. In that game, EMU rallied from seven points down in the second half to claim the team's first win in Muncie, Ind. since Feb. 16, 2011. Cha Sweeney led all scorers with 20 points while Natachia Watkins dominated on the glass with a team-best 12 rebounds.

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Players Mentioned

Jamaica Bucknor

Sasha Dailey

Janay Morton

Cha Sweeney

Natachia Watkins

Eastern Michigan Athletics