Women's Basketball Looks to Remain Red-Hot Wednesday Versus Akron

Women's Basketball vs. Akron
Date	Wednesday, Jan. 6 \| 7 p.m.
Venue	Ypsilanti, Mich. \| Convocation Center (8,784)
Game Notes	EMU Notes
Live Stats	Fan Stats \| Media Stats
Watch	ESPN3
Listen	N/A
Twitter	@EMUWBB \| @EMUAthletics
Tickets	Order Tickets Online or call 734.487.2282

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- Looking to extend its six-game winning streak, the Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team remains at home in the Convocation Center Wednesday, Jan. 6, to battle the University of Akron. The Mid-American Conference tilt is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.
   EMU enters the game with a 10-2 (1-0 MAC) record after downing the University at Buffalo, 67-56, to open MAC play, Jan. 2. With a victory, this year's team would become the first since 2010-11 to notch back-to-back victories to begin league play. Meanwhile, the Zips are 6-6 (0-1 MAC) after coming up short against Northern Illinois University, 65-58, Jan. 2.
   The game will be broadcast on ESPN3 where Ryan Wooley will provide the play-by-play and Greg Steiner will add analysis. There will be no radio coverage of the game due to the men's team also playing at the same time on the road at Central Michigan University.

WHAT A STREAK OF SUCCESS: Eastern Michigan has won 23 of its last 28 contests dating back to last season. Ohio University is the only other Mid-American Conference school to boast equal dominance over the same stretch, as the Bobcats have notched an identical 23-5 record.

MAGIC NUMBERS: This season, when the Eagles have scored at least 70 points, their record is 8-0. All-time under Head Coach Tory Verdi's leadership, Eastern Michigan is 48-9 when leading at the half and 42-6 when posting a better shooting percentage than the opposition.

PLENTY TO GO AROUND: Eastern Michigan is the only MAC school to boast three players that average 13-or-more points a contest.

A QUICK LOOK AT THE ZIPS: Akron travels to the Convocation Center holding a 6-6 record on the season, with eyes on their first Mid-American Conference win of the season after falling to Northern Illinois 65-58, Jan. 2.
     Anita Brown and Hannah Plybon have paced the Zips so far this season, pouring in 22.1 and 15.2 points per game, respectively. Brown does a majority of her damage inside as the MAC's second best scorer, while Plybon is Akron's top three-point threat with roughly three per game. Defensively, Brown grabs 8.0 caroms per game, the sixth best in the MAC.

AGAINST AKRON ALL-TIME: Wednesday's midweek meeting between the Eagles and the Zips marks the 36th meeting between the squads all-time. Akron holds the upperhand in the series, 19-16, while the Eagles came out victorious in the last meeting. EMU knocked Akron out of the Mid-American Conference tournament last season, bouncing the Zips 95-66, March 12. Cha Sweeney dropped 24 points to lead the Eagles while Sera Ozelci and Jamaica Bucknor added 17 each. Meanwhile, Janay Morton recorded the first double-double of her career with 11 points and 10 assists in the win.

WEBB ON A ROLL: Through the Eagles' first 12 games this season, junior Phillis Webb has reached double figures 10 times, including a career-high 22 points in Eastern's 64-63 win over Michigan, Dec. 23. To put that in perspective, Webb had racked up eight double-digit scoring efforts in her career coming into this season. Entering this year, Webb carried modest career averages of 4.1 points and 4.0 rebounds per game but has crushed them through the Eagles first 12 games. The Brooklyn Park, Minn. product ranks ninth in the Mid-American Conference in rebounding and 14th in scoring, while also serving as one of the most efficient players with the eighth best field goal percentage in the league (51.9 percent).
   In the Eagles last six games, Webb is averaging 16.3 points and 8.0 caroms per game.

CHIPPIN' IN FROM THE CHARITY STRIPE: Juniors Cha Sweeney, Janay Morton, and Phillis Webb have been successful when getting to the free throw line this season, ranking in the Mid-American Conference's top-15 in free throw percentage. Eastern Michigan is the only school in the conference with three players ranked. Sweeney leads the way ranking seventh, shooting 84.6 percent from the line, knocking down 44-of-52 attempts. Morton is just behind in eighth, converting 83.0 percent from the charity stripe while Webb comes in at 14th boasting a 75.0 free throw percentage.

HOME COURT ADVANTAGE: The Eagles have won 67 of the last 87 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 have won 68.5 percent of the contests played in the building, piling up a 161-74 all-time mark.

DEFENSE LEADING TO EASY OFFENSE: Over the first 12 games, the ultra-athletic Eagles have forced 18.9 turnovers a game while snagging 11.0 steals. The 227 turnovers by the opposition has led to 231 points-off-turnovers or 24.8 percent of EMU's offense.

RINGING IN THE NEW YEAR: Eastern Michigan rang in 2016 with a 67-56 win over the University at Buffalo, Saturday, Jan. 2. Junior Cha Sweeney led all scorers with 22 points as the Eagles opened Mid-American Conference play with a victory. Junior Phillis Webb added 12 points as the only other Eagle to reach double figures. The Green and White cashed in 21 UB miscues for 23 points to secure their sixth straight win. The 11-point win marked the first time Head Coach Tory Verdi tamed the Bulls in his tenure.

SOPHOMORE SUPPORT: Sophomores Sasha Dailey and Tori Easley have seen their minutes increase significantly in the Eagles' last three outings. Dailey's time on the hardwood has paid off for Eastern as the Toledo, Ohio native broke out for a season-high 18 points against Detroit, Dec. 30. Dailey knocked down 8-of-10 shots from the field, including both of her attempts from beyond the arc to help the Eagles top the Titans, 85-68. Easley has earned double digit minutes in four straight contests for the Eagles, turning in 13 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, and two steals in that span.

ON THE HORIZON: Following Wednesday's midweek bout, the Eagles will hit the road for the first time in Mid-American Conference play when they travel to Dekalb, Ill. for a Saturday showdown with the Huskies of Northern Illinois, Jan. 9. The meeting marks the first time the Green and White will play outside of the state of Michigan since squaring off against Monmouth University, Dec. 10, in West Long Branch, N.J.

Women's Basketball Looks to Remain Red-Hot Wednesday Versus Akron

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Players Mentioned

Jamaica Bucknor

Sasha Dailey

Tori Easley

Janay Morton

Sera Ozelci

Cha Sweeney

Phillis Webb

Eastern Michigan Athletics