Eagles Trek West for the UTSA Thanksgiving Classic

Women's Basketball at UTSA Thanksgiving Classic
Date	Friday-Sunday, Nov. 25-27 \| 2 p.m./12 p.m.
Venue	San Antonio, Texas \| Convocation Center (2,650)
Preview Info	EMU Notes
Live Stats	Fan Stats \| Media Stats
Watch	N/A
Listen	N/A
Twitter	@EMUWBB \| @EMUAthletics
Tickets	Order Tickets Online or call 734.487.2282 \| Clear Bag Policy

SAN ANTONIO, Texas (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team continues its five-game road trip this weekend, Nov. 25-27, in San Antonio, Texas, at the UTSA Thanksgiving Classic.
   EMU soars south with a 2-2 record after falling on the road to Wake Forest, 89-61, Nov. 20. Tulane enters the weekend with a 2-1 record, most recently beating Southern Miss, 86-67, at home. Meanwhile, Northern Colorado travels to the tournament with a 3-1 ledger and has won its past three games.
   Neither WEMU nor Eagle All-Access will be making the trip to the Lonestar State to broadcast EMU's time at the UTSA Thanksgiving Classic. Fans wanting to follow the Eagles can find live stats links at EMUEagles.com/livestats.

ROBINSON EMBRACING HER NEW ROLE: After spending her first two season serving as the Eagles back-up point guard and amassing just 376 minutes of playing time, Micah Robison has embraced her new role in her junior season. Taking on the responsibilities of the Green and White's primary ball handler, Robinson has thrived while starting all four of Eastern's games this season. Averaging a team-high 35.5 minutes per game, Robinson has scored 43 points, tying her career point total coming into the season. Additionally, the Ann Arbor product has posted career-highs in free throws (14), field goals (14), and rebounds (26).

MELVA SMITH ADDED TO THE ROSTER: Just two weeks after wrapping up her collegiate volleyball career at Eastern Michigan, senior Melva Smith has joined the women's basketball team and will travel to San Antonio, Texas with the team this week. A 6-foot-2 forward, Smith adds to the Eagles' size and depth in the post.

EMU AGAINST THIS WEEKEND'S OPPONENTS ALL-TIME: Eastern Michigan has met Tulane once previously ahead of this weekend's meeting, while the Green and White and Nothern Colorado will meet for the first time in program history. EMU's lone meeting with TU came back in the 2012 at the Tulane Holiday Tournament. There, the Green Wave handed the Eagles a 71-65 setback, Dec. 29. Four players reached double figures in scoring for EMU, while Natachia Watkins posted a double-double with 17 points and a team-high 12 rebounds.

EAGLES VERSUS THE AMERICAN: The Eagles are 7-7 against the American Athletic Conference in program history. EMU boasts winning records versus South Florida (3-0), Tulsa (1-0), UCF (1-0), while trailing in the all-time series with Cincinnati (1-4), SMU (0-1), and Tulane (0-1). Meanwhile, Eastern sits even at 1-1 against Temple.

TAKING ON THE BIG SKY: While Eastern Michigan has never squared off against Northern Colorado on the hardwood, EMU has taken on Big Sky Conference opponents eight times previously. The Eagles are 3-5 against the Ogden, Utah based league all-time. EMU has been most successful versus Weber State, going 2-1 against the Wildcats. The Eagles have also split against North Dakota (1-1), while EMU is winless versus Northern Arizona (0-1) and Idaho State (0-2).

EMU AND THE IN-SEASON TOURNAMENT: The Eagles have fared extremely well in there last four in-season tournaments. The Eagles are 6-2 in those contests with an average margin of victory of 5.9 points a contest.
    In 2013-14, EMU went 2-0 at the Seawolves Holiday Classic in Stony Brook, N.Y., Dec. 21-22. The following season, Eastern Michigan posted a 2-0 mark at the Hotel Encanto Thanksgiving Classic in Las Cruces, N.M., Nov. 28-29. Last year, the Eagles split a pair of games at the Air Force Tournament. Most recently, the Green and White turned in a 1-1 record at the Donna Murphy Classic in Morehead, Ky, Nov. 12-13. There, EMU topped Georgia State, 69-59, before falling to Morehead State, 78-73.

RACKING UP THE REJECTIONS: Through the first four games, the Eagles have registered 16 blocks, a mark that ranks them top in the league and 69th nationally. The Green and White average 4.0 rejections per game, a mark that would rank second all-time if the Eagles can keep up that pace this season.

ROAD WARRIORS: Eastern Michigan opens the season with just one home game in its first seven contests. Since beginning play in 1976-77, EMU holds a 207-288 record when playing away from its home court. This season, the Green and White are 1-2 in games away from Ypsilanti.

RUNNIN' THE FLOOR: Through three games, the Eagles have showcased their ability to get out in transition and take advantage of numbers, as EMU has outscored opponents 43-16 in fastbreak points this season.

SPARKING THE EAGLES OFF THE BENCH: Junior Sasha Dailey has been lights out this season, coming off the bench for the Eagles. Dailey is averaging 22.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, two steals, and just under an assist per game through EMU's first four contests. The Toledo, Ohio native has led the Eagles to a 115-95 advantage in bench scoring.

A LOOK AT THE CONFERENCE LEADERS: Eastern Michigan has positioned itself near the top of multiple statistical categories in the Mid-American Conference as of Nov. 22. Let's take a look...
   Player   Category   Rank   Number
    EMU   Blocked Shots   t-1st   16 (69th nationally)
   EMU   Free Throws Attempted   2nd   83 (52nd nationally)
   EMU   Free Throws Made   2nd   61 (34th nationally)
   EMU   Rebounds   1st   179 (33rd nationally)
   EMU   Steals   2nd   36 (77th nationally)
   Becca Turney   Blocks   1st   7 (61st nationally)
   Sasha Dailey   Field goals attempted   1st   71 (14th nationally)
   Sasha Dailey   Field goals made   1st   31 (18th nationally)
   Sasha Dailey   Free throws made   2nd   23 (17th nationally)
   Phillis Webb   Free throw percentage   4th   94.1 (45th nationally)
   Sasha Dailey   Points per game   4th   22.5 (21st nationally)
   Sasha Dailey   Rebounds   3rd   30 (131st nationally)
   Phills Webb   Steals   1st   12 (23rd nationally)
   Phillis Webb   Steals per game   2nd   3.00 (56th nationally)

CASHING IN ON SECOND CHANCE OPPORTUNITIES: The Eagles have totaled 179 rebounds through three games, including 67 boards that came on the offensive end of the floor. EMU has made the most of its second chance opportunities, cashing them in for 55 points.

LAST TIME OUT: Eastern Michigan opened a five-game road trip Sunday, Nov. 20, against the Demon Deacons of Wake Forest University at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Winston-Salem, N.C. The Eagles could not keep pace with the Demon Deacons' hot shooting, eventually falling 89-61.
   Four players reached double figures in scoring for the Eagles. Junior Sasha Dailey led the way with a team-high 15 points, while also adding two steals. Fellow junior Micah Robinson added 13 points, seven rebounds, and five assists to fill up the stat sheet. Meanwhile, senior Sheyna Deans and Phillis Webb added 10 apiece.

ON THE HORIZON: The Eagles round out their five-game road trip Tuesday, Nov. 29, against Incarnate Word. After wrapping up play at the UTSA Thanksgiving Classic, Nov. 27, the Green and White take on the Cardinals at 5:30 p.m. CT inside the McDermott Convocation Center.

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Players Mentioned

Sasha Dailey

Sheyna Deans

Micah Robinson

Melva Smith

Becca Turney

Phillis Webb

Eastern Michigan Athletics