EMU Looks to Knock Off MAC West Division Leader Central Michigan

Women's Basketball vs. Central Michigan
Date	Wednesday, Feb. 3 \| 7 p.m.
Venue	Ypsilanti, Mich. \| Convocation Center (8,784)
Game Notes	EMU Notes
Live Stats	Fan Stats \| Media Stats
Watch	ESPN3
Listen	WEMU (89.1 FM)
Twitter	@EMUWBB \| @EMUAthletics
Tickets	Order Tickets Online or call 734.487.2282

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- Having dropped consecutive games for the first time in almost a year, the Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team returns home Wednesday, Feb. 3, looking to get back on track against Mid-American Conference West Division leader, Central Michigan University. The rivalry game is scheduled for 7 p.m. inside the Convocation Center.
   Eastern Michigan, which has lost three of its last four game, and owns a 13-6 (4-5 MAC) mark following a 75-72 cross-divisional setback at the University of Akron, Jan. 30. On the other side of the equation, the resurgent Chippewas have won four straight and hold a percentage-point advantage atop the division with a 13-7 (7-2 MAC) record.
   Veteran broadcasters Chad Bush and Greg Steiner will have the call on WEMU (89.1 FM) beginning at 6:50 p.m. The game will also be shown on ESPN3 as part of the campus connection initiative.

BATTLE FOR THE MICHIGAN MAC TROPHY: Wednesday will mark the beginning of the 11th battle for the Michigan MAC Trophy for Eastern Michigan. The Michigan MAC Trophy was created in 2005 by the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame. There are three trophies, one given to the winner of the football series and the other two to the winner of the men's and women's basketball series.
   Last year, with its 93-86 victory at CMU, the Eagles' reclaimed the trophy. EMU was 3-1, WMU was 2-2 and CMU was 1-3. EMU also won the trophy title during the 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08 and 2009-10 seasons.

119 AND COUNTING: Wednesday marks the 120th game for Tory Verdi as the head coach at Eastern Michigan.

EXPECT PLENTY OF OFFENSE: The top two scoring teams in the Mid-American Conference tangle at the Convocation Center, Feb. 3, when rivals Central Michigan and Eastern Michigan collide. The Chippewas lead the MAC in scoring offense at 75.3 points per game while the Eagles are second with a 73.3 ppg average. Both sides are nearly identical in scoring defense, as CMU gives up 65.9 while EMU allows 67.2 to the opposition.
   The Green and White have posted 75-or-more points eight times and the Maroon and Gold have accomplished the feat 11 times.

SNAP THE SKID: For the first time since Jan. 28-31, 2015, the Eagles have fallen in back-to-back games with tight losses at Bowling Green, Jan. 27, and Akron, Jan. 30. During the nearly identical time frame a season ago, the Green and White fell to WMU (L, 56-83) and Buffalo (L, 53-75).

FINDING SOME CONSISTENCY: #MACtion has not been kind to Eastern Michigan in the early stages of conference play, as EMU has dropped five of its nine conference games. In those tightly-contested battles, the Eagles have dropped three of them by a combined total of 10 points. EMU had a pair of 12 point leads against Akron, but on each occasion lost by three points. The Green and White also mounted a late rally from 16 points down at Bowling Green before suffering a four-point setback.
   In the five MAC losses, EMU is averaging 63.6 points while shooting just 34.4 percent from the field. Meanwhile, the opposition has averaged 9.8 three-pointers while shooting 41.8 percent overall.

ALL-TIME WITH CMU: Wednesday's contest marks the 77th meeting between the Chippewas and Eagles, who first met during the 1976-77 season. CMU leads the overall series, 41-35, but EMU has won 22 of the last 31 meetings dating back to the 2000-01 campaign. EMU posted a decisive 85-64 win over Central Michigan last year at the Convocation Center, Feb. 14, 2015, and followed it up with a 93-86 victory in the regular season finale in Mount Pleasant, March 7, 2015.

MORTON DIALS IN FROM LONG RANGE: Junior guard Janay Morton went to town from the three-point line in the Eagles' loss to Akron, Jan. 30. The Brooklyn Park, Minn. native knocked down a season-best six three-pointers versus the Zips. That number was just one shy of the third-year Eagle's career-high set versus Buffalo as a freshman, Jan. 18, 2014, when she hit seven from beyond the arc.

DEANS TO THE RESCUE!: After totalling just seven points and 19 rebounds in her previous eight contests, junior Sheyna Deans has turned in her two best games as an Eagle at Bowling Green, Jan. 27, and Akron, Jan. 30. In 22 minutes off the bench at BGSU, she nearly collected a double-double with 10 points on 5-of-9 shooting with nine rebounds and three steals. Against the Zips, she posted a career-best in points with 11 to go along with four steals.

SHARING THE SUGAR: Eastern put up 72 points in its three-point setback to Akron, Jan. 30, but the Eagles played very unselfish basketball in those 40 minutes. EMU dished out 17 assists, which is the second-most on the 2015-16 campaign. It was the first time the Eagles surpassed 16 assists versus an NCAA Division I team this season. Prior to the contest versus UA, the Eagles had dished out 24 assists against Madonna, Dec. 18.
   Eastern had an assist on all but eight field goal makes against Akron.

PLAY4KAY GAME SET FOR FEB. 6 VERSUS WMU: EMU will hold a special breast cancer awareness game in support of the 'Play4Kay' campaign. The promotion will coincide with the Eagles Mid-American Conference match up with Western Michigan University, Feb. 6, at 2 p.m.    Fans that wear pink will be granted admission for just $3, while all EMU Kids Club Members will receive free admission to the event.
   There will be a silent auction to benefit the Kay Yow Cancer Fund (KYCF) in which fans can bid on Adidas gear, EMU memorabilia, season tickets, and much more. Additionally, a Kids Fan Fair will take place from 1 to 2 p.m. in the atrium of the Convocation Center where children can participate in activities led by members of the Eastern Michigan women's teams and get autographs from several EMU student-athletes.
   In her 34-year tenure at North Carolina State University, the late Kay Yow became the first coach to win two Olympic gold medals, guided her teams to 20 NCAA Tournaments and was inducted into 11 Halls of Fame. However, Coach Yow's legacy in the community extends far beyond the basketball court. Yow founded the Kay Yow Cancer Fund in 2007 before passing away in 2009 after her 22-year battle with breast cancer.

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

MAC TOURNAMENT OUTLOOK: With the 2016 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. 8 seed for the tournament, hosting No. 9-seeded Miami for a first round contest set to take place March 7. For a complete MAC Tournament outlook, please check page 11 of these notes.

WMU ON THE HORIZON: EMU will remain at home Saturday, Feb. 6, as it hosts rival Western Michigan University. Game time is scheduled for 2 p.m. at the Convocation Center. The contest marks the 79th meeting between the Western Michigan Broncos and Eastern Michigan Eagles, who first played during the 1976-77 season. EMU leads the all-time series, 45-33, and has won 17 of the last 22 meetings.

EMU Looks to Knock Off MAC West Division Leader Central Michigan

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Players Mentioned

Sheyna Deans

Janay Morton

Eastern Michigan Athletics