EMU Returns to Divisional Action Saturday Versus NIU

Women's Basketball vs. Northern Illinois
Date	Saturday, Feb. 6 \| 2:30 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) -- After a 14-day break without a home game, the Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team returns to the friendly confines of the Convocation Center Saturday, Feb. 20, to host the Huskies of Northern Illinois University. Game time is scheduled for approximately 2:30 p.m. The game is the second leg of a doubleheader with the EMU men's basketball team, which tangles with the University of Toledo at noon.
   Eastern Michigan enters the game with a 16-8 (7-6 MAC) record after rolling off three consecutive wins, including most recently a 70-55 decision at Buffalo, Feb. 17. Meanwhile, the Huskies are 10-14 (3-10 MAC) following its 10th loss in the past 12 contests with a 73-57 home setback to Ball State.
       Veteran broadcasters Chad Bush and Greg Steiner will have the call on WEMU (89.1 FM). The game will be televised on ESPN3 as a part of the campus connection initiative.

SET IT ON 70 AND FORGET IT!: During the team's recent three-game winning streak the number 70 has proven to be magical, as the squad has hit for 70 points in victories over Western Michigan, Miami and Buffalo. It is also just the second time this season the Eagles have hit for 70-or-more in three consecutive games. Meanwhile, the defense has also limited opponents to just 55.7 ppg during the same span.
   Since Tory Verdi has taken over, the Eagles have tasted victory 44 times when hitting for at least 70 in a game (65.7 percent of the team's win total). Last season, EMU posted a season-best six consecutive games of 70-or-more down the stretch run and into the Mid-American Conference Tournament.

RECORDS - GET OUT OF MY WAY!: The tandem of Cha Sweeney and Janay Morton are on pace to go down as one of the most productive tandems in not only EMU history but also in the Mid-American Conference rankings. Even more amazing, they still have a full year remaining of eligibility. With a combined 2,825 points in three seasons, the pair have amounted for 42.0 percent of the team's 6,728 points since stepping foot on campus. Heading into Saturday, Sweeney needs 11 points to move into the top-35 all-time scorers in MAC history, while Morton is just seven three-pointers made from cracking the league's career ranking for treys at 182.
   The most dynamic scoring pair of classmates in Eastern Michigan history is Tavelyn James and Paige Redditt, who combined for 3,471 points from 2008-2012.

Most Combined Points by EMU Classroom
   Point Total   Classmates   Points Scored   Years
   3,471   Tavelyn James/Paige Redditt   2,470/1,001   2008-12
   3,304   Ryan Coleman/Nikki Knapp   1,793/1,511   2002-06
   2,948   Laurie Byrd/Denise Allen   1,899/1,049   1978-82
   2,825   Cha Sweeney/Janay Morton   1,623/1,202   2013-Present

MEETING THE HUSKIES ON THE HARDWOOD: Saturday afternoon's clash with Mid-American Conference West Division foe, Northern Illinois, marks the 46th time the two teams will have met on the hardwood. Eastern Michigan holds a hefty 33-12 lead in the all-time series, including a 17-4 mark in games in Ypsilanti.
   Earlier this season, it took overtime for EMU to escape DeKalb, Ill. with an 87-80 victory, Jan. 9. Luck was on the Eagles' side when Janay Morton was able to force overtime with two free throws. Game-tying free throws by EMU with 57 seconds left, followed by a go-ahead layup with 31 seconds left, put NIU's Courtney Woods in a position to drain a go-ahead three-pointer with 10 seconds left on the clock, 70-69.
   After an Eastern Michigan timeout with 7.1 seconds left, the Eagles' leading scorer Cha Sweeney drove to the basket and attempted a layup but a fingertip block by Ally Lehman put the ball of the rim and into the hands of Kelly Smith with three seconds left.
   Hitting one free throw to put NIU on top by two, 71-69, EMU was forced to inbound the ball with 2.8 seconds left and never had the chance as a deadball foul on Lehman put Morton on the line for two free throws, forcing overtime, 71-71, and fouling out Lehman in the process.
   Eastern Michigan would outscore the Huskies 16-9 in overtime to take their first game in DeKalb since 2013, 87-80. NIU was within five points with 1:19 left on the clock but a 10-for-13 free throw clip by EMU in overtime sealed the Eagles second conference win.

LAST TIME WE MET IN YPSI: Last year, the Green and White handed the Huskies a 60-52 defeat at the EMU Convocation Center, Feb. 28, 2015. Playing on their home court, the Eagles used a 21-point effort by Cha Sweeney and a double-double by Sera Ozelci to top the Huskies.

DEFENSE LEADING TO EASY OFFENSE: Over the team's 24 games, the ultra-athletic Eagles have forced 19.8 turnovers a game while snagging 11.5 steals. The 469 turnovers by the opposition has led to 476 points-off-turnovers, or 27.3 percent of EMU's offense.

FIELD GOAL WOES: EMU's aggressive defense has forced 10 of its last 16 opponents to shoot less than 40 percent from the floor during the contest. Even more impressive, three of those teams (Madonna, Akron and Buffalo) have been limited to less than 30 percent for the contest.

MAGIC NUMBERS: This season, when the Eagles have scored at least 70 points, their record is 13-1. All-time under Head Coach Tory Verdi's leadership, Eastern Michigan is 53-12 when leading at the half and 45-7 when posting a better shooting percentage than the opposition.

LOCKED IN ON DEFENSE: Eastern's defense has always been a point of emphasis with Head Coach Tory Verdi at the helm. Whether its in the half court or the stifling full-court press, Verdi's squads have made a living overwhelming opponents. In fact, the Eagles have forced five of their past nine opponents to commit 21-or-more turnovers.
   In the past four games alone, EMU has forced Central Michigan, Western Michigan, Miami and Buffalo into a combined 94 miscues while only committing 43 itself. The Eagles have cashed in on the trio of opponents mishaps to the tune of a 95-33 edge in points off of turnovers.

TAKE SOME, THEY'RE FREE!: Getting to the free throw line is a critical part of the Eagles' success with the team ranking second the Mid-American Conference in trips to the charity stripe. EMU has attempted 449 free throws, or an average of 18.7 tries a game. Even more impressive is the team's free throw shooting in the final five minutes, notching a 74.6 percent clip with 103 makes in 138 attempts.

SWEENEY MOVING UP THE JUNIOR SCORING CHARTS: With her name already cemented as the best freshman scorer in program history and the second-leading sophomore, Cha Sweeney has now turned her attention to shattering the junior annals. The Toledo, Ohio native already ranks sixth-best among EMU juniors and given her current pace would most likely come in fourth with 519. The MAC's all-time leading scorer for a junior is Toledo's Kim Knuth, who rolled in 681 points in 1997-98.

Most Points by an EMU Junior
       Name   Points    Year
   1.   Tavelyn James   642   2010-11
   2.   Laurie Byrd   557   1980-81
   3.   Ryan Coleman   544   2004-05
   4.   Nikki Knapp   433   2004-05
   5.   Kelly Hebler   432   1988-89
   6.   Cha Sweeney   430   2015-16
   7.   Traci Parsons   428   1995-96
   8.   Sharon Brown   421   1984-85
   9.   Jessica Henry   401   1997-98

VERDI ELECTED TO NEW BRITAIN SPORTS HALL OF FAME: Head Coach Tory Verdi will be inducted into the New Britain Sports Hall of Fame Sunday, April 24, at the General Amegilo Ballroom in New Britain, Conn. Tickets are $45 per person and can be purchased by calling 860.970.6364.
   Verdi, who is in his fourth year at EMU, will be joined in the class by Michelle Abraham (volleyball, basketball, softball), George Kawecku (football, track), Lola Pelletier (basketball), Symone Roberts (volleyball, basketball, track), John Yuskis (football, baseball) and Lowell Lukas (Golf Stanley PAC, baseball).
   Established in September 1996, the New Britain Sports Hall of Fame is a nonprofit organization whose goal is to recognize those individuals whose achievements and efforts have enhanced sports, athletics and recreation in the Constitution State. In addition to honoring those who make a significant contribution to the state's sports legacy, the New Britain Sports Hall will promote and provide inspiration in sports and recreation to the state's youth.

LIVING ON THE ROAD: With five games remaining in the regular season, the Eagles will see plenty of time on the road with three of those contests away from the friendly confines of the Convocation Center. Thankfully though, Eastern Michigan is 8-4 in true road games this season.

BLOCK YOU VERY MUCH: Graduate transfer Chanise Baldwin has averaged 2.3 blocks per game over the past five games including a pair of four block performances against Central Michigan and Buffalo.

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. 7 seed for the tournament, hosting No. 10-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.

ON THE HORIZON: Following Saturday's game the Eagles will make the short trip down US-23 to battle the University of Toledo Wednesday, Feb. 23. Game time is set for 7 p.m. at Savage Arena in Toledo.

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Players Mentioned

Chanise Baldwin

Janay Morton

Sera Ozelci

Cha Sweeney

Eastern Michigan Athletics