Eagles Travel to the Glass City for Wednesday Contest with Rockets

Women's Basketball at Toledo
Date	Wednesday, Feb. 24 \| 7 p.m.
Venue	Toledo, Ohio \| Savage Arena (9,000)
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

TOLEDO, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University women's basketball team makes the short trek down US-23 Wednesday evening, Feb. 24, for a Mid-American Conference tilt versus the University of Toledo. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Savage Arena.
   The Eagles enter the game with a mark of 17-8 (8-6 MAC) after a stifling defensive performance in a 24-point victory over Northern Illinois University, Feb. 20. Meanwhile, the Rockets are 15-10 (10-4 MAC) following an 81-79 overtime victory on the road versus West Division frontrunner Central Michigan University, Feb. 20.
   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.

DESTINY STILL IN THEIR CONTROL: With four games remaining in the regular season, the Eagles still very much control their own destiny in the upcoming Mid-American Conference Tournament. The fifth-seed if the regular season ended today, EMU closes out the year against three teams it currently trails in the standings (Toledo, Ball State and Central Michigan). Eastern sits three-games back of the division leading Chippewas while remaining two behind the Rockets and Cardinals for second.
   EMU can still capture one of the league's automatic bids to Cleveland, Ohio, if it were to win its remaining games. Ohio is the lone squad to have already punched its ticket to Quicken Loans Arena, as the top-four seeds regardless of the division advance directly to the quarterfinals.
   West Division teams have never earned three tournament byes with East Division squads having done it in each of the past two seasons.

NOW THIS IS MORE LIKE IT!: EMU has won its last four games and now looks more like the team that was the league's West Division preseason favorite. During the current streak, the Eagles have poured in an average of 73.5 points per game while shooting 40.6 percent (113-of-278) from the floor. Despite being out-rebounded by almost eight boards a contest, EMU has limited the opposition to 35.1 percent shooting (87-for-248) and 55.8 ppg. Even more impressive has been the team's ability to cause havoc on defense, as the team has not trailed for even a second of game action after forcing 90 turnovers and blocking 10 shots. Cha Sweeney is chipping in 20.8 points while Chanise Baldwin is averaging 14 points and 7.5 rebounds a game as well.

ALL-TIME AGAINST THE ROCKETS: Wednesday's contest marks the 77th meeting between Toledo and Eastern Michigan, who first met during the 1977-78 season. The Rockets lead the overall series, 45-30, but the Eagles have taken three of the last four meetings.
   Last season, EMU escaped with a 76-61 win in Toledo, Jan 23, 2015, before UT returned the favor with an 81-72 triumph in Ypsilanti, Feb. 22, 2015. Eastern took the rubber match to oust UT from the MAC Tournament with a 74-57 win in Cleveland, Ohio, March 11.
   Earlier this year, EMU cruised past Toledo, 59-41, at the Convocation Center as the Midnight Blue and Gold were held to its second-lowest point total of the year. Junior Janay Morton led all scorers with 23 points on 6-of-11 shooting, including 5-of-7 from three-point range, while also grabbing a game-high nine rebounds to go along with six steals and three assists. Juniors Cha Sweeney and Phillis Webb added 14 and nine points, respectively. Sweeney also registered a team-best four assists while Webb added nine rebounds.

RETURNING TO THE GLASS CITY: The Eagles will attempt to win back-to-back games in Toledo for the first time in roughly eight years when it travels to Savage Arena Wednesday, Feb. 24. The Eagles, who are seeking their 11th all-time win in Toledo, Ohio, recorded a 75-61 win last season in the Glass City, Feb. 24, 2015.
   In that game, the Eagles shot 45.9 percent from the floor, going 21-for-61, while tying a season-best with 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. The Eagle bench proved to be effective for Eastern as it out-scored the Rocket's bench, 38-11, including 16 points off of second chances.
   From 2006-08, the Green and White tasted victory three consecutive times at Savage Arena. EMU has only won consecutive contests on the Rockets' home court just one other time, Jan. 21, 1985, to Jan. 13, 1987 when the then-Hurons also posted three consecutive decisions.

OFFENSE VS. DEFENSE: Wednesday matches Toledo's efficient offense against Eastern Michigan's solid defense. In conference games only, EMU is third in scoring defense (62.7 ppg) and fifth in both overall field-goal percentage defense (.385, 327-of-850) and three-point field-goal percentage defense (.299, 96-of-321). On the flipside, UT sits third in overall field-goal percentage (.424, 334-of-788), fourth in three point field-goal percentage (.336, 77-of-229) and fifth in scoring offense (68.1 ppg) in league contests.

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. In six career games versus Toledo, Sweeney has averaged 21.3 points while connecting on at least seven field goals in all but one of of the contests. The Rogers High School product also has 17 career three-pointers versus the Midnight Blue and Gold to go along with 17 assists and 11 thefts.

MR. ROGERS NEIGHBORHOOD: Junior Cha Sweeney is joined by two former Rogers High School teammates – sophomore guard Sasha Dailey and sophomore forward Tori Easley. The two sophomores bring the total number of Rogers alumni to four with senior forward KaBria Walker returning to Eastern this season. Nationally, EMU is the only Division I women's program with four players from the same high school. Drexel University posts the next best mark with three teammates from Archbishop Carroll High School.

SOMBER REMINDER: Wednesday's contest will also be a somber reminder for the Eagles of a missing part of their family, as the game at Toledo a year ago marked the final time that Shannise Heady donned an EMU uniform. Versus the Rockets, Heady scored five points, grabbed eight rebounds and dished out four assists on the afternoon as the Eagles' pulled the road upset, Jan. 24, 2015. Sadly, Heady and fellow EMU student Jordan Hopkins were killed in an automobile accident the following morning. The team still wears a number 32 patch and Heady's jersey still remains on the bench as a way for the team to honor their fallen teammate.

SET IT ON 70 AND FORGET IT!: During the team's recent four-game winning streak the number 70 has proven to be magical, as the squad has hit for 70-or-more points in victories over Western Michigan, Miami, Buffalo and Northern Illinois. It is also just the second time this season the Eagles have hit for 70-plus in four consecutive games. Meanwhile, the defense has also limited opponents to just 56.8 ppg during the same span.
   Since Tory Verdi has taken over, the Eagles have tasted victory 45 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.

LIVING ON THE ROAD: With four 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.

MAC STREAK CONTINUES: With the Eagles' 84-60 victory over Northern Illinois, Feb. 20, Eastern Michigan secured its 13th season in the last 16 years with a .500-or-better record during Mid-American Conference play. Prior to the run, EMU had only posted five .500-or-better campaigns in 17 years of MAC play.

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 fourth-best among EMU juniors and given her current pace would most likely remain in that spot with 522. 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
    1.   Tavelyn James   642   2010-11
   2.   Laurie Byrd   557   1980-81
   3.   Ryan Coleman   544   2004-05
   4.   Cha Sweeney   449   2015-16
   5.   Nikki Knapp   433   2004-05

DEFENSE LEADING TO EASY OFFENSE: Over the team's 25 games, the ultra-athletic Eagles have forced 19.6 turnovers a game while snagging 11.6 steals. The 490 turnovers by the opposition has led to 502 points-off-turnovers, or 27.5 percent of EMU's offense.

FIELD GOAL WOES: EMU's aggressive defense has forced 11 of its last 17 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.

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 six of their past 10 opponents to commit 21-or-more turnovers.
   In the past five games alone, EMU has forced opponents into a combined 115 miscues while only committing 51 itself. The Eagles have cashed in on the trio of opponents mishaps to the tune of a 121-43 edge in points off of turnovers.

BLOCK YOU VERY MUCH: Graduate transfer Chanise Baldwin has averaged 2.0 blocks per game over the past six games including a pair of four block performances against Central Michigan and Buffalo.

MAGIC NUMBERS: This season, when the Eagles have scored at least 70 points, their record is 14-1. All-time under Head Coach Tory Verdi's leadership, Eastern Michigan is 54-12 when leading at the half and 46-7 when posting a better shooting percentage than the opposition.

ON THE HORIZON: Following the Toledo contest, EMU returns home for Ball State University Saturday, Feb. 27. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. inside the Convocation Center. The game is senior day with Chanise Baldwin, Rachel Kehoe, Sera Ozelci and KaBria Walker to be honored pregame.

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 Feb. 23. Let's take a look...
   Player   Category   Rank   Number
   EMU   Turnovers Margin   1st   +6.56 (6th nationally)
   EMU   Steals Per Game   1st   11.6 (12th nationally)
   EMU   Fewest Turnovers   1st   326 (12th nationally)
    EMU   Turnovers Per Game   1st   13.0 (21st nationally)
   EMU   Offensive Rebounds Per Game   1st   16.0 (26th nationally)
   EMU   Assist-to-turnover ratio   1st   0.98 (68th nationally)
   EMU   Scoring Offense   2nd   73.0 (43rd nationally)
   Janay Morton   Steals Per Game   1st   2.64 (31st nationally)
   Janay Morton   Steals   1st   66 (31st nationally)
   Cha Sweeney   Field Goal Attempts   1st   462 (24th nationally)
   Chanise Baldwin   Blocks Per Game   2nd   1.44 (124th nationally)
   Cha Sweeney   Points Per Game   5th   17.9 (65th nationally)

Eagles Travel to the Glass City for Wednesday Contest with Rockets

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Players Mentioned

Chanise Baldwin

Sasha Dailey

Tori Easley

Shannise Heady

Rachel Kehoe

Janay Morton

Sera Ozelci

Cha Sweeney

KaBria Walker

Phillis Webb

Eastern Michigan Athletics